Air Conditioning Maintenance – Even More important As We Move Into Autumn

For the majority of companies the last few months will have seen their air conditioning systems seeing minimal or no use as many people started working from home rather than working from their company premises due to COVID-19. Given the under use of many air conditioning systems and the change in weather from warm to cold requiring heating rather than cooling, air conditioning systems will require maintenance before being put back into use. Air conditioning maintenance should therefore be a priority for all companies who are reopening and inviting staff back to work.

Air Conditioning Maintenance Needs To Be A Priority

If your air conditioning system has also been underutilised (or turned off) during the last few months you will need to ensure that it is going to work correctly since it hasn’t been in full operation.

To compound this although air conditioning maintenance is important all year round, at certain times of the year e.g. in the autumn and winter months when the weather starts to change and the temperature drops from high to low, an air conditioning system is put under even more strain than normal as it has to change from cooling to heating and the system compressor has to work harder to maintain the right room temperature.

The last thing you need is to find that your HVAC isn’t able to keep your building warm and that people in the building are too cold to work and are complaining about the room temperature. Given this, air conditioning maintenance should be a priority to ensure that your air con continues to work efficiently and effectively no matter the temperature outside the building. In order to achieve this regular air conditioning maintenance is vital.

What Can Happen Without Air Conditioning Maintenance?

Without regular air conditioning maintenance you run the risk of your system developing a range of issues. All of which potentially could result in your HVAC failing. These include:

Parts Failure
An HVAC system is complex and made up of many important parts. If any of these parts start to fail, it can cause a minor issue or a major breakdown. It can also affect other parts of your system leading to bigger issues and costly repair bills.

With planned preventative maintenance the system parts which are on their way to failing are more likely to be detected and repaired or replaced. By maintaining the system and being on top of likely problems you will avoid downtime and further damage to the system and enable the system to continue working to keep the room/building occupants comfortable.

Thermostat Issues
If there are any issues with the thermostat your HVAC system won’t be unable to set and maintain the room/building temperature. However it will continue to blow hot or cold air into the room making the room either too hot or too cold.

A faulty sensor is likely to be picked up and corrected if you have planned preventative maintenance in place, ensuring your system continues to maintain just the right temperature.

Refrigerant Escapes
Refrigerant is what makes air conditioning (and refrigeration) possible. If your air conditioning system has a refrigerant leak your HVAC will stop working. Clearly this is a major problem but an even bigger concern is that refrigerants are toxic and a leak can be very dangerous to a person’s health and well-being. It’s also important to note that remaining F-Gas compliant (all operators (i.e. the business owner, facilities manager or office manager) of air conditioning and cooling systems containing FGas are legally required to have qualifying equipment leak tested and maintain a record of maintenance and servicing) is a legal obligation for businesses that operate air conditioning systems with a CO2 equivalent charge of 5 tonnes or more. Operators that do not comply with F-Gas regulations can face significant penalty charges.

All aspects of an HVAC’s integrity are checked during planned preventative air conditioning maintenance to ensure that the system is leak free.

General Wear and Tear
Like all equipment, especially complex equipment, over time there is likely to be general wear and tear of various components especially those which have to work hard during temperature fluctuations. This is especially true in the UK where the weather can constantly change.

Planned preventative air conditioning maintenance will enable your HVAC company to repair or place any components that are worn and unable to fulfil their function, before they break down and cause any issues. On the other hand if you leave your conditioning system for prolonged periods of time without maintaining it the more likely it is that wear and tear will occur leading to a shortening of the systems life span, increased energy consumption and higher bills.

Planned Preventative Air Conditioning Maintenance

Clearly planned preventative air conditioning maintenance is important in ensuring you avoid HVAC system issues and in enabling your system keep your workspace comfortable for your staff and customers.

Synecore offer a comprehensive range of Planned preventative air conditioning maintenance packages to suit your business and premises.

Planned preventative air conditioning maintenance includes regular scheduled visits throughout the year to help maintain your HVAC and ensure it’s efficient and F-Gas compliant. The number of visits will depend on the size of your HVAC system, its CO2 equivalent charge weight and its age. This can range from once a month to every couple of months to just once a year.

Any business that operates an air conditioning system with a CO2 equivalent charge of 5 tonnes or more remaining must remain F-Gas compliant. As part of F-Gas compliancy a detailed service and maintenance record must be maintained. As part of our Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM) packages we carry out all the nrequired checks and keep your F-Gas records up-to-date giving you peace of mind.

Our PPM package also includes a TM44 assessment (TM44 is an energy efficiency assessment of a buildings air conditioning system with a rated output of 12kW or more. This includes systems consisting of individual units with less than 12kW, but combined have an effective rated output of more than 12kW) when required, and ensures it’s registered.

As M&E contractors Synecore can also provide expert advice with regards to repair, maintenance and air conditioning replacement. We work with clients across Kent, London and the rest of the UK, supplying top of the range air conditioning systems.

To discuss your air conditioning requirements and to find out how Synecore can help get in touch with our head office in Sittingbourne, Kent for more information. Call us 01795 509509, get in touch via our contact form or chat with us via our chat form.