8 Winter Maintenance Tips for your Commercial Air Conditioning System

As winter hits, your commercial air conditioning can be just as important during the colder months, as it is the summer months, but you must ensure that it is efficiently maintained to prevent your AC unit from experiencing unwanted issues.

Specifically, within the workplace, getting the air con to a comfortable temperate, although it may cause some disagreements within the office, does have its benefits, more than most people realise especially when it comes to output and performance. But maintaining and cleaning your air con also has its own benefits, which shouldn’t be ignored either.

Check your air filters

The air filters of your commercial air con unit work to catch dust or unwanted particles that pass through your AC unit and in the air.

If you don’t remember to check your air filters, they can fill up with dirt and potentially become blocked due to a build-up of debris, which can prevent air from passing through the unit and prevent it from functioning properly. If this is to occur, it makes your air conditioner work harder and decrease the shelf life of your air filters.

Ensure that your air conditioners’ air filter is checked roughly once a month, and if it is full of dirt, make sure that it is replaced before restarting your AC unit. Air filters can vary in price, but if you’re unsure, speak to our team for help and advice.

Check your thermostat

The thermostat shows you the return air temperature that the air conditioner is trying to achieve. Ensuring a steady temperature is maintained is important as without this, you’ll struggle to find a suitable temperature for your office or workplace and could be stuck with a temperature that’s either too cold, or too warm!

You may be surprised to learn that the temperature in which your office is set can have a significant impact on your workforce and their performance. By not setting a comfortable temperature, studies have shown that employees experience more issues performing cognitive tasks. We recommend offices set the heating temp around 20 degrees and at a medium fan speed and slightly alter to suit as the day goes on.

Additionally, to your employees, turning the temperature to the maximum then switching it on/off can increase your energy bills during the winter months, it is much more efficient to leave the unit running at a lower, more reasonable temp all day.

Repair broken equipment before it’s too late

If your air conditioning unit features broken pieces of equipment, the best thing to do is fix the problem as soon as it is identified.

During winter, naturally your place of work will often need heat throughout the colder months, and if your air conditioning unit has broken parts, your office or workplace could be left in the cold with no heat provided and little time to get it fixed.

You can often tell if there’s an issue with your commercial air con unit, strange noises and smells usually provide good indicators that your air con is experiencing problems. Once you’ve identified the issue, the best thing to do is to get in touch with a technician to repair your commercial AC safely and efficiently.

At Chill Air Conditioning, we offer a repairs and call outs service to repair any issues within commercial air conditioning unit, so please give us a call if your AC is experiencing any problems.

Check your coils

You might have already thought about checking and cleaning your filters, but have you thought about checking your coils too? The evaporator and condenser coils can collect dirt throughout the year, even if the filter is clean and this can reduce airflow and reduce the ability for the coil to absorb heat. This can be made even worse in dirty and dusty environments, so check for a build up of debris and try to ensure that there is adequate airflow around the units.

Make repairs

A broken HVAC system is an inefficient or even ineffective one, so you need to make sure that you stay on top of any repairs that are needed. That means repairing or replacing faulty components and tackling leaks to make sure that your system not only works the way that it should, but also that it remains safe at all times.

Shelter outside AC

The good old British weather can throw plenty of curveballs at us, from unexpected warmth to torrential downpours and Arctic blasts. This means that the outdoor unit of your air conditioning system is put through a lot, and so you might want to consider taking some steps to protect it.

Some commercial air conditioners can be located outside of your building, and whilst that might be great during the summer, it can put your AC unit at risk from the harsh weather conditions that comes with winter.

The best way to keep your outside AC maintained during winter is to ensure that it has suitable air flow around the unit and is not covered or blocked up.

Make sure that it is clean and free from leaves, twigs and other debris that may affect how it works and then see what protection you can offer it from extreme temperatures, wind and rain. This can help to prevent rusting or any exterior damage.

This should also include ensuring that any external pipes have been fully insulated in order to prevent them from freezing.

If the outdoor units are in a cage, make sure nothing has been leant against them or put on top, as this will restrict the performance of the unit and cause possible errors to occur. If the units are on the ground, make sure they are clear from build-up of leaves, plants and potentially snow!

Servicing

There are plenty of things that you can keep an eye on for yourself, but there is no substitute for a professional so make sure that you have an annual service booked. This means that your system will be properly inspected, and any cleaning and repairs will be taken care of.

Not only will this ensure that your system is safe and working properly, but it will also mean that your own maintenance of the system throughout the winter will be much more straightforward.

You can inspect your office AC unit yourself, however, you’re likely to miss issues that a trained engineer might spot, leading to further issues down the line.

Making the most of our air conditioning maintenance service can be beneficial for your workplace as any issues will be found during the inspection and fixed with the reassurance it’s been completed by a professional. Now you can be certain that your air conditioner will be well maintained throughout the winter months.

Be consistent

When the dark clouds gather and our windscreens start frosting over, it can be tempting to give that thermostat another little nudge upwards, but this should be something that you try to resist if you can. Find a temperature that is comfortable for people to work in and then try to maintain consistent with it.

You should also consider the fact that hot air rises, and so you might find that higher floors are naturally warmer than the ground floor. Reception or loading areas can also be much colder as doors are opened and closed regularly, allowing the cold air in. Zoned hating can help with this, as you can increase the heat in areas that need it most and reduce it in spots which are naturally warmer.

This can help to reduce the workload on your system, ensuring it stays efficient and working properly for much longer, and can also produce a considerable cost saving when it comes to your energy bills.

Contact us

Maintaining your commercial air conditioning unit is crucial and can be extremely costly if not monitored regularly and carefully. If your workplace is looking for commercial air conditioning services, please get in touch with our team today!