Summer HVAC Maintenance: How to prepare for Summer

As we transition into warmer months, it’s time to start considering summer HVAC maintenance. Since hotter temperatures will likely require your equipment to work longer and harder hours than its used to, a summer HVAC tune-up is always recommended. 

If you fail to properly prepare and maintain your HVAC equipment, you could end up facing breakdowns, cost inefficiencies, and diminished productivity. In fact, according to IFMA, a building that is too hot or too cold are the top 2 office complaints, and according to the NCEMBT, proper HVAC performance and maintenance can “increase building performance in occupant comfort [and] productivity and reduce equipment failure, downtime, and costs.”

But what exactly can a summer tune-up save you from and what, specifically, should you be tuning up? Let’s dig a little deeper into summer HVAC maintenance.

How does summer impact your HVAC system?

Hotter months will impact your HVAC system differently than colder months, and here are a few reasons why:

• Hotter outside temperatures make it more difficult to transfer heat, causing your system to work longer and harder to do the same job it always does. This can have a negative impact on your compressor, which drives the entire cooling cycle.
• Hotter inside temperatures force your system to run longer just to maintain the appropriate indoor temperature. Your system should be equipped to handle this extra run time. If it’s not, problems will pop up.

Which areas are most susceptible to issues?

Areas that need to be kept cooler due to heat-generating equipment (or spaces that simply require colder temperatures) are more susceptible to issues during warmer months. This includes but is not limited to:

• server rooms
• data centers
• manufacturing plants
• printing rooms
• refrigerated rooms (refrigeration units)
• any area that needs to be humidity-controlled

With these areas in particular, equipment will definitely need to work double-time to maintain the appropriate indoor temperature. If they are not able to keep up with indoor requirements, then it could lead to very costly interruptions and even complete halts in production and manufacturing.

Keep Reading: Learn more about how to lower HVAC costs

Summer HVAC maintenance tips you don’t want to forget

There are a variety of maintenance tasks you’ll want to perform before and during those hotter months. These tasks come at varying levels of expertise, so you’ll likely want to reach out to a licensed HVAC professional to guarantee everything is completed properly. Here’s a list of tasks to get you started in the right direction:

• Spring Maintenance Checklist: Make sure you perform a complete spring maintenance checklist. This includes full testing and inspection of all components, so you can identify any issues before they become problems.
• Spring Cleaning: Aside from routine maintenance, you also need to properly clean your entire system, especially your coils. This will help guarantee proper heat transfer and reduce the risk of breakdowns. 
• Replace Air Filters: When replacing your filters, make sure you’re using commercial grade that’s at the proper filtration efficiency (MERV rating) for your equipment and environment.
• Proper Insulation: If you have a split AC system, make sure your exposed refrigerant piping is properly insulated. It’s important that the supply piping is well-insulated so that the summer heat doesn’t turn the liquid refrigerant into gas before it gets to your air handlers.
• Find a Partner: Double check that you have a trusted HVAC partner on speed dial. You’ll need one just in case an emergency pops up (and of course, to ensure proper summer maintenance and upkeep).

Read More: Your Spring HVAC Maintenance Cleaning Checklist

Get help with your summer HVAC maintenance

At BMI, we pride ourselves in providing the best possible HVAC maintenance services for our clients. Our goal is to keep HVAC systems running as smoothly as possible and in the process, limit downtime, lower costs, save energy, and improve your productivity.
Take a look at our preventative maintenance services or fill out our online contact form to learn more.