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If you are looking for ways to take control of your 2023 budget look no further than your HVAC units. HVAC machines are often the largest line item in facility maintenance budgets and can feel very difficult to control. The easiest way to control HVAC costs is to make sure that your HVAC units are in good health. Here are five tips you must know to keep your HVAC units functioning at peak performance and health.
1. Schedule Regular Maintenance
Being proactive about maintenance rather than focusing on reactive maintenance when something goes wrong can save facilities money on maintenance and repair costs. Regular maintenance keeps your HVAC working at peak performance and allows you to make sure your HVAC does not experience any rise in energy costs or unexpected outages.
Regular Maintenance includes:
- Replacing filters regularly
- Cleaning condenser coils
- Lubricating motor bearings and other moving parts
- Clearing drain lines and pans
- Cleaning fan blades
- Removing dust or debris from around units
2. Monitor Energy Bills
Sudden rises or gradual increases in energy consumption can be an early sign of an issue with your HVAC system. If energy bills are increasing but outside factors such as usage and temperatures have remained the same, this could be a sign of dangerous leaks, a failing system, broken parts, and more.
High energy bills are also a common sign of an inefficient HVAC unit with poor maintenance. HVAC machines will become inefficient with dirty filters, dusty coils, or crowded surroundings. Rising energy costs are a good sign to perform an audit on your unit to make sure it is still in good health.
3. Perform Periodic HVAC Audits
HVAC units need regular inspections to be sure that they are in good, functioning condition and don’t need any repairs. HVAC units have several intricate parts that require regular inspection and maintenance. The delicate parts and intricate inner workings are easily damaged and can result in system outages and malfunctions. Audits should be performed once per quarter or more regularly and should include:
- Checking fuses
- Checking for refrigerant leaks
- Inspecting wiring
- Cycling equipment to ensure proper function
- Checking motors & switches
- Inspecting indoor and outdoor units
4. Implement A Predictive Maintenance Plan
Predictive maintenance is maintenance that addresses problems before they occur. This gives you the time to order parts, and address maintenance needs before they become dangerous safety hazards or before your HVAC experiences an outage. The easiest way to implement a predictive maintenance plan is to utilize an HVAC health tool.
GridPoint’s automated HVAC Scope test tool is a predictive maintenance tool that runs diagnostic and performance tests on your HVAC units and leverages HVAC troubleshooting tools without facility managers having to lift a finger. This tool eliminates the ambiguity of traditional, costly calendar-based maintenance by giving users visibility into unit performance to schedule maintenance and repairs conditionally as needed.
5. Employ An Energy Management System
Energy management systems (EMS) use AI to collect data about your facility’s HVAC system, understand long-term, trending HVAC system issues, and help prioritize maintenance. Energy management systems can also prevent truck rolls, or costly repairs, as they identify HVAC issues before they become a major problem allowing you to easily perform predictive maintenance. This allows you to extend the life of existing equipment and reduce the need for new equipment.
In addition, energy management systems provide immediate cost savings through energy reduction and can save you up to 30% on your energy bill from day one. With an effective monitoring system, you can identify if your HVAC units are running efficiently and prioritize their overall health improvement.
Ready To Take Control Of Your HVAC Health?
Get a customized demo and walkthrough of GridPoint’s platform today. See how GridPoint can help you keep your HVAC at peak health and learn how our platform works in real-time with HVAC health, performance monitoring, optimization, and more. Sign up today!
