Maintaining Your HVAC Equipment

Keeping your heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment on a regular maintenance cycle is one of the last-expensive and easiest ways to reduce operating costs and avoid costly repairs. Your manufacturer's guide should recommend a program specific to the equipment, but certain areas should be checked regularly.

Heating Equipment

Furnace/Boiler Maintenance

You could save as much as 5% on energy costs by regularly checking and maintaining the efficiency of your boiler or furnace.

• Frequently check the flue gas composition to determine combustion efficiency. The correct gas composition should be: CO2: 9% - 10% (gas-fired unit) 11.5% - 12.8% (using #2 oil) 13.0% - 13.8% (using #6 oil) No carbon monoxide
• You should also examine the flue for hydrocarbon, carbon, and flash buildup.
• Measure the exhaust gas temperature. An abnormally high stack temperature (more than 83°C above steam or water temperature) may indicate too much combustion air or dirty or deteriorated heat exchanger surfaces.
• Clean the heat exchanger surfaces often.
• Clean water handling equipment to eliminate lime and scale buildup.
• Keep furnace or boiler tubes free of soot, sludge, or flash.
• Replace automatic blowdown cycle on boilers as needed.
• Maintain insulation on boiler.
• Frequently calibrate controls.
• Check for water leaks.
• Check for air leaks in combustion chamber.
• Periodically check the fuel oil temperature (if applicable).
• Keep economizer and preheaters clean (if applicable).
• Keep fan lubricated per manufacturer's recommendations.
• Check fan blades.
• Check fan rotation and alignment.

Electric Heaters

• Calibrate controls often.
• Check heat transfer surfaces for obstructions and keep clean.
• Check fan rotation and alignment.
• Keep fan lubricated per manufacturer's recommendations.
• Clean fan blades.

Infrared Heaters

• Check and adjust beam direction when necessary.
• Dust reflectors with a soft cloth.

Refrigeration Equipment and Chiller

• Keep heat exchanger surfaces clean.
• Check refrigerant level. Add more if air bubbles are present in the sight glass, or if the refrigerant flow is turbulent.
• Check for leaks in the suction and discharge lines.
• Keep liquid lines and strainer free of clogs.
• Replace worn belts and check for correct tension and alignment.
• Check fan rotation and alignment.
• Keep fan lubricated per manufacturer's recommendations.
• Clean fan blades.
• Check compressor gauges for stable system pressure and normal discharge temperature.
• Check the compressor for leaks.
• Maintain air-cooled condensers.
  

  -Tighten or replace the fan belt when necessary.
  -Lubricate the motor following the manufacturer's recommendations.
  -Check for leaks in refrigerant piping.
  -Keep the condenser fins straight/clean and free from obstruction.

• Maintain evaporative condensers.

  -Repair leaks in the piping.
  -Clean the coil regularly.
  -Clean the air inlet screen.

• Maintain water-cooled condensers.

  -Clean the condenser shell and tubes.

• Maintain the cooling tower.

  -Keep free of lime or scale deposits.
  -Clean heat exchanger surfaces.
  -Adjust or replace V-belt as required.
  -Clean the intake strainer.
  -Check the overflow pipe clearance for proper water level.
  -Check for an even water depth in the basin in the gravity-distributed tower.
  -Clean and adjust the distributed and spray-filled nozzles.

• Maintain absorption equipment.

  -Clean the strainer and seal tank.

• Lubricate valves.
• Maintain the insulation.

  -Look for signs of moisture and feel along the outside of ducts for hot or cold spots that may indicate missing insulation.
  -Repair any torn or loose insulation.

• Maintain electronic air cleaners.
• Frequently clean the ionizing grounding place section.
• Replace filters as needed.
• Keep airways free from obstructions.
• Make sure dampers operate properly and move freely.
• Clean filters frequently and replace or adjust those that do not fit properly.
• Check fan rotation and alignment.
• Keep fan lubricated to manufacturer's recommendations.
• Clean fan blades.
• Periodically calibrate HVAC thermostats and control devices.
• Tighten and clean thermostat contacts.
• Keep thermostats away from heat- or cold-producing sources that could interfere with readings.
• Maintain pneumatic control systems according to manufacturer's recommendations.