It’s been a rough year for everyone, and we’re coming up on the final stretch before winter really hits. Everyone is scrambling to keep their business running. Don’t sacrifice your workers’ comfort to save pennies before the cold comes – be ready so you can keep productivity high throughout the colder months. If you don’t prepare, you could be leaking both warm air and money. Here are some steps you can take to make sure you’re all set for this winter season.
Check and replace air filters
This is one majorly overlooked area of HVAC maintenance which could save you significant amounts of money in the long run. Your system will be working hard over the next couple of months, and leaving in dirty, broken, or otherwise dilapidated filters in can be detrimental for your system’s health. Having dirty filters in your HVAC system can make it difficult for the air to get through, and this, in turn, can make your system work much harder than it has to. Clean filters mean your system will run with a little stress as possible, which will help avoid damage and lessen the need for preventative maintenance or repairs. Newer filters will also be more effective at keeping the air clean, resulting in better air quality – which is what your employees really care about. It’s an easy way to improve creature comforts in the workplace without spending too much. If you aren’t already changing filters every couple of months, at the very least change them for this winter.
Batten down the hatches – keep your building sealed
This tip is effective year-round, but its importance cannot be understated. A HVAC system works best when it’s a closed system – any unknown gaps, leaks, and holes in any part of your building are money sinks. Any leaks around doors, windows, and walls are like having a gaping hole in the bottom of a boat. Sure, you can operate with it, but the cost of doing so can be massive. Don’t let your business go down with the ship – inspect your workplace for any of these leaks. Letting warm air out of your building is like letting dollars fly out of your wallet. Failure to do so is a triple whammy. It makes your HVAC system work harder, meaning more risk of failure and higher costs of maintenance, repairs, and replacements. It increases energy costs, which are one if the biggest expenditures of any business. Lastly, it lowers employee morale and disrupts your workflow – an employee whose teeth are chattering because of the cold isn’t going to be working very hard.
Be ready for warmer weather – protect your other equipment
Just because you won’t be using any cooling equipment doesn’t mean you can just leave them out in the cold! Proper cleaning and storage can save you future costs when it comes time to using them during the summer. Keep your cooling equipment clean and dry so they’ll be ready to go when the warmer months come around.
Final preparations
It’s prudent to take the time and winterize your HVAC system before it’s too late. If you want to make absolutely sure, the best way is to hire a professional – trained eyes can see things that aren’t apparent from a casual inspection. Professional HVAC technicians know better than anyone else how to make sure your heating and cooling systems are in shape for the colder months. All furnaces, heaters, and air filters should be checked before it becomes too cold to operate – the worst-case scenario is you’ll have to buy or replace equipment in the middle of winter’s coldest weeks. Suffice to say, getting this kind of work done is expensive and can even be dangerous. Even repairs that might have been simple during spring or summer can become very difficult during winter. This is a situation you definitely don’t want to be in during the middle of winter.
Be proactive — get Building Automation Services
Building Automation can be set to respond to the season, outside temperature, and even the amount of sunlight hitting the building — controlling your HVAC and making it massively more effective at keeping people comfortable. With 80% of office workers having complaints about office temperatures, being able to address their concerns means that you’re making a large majority of the people in your company both happier and more productive. And that can be worth more than any number on your spreadsheets.
We at Level One HVAC are ready to respond to all your HVAC and Building Automation needs. Give us a call at (248) 486-6500 if you’d like to know more. If you don’t have time to call, you can fill in our online contact form and someone from our staff will be in touch with you shortly.
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