Nothing will drive people away from your commercial establishment faster than a broken HVAC system. Imagine shopping in a mall with a broken heating system during winter, or working in an office with no air-conditioning during summer. Complaints will be coming from all directions in a matter of minutes.
If you understand your commercial HVAC system, you would know that it is different from the one you have at home. But if either breaks down, you call the professionals. In your case, you need to call for a commercial air conditioning service.
Before you hire the pros, though, learn about the most common problems in commercial air conditioning systems.
Inconsistent cooling. If visitors and employees are complaining about being too cold or too hot in different areas of the building, something might be wrong with your ductwork. It could be leaking, which would entail finding and fixing the source of the leak. It could also be a faulty thermostat, which is a simple enough fix.
Ventilation issues
If you experience an overheating air conditioning unit frequently, maybe something is blocking some vents, prompting the unit to work harder.
Rooftop unit is damaged
These are the big boxes on the commercial building roofs. Since they are constantly exposed to the elements, debris such as leaves, pieces of trash, plastic and paper may have gotten inside the boxes. If left unchecked, it would eventually hamper the normal operation of the unit.
Sounds strange
If there are strange sounds coming from the unit—whether indoor or outdoor—it is a clear indication of something wrong with the unit. Modern air conditioning systems have been designed to be as quiet as possible to provide cooling comfort without distraction, so it’s safe to say that something is either loose or broken inside the unit. If you hear this, it’s best to keep the unit off until it is checked by a commercial air conditioning service professional.
Drain lines are clogged
As the air-conditioning unit is doing its job cooling the air, moisture and condensation forms and this needs to go somewhere, which is the only purpose of the drain line. As they are exposed to moisture, drain lines tend to get clogged from time to time. Typically, dirt is the culprit, and if left unchecked for some time, this could cause algae to grow within the drain lines. Eventually, this would lead to bigger issues, such as leaks and water damage.
Sudden stop
There is no reason for your air conditioning unit to stop working unexpectedly. If it does, it could only mean that it has overheated or there is another problem. It’s a simple matter of replacing a blown fuse, but this should only be left to the professionals.
Burned capacitors
Even in well-maintained air conditioning systems, some parts might experience wear and tear issues way ahead of the rest of the system. A burned capacitor must be replaced immediately.
Overloaded. If your visitors or employees are complaining that it’s too hot in the building, it could mean that your system is too small for your building. This could be a costly mistake, as another unit (a bigger one) may be needed to address the problem.
A commercial air conditioning system is complex, with problems occurring even if proper maintenance is done. If your system exhibits abnormal behavior, call your commercial air conditioning technician immediately.
