Mold growth is an all-too-familiar problem for commercial property managers. When overlooked, it can cause discomfort and irritation for the building’s occupants while also compromising indoor air quality. To better control mold in your property–and prevent its development–you’ll need to take a closer look at your HVAC system. A trusted provider of quality central air conditioning, All Weather Heating & Air Conditioning, shares the essentials you need to know here.
The fact is, mold doesn’t just appear out of nowhere–it generally forms under specific conditions. Mold requires water, a food source and the right temperature range. The food source is negligible–your commercial property is chock-full of them, ranging from drywall and carpeting to paper, wood and furnishings. The water comes from the excess moisture caused by relative temperatures that encourage mold development–and these are elements where the HVAC system is involved.
Your HVAC system can have a significant effect on the indoor moisture level of your commercial property. If the system isn’t well-designed or has performance issues, not only will it generate moisture that promotes mold growth, it will also give mold spores a handy mode of transportation throughout the building via the ducts. For this reason, make sure to pay attention to your heating and air conditioning system and take measures that allow it to effectively control mold development. These may include:
Checking the coils and drain pans. The coils dehumidify the air and cause condensate water to drip into the drain pan. When water doesn’t drain properly via the deep seal trap in the pan, however, it builds up and encourages mold to grow. Make sure the drain pan is properly cleaned and sloped to prevent this.
Using ventilation and dehumidification equipment. This helps get rid of excess indoor moisture in your commercial property and eliminate the potential for mold growth. All Weather Heating & Air Conditioning offers a wide range of ventilators and dehumidifiers from top manufacturer Bryant® to meet your needs.
Investing in regular HVAC inspections and tune-ups. Some components of your HVAC system can become wet or develop issues that lead to mold growth. These include outdoor air dampers, ducts and air filters. You’ll be able to catch these problems early on–and deal with them as necessary–by turning to All Weather Heating & Air Conditioning for regular inspections and tune-ups.
With details on why HVAC preventative maintenance is essential and how it can affect your household, let us look at the six crucial steps you need to take regularly to ensure the proper functioning of your air conditioner.
1. Clean the Condenser or Heat Pump
Outdoor air conditioners and heat pumps can get notably dirty, causing the system to work harder to create the necessary cold and warm air you want in your home.
Cleaning the condenser and heat pump reduces the likelihood of damage to any internal components. You should ensure that there is no debris on the top and sides of your outdoor air-conditioning pumps and units.
Use your garden hose on the fins, making sure that you get in between the crevices to get all the gunk out.
Also, double-check that your unit is level. If lopsided, the refrigerants that are so important in helping your AC work well, will be disjointed. Your condenser and compressor could be at an increased risk of breaking down as a result.
2. Check the Filter
One of the most apparent reasons for air conditioner repair is a dirty air filter. Changing the filter is one of the more straightforward ways of doing HVAC maintenance to improve the air conditioner’s efficiency, reduce energy costs of heating the home, and decrease the likelihood of needing repairs.
Check your filter monthly to ensure it isn’t dirty or clogged. If it is, it’s a good idea to give it a good wash and run air over it. As for changing the filter, about once every three months should suffice. If it looks dirtier than usual, then replace it at once, especially if you have pets.
The AC filter can freeze if it is too dirty and then thaw, causing water damage.
If you have a reusable filter, clean it gently with a soft cloth. After that, add some mild soap and water.
If it’s not reusable, head to the store and buy a new one. If you or your family have allergies, it’s good to get a HEPA or hypoallergenic filter. These filters will help the most purify the air.
3. Regular or Annual Professional Check-Ups
A check-up comprises an on-site visit from an HVAC technician who will examine the HVAC system and ensure it operates at optimum performance. Depending on the technician involved, the inspection may include doing any of the following:
Ensuring the fan is working correctly
Cleaning the coils
Checking (or possibly changing) the air filter
Cleaning drain lines
Checking the refrigerant level
Checking for leaks in the heat exchanger
A check-up can be a one-time event or provided yearly as part of regularly scheduled maintenance.
A professional check-up only needs to be completed once a year and aids households to ensure that their HVAC does not break down when they need it most during the peak summer and winter months.
Getting your HVAC serviced means that all the components will be cleaned and inspected, and working at their optimal best, preventing costly energy bills, not to mention expensive, unexpected repair bills.
4. Clean the Drain Lines
An air conditioner, along with cooling, also takes out the moisture from the air. This moisture then accumulates within the drain lines of the air conditioner and is directed outside. Over time, with the accumulation of dirt and dust, the drain lines can become clogged and even be a home for algae and mold.
It is thus a good idea to periodically clean the drain line. Take off the air conditioner’s outer cover and clean the drain line with a clean piece of cloth. Moreover, you can rinse it with a mixture of water and vinegar, removing any mold which might have formed.
5. Keeping the Outdoor Unit Clear
The outdoor unit is continuously exposed to weather and other environmental factors such as dirt and debris. Furthermore, growth and vegetation can cover the outdoor unit over time and prevent the exhaust air from being ejected effectively. Sometimes, the branches and leaves can even get inside the outdoor unit and interfere with the fan’s smooth functioning.
It makes sense to monitor the area around the outdoor unit, and observe any bushes or leaves that might need trimming. This is a DIY job, which does not take up a lot of time, but can save you significant expenses later on.
6. Get a Smart AC Controller or a Smart Thermostat
By making your HVAC system smart, you can access additional features that can help with preventive maintenance. For instance, smart thermostats or smart AC controllers allow you to monitor your usage history and receive alerts every time your AC may need a filter status cleaning.
Nobody likes oven-like, stuffy and smelly kitchen, especially when you spend most of your time in the kitchen. Ventilation in the kitchen is often overlooked by the majority of kitchen users, but the truth is that the ventilation is just as important as the cleanliness.
It is important to keep in mind that a good ventilation system will improve the performance as well as the health of kitchen staffs. A well-ventilated kitchen could greatly help in controlling kitchen temperature and air quality.
The following are some reasons for equipping the kitchen with a proper ventilation system:
Control kitchen temperature and enhance air quality
The kitchen can get hot and grimy easily because cooking and preparing food generates heat, smoke, grease and odours. Installing a functional ventilation system is the easiest way to control kitchen temperature and improve the air quality. It works by expelling the hot air from your kitchen and creating a constant circulation of air within your kitchen. The elimination of impurities such as heat, smoke and fumes can greatly improve air quality for a pleasant and more comfortable kitchen environment.
Reduce energy loss
Without proper ventilation system in your kitchen, having fans alone might be ineffective in removing hot and contaminated air out from the kitchen. No matter how fast the fan blades spin, air impurities will remain stagnant, not to mention that the resulting energy consumption would be just as high. With some sort of ventilation system, cool air would be removed together with the smoke and hot air, causing the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system to regenerate cool air to maintain optimal temperature. Thus, a proper ventilation system can help reduce energy loss and at the same time effectively improve air circulation of the entire kitchen.
Eliminate odours
Insufficient kitchen ventilation is the main culprit for pesky cooking smells. Unfortunately, no matter how little or heavily you cook, awful cooking odours will still linger around your kitchen. Therefore, a kitchen ventilation system can help you combat such smells. It filters the air from the kitchen and ensures regular air flow into the kitchen. An optimal air flow rate helps to prevent unpleasant odours from taking over your house or restaurant. Hence, all types of kitchen should have a ventilation system to prevent pungent cooking smells.
Avoid contamination of exhaust systems
Regular maintenance of kitchen ventilation system is a big must. The ducts, hoods and fans of the ventilation systems can be easily contaminated by the smoke, steam and grease residue that results from cooking. If you leave the exhaust system unclean, it can lead to unwanted damage. So, the exhaust system must be inspected regularly and you should always keep the system clean at all times. Besides, a well-designed kitchen ventilation that features a filtration membrane can effectively help to reduce the amount of residues trapped on the exhaust system.
In short, having proper kitchen ventilation can greatly help in controlling the temperature and air quality, reducing energy loss, eliminating odours and avoiding contamination.
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