The hot and humid summers in the Twin Cities make it necessary for almost any business to rely on air conditioning for part of the year. And many businesses have year-round cooling requirements.
We offer commercial AC service in Minneapolis, MN, and in this post we’d like to provide you with several maintenance tips that will help you get the longest and most efficient and effective service life from your commercial air conditioning system.
#1 – Arrange for a full maintenance program with professionals.
AC maintenance for a home is straightforward: you schedule it once a year, usually in spring, and technicians come to your house to do an hour-long inspection and tune-up that follows a checklist applicable to most air conditioners.
Commercial AC maintenance is much more complex, and a “checklist” approach won’t work. Commercial cooling systems may also require a more frequent schedule, depending on their use. Our commercial HVAC professionals will help you to devise a regular maintenance schedule that meets the specific requirements of your business.
#2 – Check or upgrade climate controls.
Make sure you know how to operate the climate controls for your business and how to best program them. Commercial climate controls can range from simple thermostats to detailed programmable models with smart and Wi-Fi capabilities. If you don’t have automated building controls, the climate controls will need some input from you, so get to know the details so you won’t have the AC run wastefully.
If you have an older climate control system, you may want to consider upgrading. This is especially a good idea when you make an upgrade to your commercial air conditioning system.
#3 – Change the air filters (if necessary).
Changing air filters for a commercial air conditioning system is part of the job of professional maintenance. However, if you have access to your air conditioning system’s filters in your commercial space, you’ll need to check on the filters occasionally to see if they need to be replaced. You may have an automated system that will tell you when it’s time to change the filter. Otherwise, check on the filter once a month to see if it’s clogged.
#4 – Don’t push the temperature down too low.
Air conditioning systems are in danger of freezing over if they are set too low. We don’t recommend pushing your commercial AC any lower than 68°F for any reason. If your commercial space has thermostats accessible to the employees, either find a way to program the thermostats so they can’t go lower than 68°F or post signs over the thermostats warning people not to set the thermostat too low. (68°F is too cold for most people anyway.)
#5 – Teach your staff best practices.
Your employees need to know energy-saving tips as well. Educate the staff on the best practices to lower the use of the air conditioner (such as not lowering the thermostat too far)! Remind them to turn off lights and equipment that are unnecessary and to keep windows and doors closed when the air conditioner is on.