Is it hot in here?
Are you sure the air conditioning is on?

It seems like each summer, people in offices everywhere, are repeating these questions while fanning themselves with today’s meeting report.

The answer is, probably, yes. It is hot in there and yes, the air conditioning is on.

So what’s the problem?

The problem is, many offices are too busy with the daily grind to bother with things like the HVAC unit once the weather changes and the A/C is no longer needed. They just turn the thermostat off, rejoice in the energy savings and get back to work. The air conditioner isn’t thought of again until summer returns. And there lies your problem.

Winter Checklist

We winterize our home and cars. Preparing for cold weather is preventative maintenance and allows us a consistent time to do certain yearly chores. It saves us money in repairs and higher energy bills, lost time and replaced equipment. Winterizing commercial cooling towers and chilled water cooling systems, allows it to work reliably and efficiently for us, so we can put it to the back of our minds and focus on the business at hand.

Some of the things we need to do before winter so we’re good to go in the summer (but not limited to this list) are:

  • Remove any debris and dirt from the outside of the machine.
  • Drain the sump, then clean and refill with fresh fill.
  • Replace or repair any gaskets, hoses, belts, couplings or pipes that may be worn or broken.
  • Clean and lubricate any moving parts (eg: fans, etc.)
  • Clean strainer screens and fans.
  • Check and adjust any nozzles, belts or valves.
  • Wrap any exposed pipes and sumps with weatherizing wrap.

Frozen pipes lead to cracks and loss of water. Faulty gaskets lead to loss of pressure and water. Stiff moving parts result in friction that can damage or simply stop the machine from working. Taking these  steps can prevent expensive replacement costs, frustration, discomfort and bad words from over-heated bosses and employees.

I don’t know about you, but there is enough work to be done around here without the added monkey wrench of a broken cooling system thrown into the works.

So remember, let your ideas be hot, not your office, by protecting and maintaining your system for the winter season.