Need HVAC Services? We Have Everything You Need!
June 23, 2023
Whether you are managing a restaurant or a senior care center, your HVAC system is integral in ensuring the hub of activity can operate the way it is supposed to for maximum safety and productivity. Your HVAC system helps to keep a proper ambient temperature, regardless of outdoor temperatures, heating your space in the winter and air conditioning it in the summer.
Additionally, your HVAC system assists with keeping your kitchen well-ventilated. The dangers of a poorly ventilated kitchen are numerous — from impacting the health of staff members to operational efficiencies. According to the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), the optimal temperature for a kitchen is between 70 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit with a relative humidity of 50 percent. A properly functioning HVAC system should be able to maintain this ratio in order to keep your kitchen functioning at its highest capacity.
Is Your HVAC System Working Properly?
Your HVAC system can only help you keep your building functioning properly if the system is in good working order. Make sure you contact your SafeCare® HVAC team if you notice any of the following:
- Higher-than-normal humidity levels
- Fog or smoke in the kitchen
- A faster-than-expected buildup of grease on ceilings and walls
- Backdrafts from chimney spaces
- Inconsistent temperatures within the building
- Physical damage to the furnace, vents, fans, or ducts
- Spikes in energy consumption or higher-than-normal utility bills.
If you notice one or more of these warning signs, call your HVAC provider. However, it’s best to simply keep your HVAC in working order through regular inspections and maintenance to avoid costly repairs or potential safety issues.
How HVAC Preventative Maintenance Programs Can Save You Money
When you enroll in a preventative maintenance (PM) program for your HVAC system, you can expect to keep your system running smoothly and extend its lifespan for a higher return on investment. In addition, you can even save 5–20 percent on your energy bills by using these best practices. Typical preventative maintenance tasks may include:
- Cleaning and replacing filters
- Checking condensers and coils to ensure they are free of debris
- Replacing worn belts and other moving parts such as fan motor, pulleys, and bearings
- Lubricating moving parts where necessary
- Cleaning the unit
- Replacing heating filters
- Inspecting the ignition burner assembly
- Checking for gas pressure and leakage
- Clearing the drain line of foreign material
- Inspecting the heat pump, thermostat, and wiring
- Checking refrigerant levels
- Checking for leaks.
Your HVAC professional will determine a schedule for checks based on the needs of your kitchen and the type of equipment you have.
Fire Damper Inspection and Repair
Fire dampers are designed to keep fire from penetrating a fire barrier to improve safety in your kitchen and other spaces. In HVAC systems, fire dampers are used where fire-rated walls, floors, or other barriers are penetrated by air transfer openings such as air ducts. Ensuring your fire dampers are working properly — and repairing them immediately if they are not — is critical for proper safety.
What to Do When Your HVAC Has Reached Its End of Life
Having a working HVAC system is very important to your facility. That’s why it’s vital you have a qualified HVAC technician properly assess your system to determine whether it needs repair or replacement in order to function optimally.
If your system must be replaced, an HVAC professional will be able to accurately assess your facility and help you choose a replacement that can not only handle all the demands a commercial operation will place on it but be cost-effective as well.
SafeCare® Is Your Full-Service HVAC Expert
From repair to replacement, our team of HVAC professionals at SafeCare® have the focused knowledge and leading-edge technology it takes to help you make the right choices for HVAC in your facility. Not only can our team design custom-tailored preventative maintenance programs, but we provide detailed inspections, repairs, and replacement for all brands of equipment.
Don’t let a poorly functioning HVAC system affect the performance or health of your staff or jeopardize your kitchen’s ability to operate properly. To learn more, visit us at SafeCareCorp.com.