Last year’s pandemic set many commercial properties back due to shelter-in-place closures. Fortunately for business owners, things are now returning to a sense of normalcy, as retail chains, restaurants, and popular tourism locations all welcoming back waves of visitors. However, with this positive turn of events also comes important safety protocols for business owners and those responsible for maintaining commercial buildings. This year, energy consumption and related energy costs are expected to skyrocket, and with that, the need for proper commercial HVAC maintenance and indoor air quality monitoring.
If you’re a property owner responsible for office buildings and small businesses, the energy efficiency of your commercial HVAC system should be high on your priority checklist. Here, we will look at a few simple ways to improve the utility efficiency of your commercial property, both for the health of your tenants, as well as your own energy bills,
Commercial HVAC Efficiency and Utilities
The most common threat to the efficiency of your HVAC system in a commercial setting is the same as those for private homeowners: interrupted airflow due to dirty HVAC air filters. Almost all HVAC technicians agree that a unit’s air filters should be changed out approximately every two months, and for a number of good reasons. First off, the filters in your HVAC equipment are directly responsible for intercepting all sorts of toxic debris. For example, dust, pollen, and other allergens, and outdoor pollution are all prevented from contaminating the clean, breathable air of your commercial building with a clean filter. For your tenant’s health and wellbeing, the simple step of changing out dirty filters can drastically improve your air quality.
Additionally, changing your filters is one of the best ways to improve commercial HVAC efficiency for your business. Aside from helping improve your indoor air quality, unclogged filters can both boost airflow and stabilize your energy use. When an HVAC system’s airflow is clear, the unit itself runs on less energy. This also healthy for the HVAC equipment itself, due to less wear and tear on the unit, which means that you get to save on HVAC maintenance.
Other Aspects of HVAC Temperatures
Another option for lowering your commercial building’s energy consumption is by upgrading your industrial thermostat. Over the past few years, new technologies have been introduced to help homeowners and business owners alike when it comes to indoor temperature and power consumption. Over time, fiddling with a thermostat can result in astronomical utility bills, especially if you’re unaware that the temperature is programmed at an extreme setting. New digital solutions have solved this problem, namely with a programmable thermostat, or “smart thermostat,” which can be loaded with presets for keeping the indoor temperature comfortable and cost-efficient. If you’re a commercial property owner or business owner expecting high volumes of visitors over the coming year, a smart thermostat may-be your best option for an HVAC efficiency upgrade.
Regular Maintenance for Your HVAC
In the long run, the best course of action for keeping your commercial building’s utility efficiency at peak potential is to schedule regular maintenance of your HVAC system and other infrastructural hardware. While you can perform certain tasks on your own, only a professional technician can conduct the necessary monitoring and check-ups needed for guaranteed energy efficiency and hazard avoidance.
Commercial HVAC contractors and technicians often make preventative maintenance plans available to business owners, allowing you unlimited service calls, air filter changes, and replacement for each piece of equipment, as well as other discounts throughout the year. As the public returns to a normal routine of visiting their favorite restaurants and stores, as well as a traditional workday at the office, now is the best time to invest in your building’s utilities and air quality.
