3 WAYS COMMERCIAL HVAC Technicians Improve Our Buildings...and Lives

Commercial HVAC technicians are tasked with seemingly superhuman duties.  Most mechanical rooms are loaded up with various components of commercial HVAC systems.  Compressors, condensers, valves, pumps, filters, coils, duct work, air handlers, and more create a vast network of confusion to the layman, but HVAC technicians must know the ins and outs of every single thing they're seeing.  It can take quite literally years of training and education to not only understand how the systems run but also how to troubleshoot problems and even spot issues before they occur. 

June 22 is National HVAC Tech day.  We're celebrating the men and women who bring cool air into our lives in the summer and keep our buildings cozy and warm during the frigid days of winter.  Let's look at five different ways these HVAC techs make our buildings...and our lives...better.

1. They perform routine maintenance on a variety of equipment in HVAC systems.  Think about this one.  HVAC technicians follow recommended maintenance procedures for each piece of equipment in the mechanical room.  I reviewed the recommended maintenance just for a rooftop unit from Daikin Applied and found that the units need external cleaning for the finned pack heat exchanger, including removing dirt and deposits from the surface prior to cleaning.  Monthly suggested maintenance JUST on the rooftop unit includes:  checking tightness of electrical terminals, checking refrigerant charges, ensuring the compressor doesn't have oil leaks, checking the crankcase heaters of the compressors, cleaning the air filters, clean the ventilation filters of the electrical control panel, and carrying out the defrosting test.  Every four months, techs are expected to check moisture indicators, check the condition and balance of the fans, and ensure that the noise emitted by the unit is normal.  All of this is suggested for just one of the many pieces of equipment operating in a commercial HVAC system.   Keeping these systems maintained means fewer incidences of downtime for HVAC equipment, better building comfort, and more system efficiency overall.

2. HVAC techs install and commission new equipment.   The HVAC tech will install new units based on specifications provided by an engineer.  Additionally, the tech will then ensure that they follow instructions included in the installation and operations manual (IOM) provided by the manufacturer.  Again, using the rooftop unit example from the first point, the tech will review the size and origin of the aeraulic ducts and the hydraulic piping.  They will review the location of the power supply, accessibility for future maintenance or repair, and the load-bearing capacity of the support surface prior to installation.  Then the tech will follow the exact instructions for fittings, electrical connections, positioning, vibration mounts and more.  After installation is complete, if the tech has undergone training from the manufacturer, the equipment can then be commissioned and started.  The process for installation and commissioning new pieces of equipment is an arduous one and one that techs undergo after extensive training.

3. HVAC techs train newer technicians.  Seasoned HVAC techs have seen it all!  They have experienced unplanned downtime, stayed after-hours to solve a pressing HVAC issue,  encountered mind-boggling problems related to system efficiency, and have retrofit new equipment into impossibly small places.  No amount of formal education can ever surpass what experienced HVAC techs encounter on the job every year.  Often, these seasoned techs will take on newer techs as either formal or informal apprentices.  They'll teach newer techs how to patch on the fly and make do to keep equipment running until replacement parts come in.  They'll talk about greasing bearings and cleaning filters.  They'll pass on information about how regular maintenance really does impact equipment longevity.  There is no substitute for on-the-job knowledge, and our HVAC techs have a wealth of this information after years of experience.

The system operation of our buildings would come to a screeching halt if not for the highly trained and experienced men and women who work as HVAC technicians.  Their jobs are often unsung and unseen, but they are a critical component of keeping buildings comfortable and efficient.  They work every day to install, maintain and improve critical systems that keep our indoor air fresh and healthy. 

We appreciate HVAC technicians every day...but especially in these sweltering days of summer.  On National HVAC Tech Day, we appreciate the skills and knowledge that these men and women bring to our buildings...and our lives.  Thank you, HVAC techs, for all you do!