One of the things we do at McCaw Property Management is to have an HVAC company service our air conditioning units twice a year. These seasonal inspections and tune ups protect the properties we manage. The vendor we use is Keller Services, and today we have Brian explaining how these inspections can prevent common maintenance disasters.
Checking System Operations
We check the basic operations of the cooling system. This tells us if the thermostat is turning on and off when it’s supposed to, and if the temperature is right. We open up the system, look at the evaporator coil, and check the filter. If the filter has been changed, we leave italone. If it needs to be replaced, we take care of that. If the coil is dirty, we have a cleaner we can spray on. It doesn’t completely clean the coil, but it degreases that part of your system, and then it gets cleaner the more it condenses.
Inspecting Drains and Motors
We pour water in the drain line and make sure it’s free and clear and draining. Coolers can back up and when that happens, it gets all over the floor, which can be an expensive cost. We look at the coil and the blower wheel. We check the bearings, and that will tell us if the blower motor is in good shape. Most motors now are sealed. On older units, oil is necessary. Sometimes we can get to the blower wheels and get inside to see if anything is coming apart. We spin it to make sure it’s working. We check the amps and all of these high volt connections. We want them to be tight and not have any discoloration. If we see discoloration, we know there may be a problem with it. If there’s a loose connection, we reconnect everything so there aren’t any disasters. On the heating side, we check safeties and amps. On the furnace side we make sure there is no evidence of carbon monoxide or cracks.
Preventative Maintenance Avoids Disasters
Here’s an example of how these inspections helps to prevent expensive maintenance disasters. This morning, we inspected a relatively new unit that was put in a few years ago. We noticed something that could be a problem later – a crimped line that may add extra strain on the system. It was running high head pressure. When we check and monitor the refrigeration side of the system, we can see things like restrictions that need to be cleared. If this had not been detected, the increased air conditioning use during the summer months could have resulted in a compressor breaking.
At McCaw, we require HVAC system tune ups. You never know if the tenants are changing air filters, and when the HVAC system is shot, you have to spend thousands of dollars. You can negate major expenses by having a company like Keller come out to inspect twice a year. That’s why we do seasonal tune ups on our properties. We believe in protecting the investment.
If you have any questions about these seasonal services or anything we do, please contact us at McCaw Property Management.