Commercial HVAC The Beaches

Beachside HVAC systems generally have a 10 to 15 year lifespan. But their components can take a beating. "You have humidity, you have salt air, and sometimes in the insulation, you have sand in and around the HVAC unit. That insulation is not always good at keeping the environment inside the unit, good or bad, in that unit," said Joe Muir, owner of Muir HVAC in Ocean View. And those are just the natural elements. Systems can also be harmed by human error and the design and installation of the systems themselves. Regular maintenance, including cleaning and protective measures against corrosion, can help extend the unit's longevity.

The $5000 rule for HVAC serves as a guideline to help make the decision of whether to repair or replace an HVAC system. It works like this: You multiply the age of the equipment by the estimated repair cost. If this number is greater than $5000, it is generally more cost-effective to replace the system than to make the repairs.

Indeed, serving in the HVAC commercial sector can be a real workout. It's a gravitation-defying job of sorts that involves heavily lifting and moving machinery, servicing and repairing the systems that people tend to take for granted, almost until they stop working. There's also some straight-up rock climbing, like when using ladders to get to job sites inside equipped with ductwork or to outside condenser units placed well above the ground.

Indeed, technicians in commercial HVAC generally earn higher salaries than their counterparts in residential HVAC. This disparity in pay seems to be mostly related to the kinds of systems involved in each setting. Commercial systems, of course, are larger and more complex; they must serve many more people. That makes the knowledge required to work on them that much more valuable.

A commercial HVAC unit generally has a lifespan of 15 to 20 years. But how long a unit runs depends on several things—maintenance, intensity of use, and environmental conditions—that can be favorable or not. Regular servicing and proper care can help extend the life's many op-portunities to function well.

To shield an air conditioner from salt air in The Beaches, begin by covering the unit with a protective cover that is specifically designed for coastal environments, and that will block direct exposure to salt.Make sure the air conditioning unit is lifted and clear of the earth to stop the buildup of salt and the rusting of metal parts.The unit should be rinsed on a regular basis with fresh water to remove salt deposits. The ideal schedule for this is once a month, but do it more often if you can. After rinsing, consider applying a corrosion-resistant coating or aerosol protector to all the metallic components of the unit.Arrange for regular expert maintenance to inspect for rust and service or swap out screens, heat exchangers, and other components as necessary.Finally, consider using air conditioning units built from material suitable for corrosive environments—like those with anti-corrosion technology.

Several factors contribute to the high cost of commercial HVAC systems. One is their complexity. Compared to residential units, commercial systems are larger, more powerful, and just plain more complex. They require custom designs and engineering to meet the kinds of demanding specifications that line-of-business customers have. Even if you order a commercial unit from a catalog, you can bet the engineers who designed it and the folks who built it had the kind of commercial spaces in mind that are just gigantic versions of what residential customers have. And it's not just the units themselves that tend to be more expensive. Because the systems are larger and more potent, the installation often requires more extensive ductwork and more accommodations for the kind of infrastructure that can handle a certain amount of airflow. That's not an easy challenge to meet when you consider that the ducts for a residential system aren't particularly small.

Commercial HVAC systems usually require service at least two times each year. This servicing ideally occurs in the spring and fall, in preparation for the system to meet the greater demands placed on it in the summer and winter months. Too many commercial establishments with poorly serviced HVAC systems experience breakdowns and inefficiencies far too often. The following list outlines the basic components of a service check and the reasons they are serviced.- **Air Filters:** Filters are checked and replaced if necessary. Clogged filters reduce system efficiency and may cause overheating, leading to system failure.- **Ductwork:** The duct system is checked for leaks, blockages, and loose or poorly connected parts. Duct problems can reduce system efficiency by 25% (or more) and may cause overheating in parts of the system, leading to damaging failures.

The price of commercial HVAC replacement in The Beaches varies widely according to several factors, including the system's size and complexity, the building type, and individual requirements or features. Generally, businesses can expect to pay from $15,000 to $30,000 for smaller systems. Larger or more complex systems can cost from $50,000 to over $150,000. Of course, the best way to get a handle on actual replacement costs is to obtain a detailed quote from local contractors.

In a commercial HVAC unit, the compressor is usually the costliest component.