Darren Foster

Fort Myers, Florida, USA, 13 September 2018: “An ideal approach to preventive maintenance is the full inspection and documentation of an entire HVAC system and its operation,” said Darren Foster, Refrigeration Service Manager, B&I Contractors, while elaborating on the role of preventive maintenance in energy efficiency. He said that the treatment of pumps, coils, heat exchangers, filters, the amount of amp voltage drawn, monitoring wire connection and checking for both oil and refrigerant loss, are all important when it comes to preventive maintenance. “Today there are umpteen products available in the market focused on preventive maintenance of HVAC systems,” he added, stressing that manufacturers increasingly understand the importance of preventive maintenance.

Elaborating on some of the technical roadblocks to the process, Foster said, “Today HVAC systems are over-engineered and are proprietary to the brand.” This, he said, leaves servicing companies unable to get HVAC units up and running, which affects the end-user. In addition, Foster highlighted that cost had a big part to play. He said, “Commercial facilities try and save money by performing maintenance ‘in-house’, or simply not doing it at all.” Preventive maintenance, he explained, is looking for the less common issues that can otherwise be identified during a system breakdown. Foster added, “Saving money on maintenance can lead to serious issues in the long run, as servicing and maintenance are key to a regimented schedule.”