According to ENERGYSTAR, energy use is the single largest operating expense in buildings, representing approximately one-third of typical operating budgets. That’s nearly as much as payroll expenses for many businesses. This should urge facility managers to ensure their HVAC equipment is in proper working order in the off-season.
Neglecting heating system maintenance can quickly result in decreased energy efficiency. When filters become dirty, coils get clogged, or system components wear out, your heating system must exert more effort to maintain the desired temperature. Consequently, energy consumption rises, leading to higher utility bills.
Facility managers would be wise to consider preventive maintenance to prevent future problems and unwanted costs. Hiring a professional to do an annual check shortly after the heating season is a good way to ensure the system continues to operate at peak performance.
Contractors’ schedules fill up quickly in the summer so it’s best to check systems during the spring.
Preventive Maintenance Necessities
By proactively allocating time to ensure that their units are in optimal condition, facility managers can have more confidence knowing they have potentially prevented issues that could occur when it comes time to reactivate the units during colder weather.
In most cases, general maintenance is all that’s required at the end of the heating season. This will help identify and solve any possible issue.
A licensed professional will follow these steps generally:
Inspect the heat exchanger for cracks or rusting.
Check the vent pipe for any rusting or blockages. This can include clearing out any bird nests that may have been built inside the vent pipe.
Clean the burners on the heating unit.
Check the water traps and condensate lines for any dirt or debris, especially on high-efficiency units.
A contractor should also inspect the fan motors at the end of the heating season. With the heating unit running a substantial amount during the winter, the fan motors can get grimy and sustain wear and tear throughout the cold months. Be sure to have those cleaned regularly to help decrease the chances of malfunction.
Updating Heating Systems
While regular maintenance can prolong the lifespan of heating units, some may reach a point where they are no longer salvageable or have exceeded their operational life. In such cases, replacement becomes necessary.
For facility managers looking to save costs, high-efficiency unit heaters are an excellent option. These units can achieve up to 97% efficiency, depending on the specific model chosen.
Although the initial upfront and installation costs are higher compared to traditional units, the long-term return on investment can be realized in as little as two to three years due to significant fuel savings.
Additionally, consider implementing a programmable setback thermostat in facilities where heating units are not controlled by a building management system. These thermostats allow precise control over operating times and temperatures.
By lowering the temperature during periods of facility inactivity, owners can maximize efficiency and minimize fuel consumption.
Responsible Heating Solutions
At the end of the heating season, it’s essential to prepare your heating unit for future use.Â
The importance of maintaining a clean system and its components will ensure optimal performance, extend the lifespan of your equipment, and reduce the risk of unexpected breakdowns.
Whether you have a traditional heater or a high-efficiency unit, prioritize annual maintenance to avoid operational issues when the next heating season begins.
Considering that buildings are responsible for 40% of total energy use in the United States, including 75% of all electricity use and 35% of the nation’s carbon emissions, proactive maintenance becomes crucial for sustainable and efficient operations.
By prioritizing heating system maintenance, facility managers not only ensure uninterrupted heating during the winter but also contribute to reducing energy costs and enhancing the overall safety and comfort of the facility.
Jamie Tuinstra
Jamie Tuinstra is a product manager at Modine Manufacturing. He has been in the heating and cooling industry for 25 years and with Modine for 16. At Modine, we are engineering a cleaner, healthier world. Building on more than 100 years of excellence in thermal management, we provide trusted systems and solutions that improve air quality and conserve natural resources. More than 11,000 employees are at work in every corner of the globe, delivering the solutions our customers need, where they need them. Our Climate Solutions and Performance Technologies segments support our purpose by improving air quality, reducing energy and water consumption, lowering harmful emissions and enabling cleaner running vehicles and environmentally-friendly refrigerants. Modine is a global company headquartered in Racine, Wisconsin (USA), with operations in North America, South America, Europe and Asia. For more information about Modine, visit www.modine.com.
Hour after hour, in businesses of all sizes, these workhorses respond to the men and women who operate them – by pounding, cutting, crushing, welding, stitching or whatever other task they were designed for, to fashion the products that will be marketed to hungry consumers. But there is a fearful downside to this scenario: the machine cannot distinguish between a piece of wood, steel or fabric and the operator’s body.
Hour after hour, in businesses of all sizes, these workhorses respond to the men and women who operate them – by pounding, cutting, crushing, welding, stitching or whatever other task they were designed for, to fashion the products that will be marketed to hungry consumers. But there is a fearful downside to this scenario: the machine cannot distinguish between a piece of wood, steel or fabric and the operator’s body.
Regardless of the nature of the manufacturing process you maintain, the subject of your maintenance budget has doubtless come up in recent days—probably over and over. That's because most organizations still view the maintenance department as a cost center, and when it's difficult to locate the bottom line, senior managers have a tendency to look behind the maintenance budget to find it.
Regardless of the nature of the manufacturing process you maintain, the subject of your maintenance budget has doubtless come up in recent days—probably over and over. That's because most organizations still view the maintenance department as a cost center, and when it's difficult to locate the bottom line, senior managers have a tendency to look behind the maintenance budget to find it.
The goal of every lubrication program should be to ensure that all equipment receives and maintains the proper levels of lubrication such that no equipment fails due to inadequate or improper lubrication. In order for this to happen, we must follow the 5R's of lubrication - right lubricant, right condition, right location, right amount, right frequency.
The goal of every lubrication program should be to ensure that all equipment receives and maintains the proper levels of lubrication such that no equipment fails due to inadequate or improper lubrication. In order for this to happen, we must follow the 5R's of lubrication - right lubricant, right condition, right location, right amount, right frequency.
Virtually everyone has heard of and will express an opinion on outsourcing. There are clear global trends toward outsourcing and most are experiencing the joys in one form or another. In the maintenance world outsourcing extends from specialized services, contract labor and consigned spare parts all the way to a full, shared risk-reward, incentive-based partnership. There are many benefits in favor of outsourcing, but even with these benefits why would an operating company elect to form a maintenance partnership? What factors must be considered? What concerns? Most important - what are the results achieved and lessons learned after a full year of actual operation?
Virtually everyone has heard of and will express an opinion on outsourcing. There are clear global trends toward outsourcing and most are experiencing the joys in one form or another. In the maintenance world outsourcing extends from specialized services, contract labor and consigned spare parts all the way to a full, shared risk-reward, incentive-based partnership. There are many benefits in favor of outsourcing, but even with these benefits why would an operating company elect to form a maintenance partnership? What factors must be considered? What concerns? Most important - what are the results achieved and lessons learned after a full year of actual operation?
We now have the ability to automate many of our standard maintenance processes, analyse in detail various parts of our businesses, and the performance of our equipment. We are able to plan shutdowns, technical change projects and operational maintenance procedures down to a very fine level of detail. As maintenance management generally makes up around 40 - 50 % of operational budgets, the savings made possible from increased efficiency and reduction of waste are staggering.
We now have the ability to automate many of our standard maintenance processes, analyse in detail various parts of our businesses, and the performance of our equipment. We are able to plan shutdowns, technical change projects and operational maintenance procedures down to a very fine level of detail. As maintenance management generally makes up around 40 - 50 % of operational budgets, the savings made possible from increased efficiency and reduction of waste are staggering.
Facility management personnel in all industries have waited a long time for computer technology to become applicable and affordable enough to implement in their respective maintenance efforts. In recent years, flexible, dependable and economical computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS) have become available to help fight the never-ending struggle to operate and maintain buildings of all shapes, sizes and functions.
Facility management personnel in all industries have waited a long time for computer technology to become applicable and affordable enough to implement in their respective maintenance efforts. In recent years, flexible, dependable and economical computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS) have become available to help fight the never-ending struggle to operate and maintain buildings of all shapes, sizes and functions.
Trelleborg has developed a product, that can withstand a jet fire - the cause of the Piper Alpha disaster. The product is already in use on several platforms, primarily in the North Sea. To date, some NOK 7 million in development costs- has been invested annually. These costs are shared by the project sponsors, comprising the Norwegian government and a number of oil companies. Continued development is not expected to be as costly and will focus more on handling other derivatives, such as gas and oil, and possibly being able to offer a material in other colors for customers who wish to customize their equipment using their own color schemes.
Trelleborg has developed a product, that can withstand a jet fire - the cause of the Piper Alpha disaster. The product is already in use on several platforms, primarily in the North Sea. To date, some NOK 7 million in development costs- has been invested annually. These costs are shared by the project sponsors, comprising the Norwegian government and a number of oil companies. Continued development is not expected to be as costly and will focus more on handling other derivatives, such as gas and oil, and possibly being able to offer a material in other colors for customers who wish to customize their equipment using their own color schemes.
Industry pacesetters use real-time equipment data to prioritize and optimize their maintenance resources. The process is straightforward in concept: use real-time data to determine the equipment health, but only inform the Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) when maintenance is actually necessary. From there, the CMMS automatically produces the work order and uses the workflow that is already familiar to all maintenance personnel.
Industry pacesetters use real-time equipment data to prioritize and optimize their maintenance resources. The process is straightforward in concept: use real-time data to determine the equipment health, but only inform the Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) when maintenance is actually necessary. From there, the CMMS automatically produces the work order and uses the workflow that is already familiar to all maintenance personnel.
Why us, why now? In years past, the engineer, manager or superintendent was responsible for improvement ideas. Maintenance people were "hands" hired to do what they were told. Today, organizations are lean and mean; we need the capabilities of all maintainers. The downsizing craze, however, has left everyone in a managerial role with too many tasks and too little time. There's no one left to cut costs!
Why us, why now? In years past, the engineer, manager or superintendent was responsible for improvement ideas. Maintenance people were "hands" hired to do what they were told. Today, organizations are lean and mean; we need the capabilities of all maintainers. The downsizing craze, however, has left everyone in a managerial role with too many tasks and too little time. There's no one left to cut costs!
Contrary to popular opinion, a centrifugal pump is not designed to develop one head at a single capacity as requested by the pump purchaser. In fact a pump is designed and produced to supply a whole range of head-capacity conditions as identified on it’s performance curve. The pump will operate on that curve if it is driven at the particular speed for which the curve is drawn.
Contrary to popular opinion, a centrifugal pump is not designed to develop one head at a single capacity as requested by the pump purchaser. In fact a pump is designed and produced to supply a whole range of head-capacity conditions as identified on it’s performance curve. The pump will operate on that curve if it is driven at the particular speed for which the curve is drawn.
Let's suppose that we have recorded the time when each failure of a repairable subsystem has happened during a season. The arrangement of these failures (black points in Figure 1) along the time axis is called a stochastical realization of failure events.
Let's suppose that we have recorded the time when each failure of a repairable subsystem has happened during a season. The arrangement of these failures (black points in Figure 1) along the time axis is called a stochastical realization of failure events.
When selecting pressure measurement transmitters, the first stage is whether to opt for a transducer or a transmitter. Although the terms are often confused, there are several differences between transducer and transmitter devices. A transducer creates a low-level electronic signal in response to changes in applied or differential pressure. As with transmitters, transducers feature an internal sensor that converts the applied force into an electrical signal, from which the measurement is derived.
When selecting pressure measurement transmitters, the first stage is whether to opt for a transducer or a transmitter. Although the terms are often confused, there are several differences between transducer and transmitter devices. A transducer creates a low-level electronic signal in response to changes in applied or differential pressure. As with transmitters, transducers feature an internal sensor that converts the applied force into an electrical signal, from which the measurement is derived.
Digital measurement technology certainly has taken the test industry forward, mostly with giant strides. The exact opposite may be true, however, when it is applied to testing for aging-related failure modes such as intermittency or no fault found (NFF). Digital abstraction devices, perfect for parametric testing, rarely synchronize to real-time, randomly occurring, anomalous, or intermittent age-related failure events. This shortcoming is especially acute when large numbers of circuit nodes require testing.
Digital measurement technology certainly has taken the test industry forward, mostly with giant strides. The exact opposite may be true, however, when it is applied to testing for aging-related failure modes such as intermittency or no fault found (NFF). Digital abstraction devices, perfect for parametric testing, rarely synchronize to real-time, randomly occurring, anomalous, or intermittent age-related failure events. This shortcoming is especially acute when large numbers of circuit nodes require testing.
It's important to find out if material flows are present or not throughout a bulk-processing facility; material cost savings and increased plant efficiency can offset an investment in monitoring. Most bulk solids processors can do this using low-cost acoustic emission-monitoring technology.
It's important to find out if material flows are present or not throughout a bulk-processing facility; material cost savings and increased plant efficiency can offset an investment in monitoring. Most bulk solids processors can do this using low-cost acoustic emission-monitoring technology.
As the infrared industry continues to develop, documentation will become more important and required. Infrared video recording and data logging creates a database, making the thermographer and the end user accountable for all items surveyed, thereby reducing the liability and improving the quality for both the end user and infrared thermographer.
As the infrared industry continues to develop, documentation will become more important and required. Infrared video recording and data logging creates a database, making the thermographer and the end user accountable for all items surveyed, thereby reducing the liability and improving the quality for both the end user and infrared thermographer.
During Academy of Infrared Training courses, we see many students who have purchased an infrared camera that is not suited for their intended use. These students have put their trust in a camera salesperson, and, many times, that salesperson was solely interested making a sale. Later, these students are disappointed to find out that the camera is not truly suited for their application. This article aims to help the camera buyer understand what basic camera specifications mean, and also help them determine what type of camera and options are suitable for their application. If you note your answers to questions throughout this article, by the end you should have a custom list of applicable specifications and options.
During Academy of Infrared Training courses, we see many students who have purchased an infrared camera that is not suited for their intended use. These students have put their trust in a camera salesperson, and, many times, that salesperson was solely interested making a sale. Later, these students are disappointed to find out that the camera is not truly suited for their application. This article aims to help the camera buyer understand what basic camera specifications mean, and also help them determine what type of camera and options are suitable for their application. If you note your answers to questions throughout this article, by the end you should have a custom list of applicable specifications and options.
Industry spends millions of dollars each year on improved filtration technology in an attempt to reduce particle contamination, with some of the more advanced companies reducing failure rates by up to 90 percent simply by controlling fluid cleanliness. However, in some industries and environments, water is a far more insidious contaminant than solid particles. Water contamination is often overlooked as the primary cause of component failure.
Industry spends millions of dollars each year on improved filtration technology in an attempt to reduce particle contamination, with some of the more advanced companies reducing failure rates by up to 90 percent simply by controlling fluid cleanliness. However, in some industries and environments, water is a far more insidious contaminant than solid particles. Water contamination is often overlooked as the primary cause of component failure.
There are three major types of tools for finding bearing defects using vibration techniques. Which of the tools should you chose for inspections of bearings? The best solution is often a combination of two or three of the tools, but it depends very much on how much rotating equipment you have in your plant, the criticality of that equipment, the speed of your rotating equipment, and how perceptive your organization is to training. A short description of the three techniques follows.
There are three major types of tools for finding bearing defects using vibration techniques. Which of the tools should you chose for inspections of bearings? The best solution is often a combination of two or three of the tools, but it depends very much on how much rotating equipment you have in your plant, the criticality of that equipment, the speed of your rotating equipment, and how perceptive your organization is to training. A short description of the three techniques follows.
Often, the perception of quality derives from the presence of a practice. The practice exists, therefore it is right. In reality, a scheduled task is often passed off as a standard regardless of rightness. This disconnect occurs because the relubrication portion of the CMMS deployment follows a troubled model. A flawed practice is coded into a program. This doesn’t make the practice functional.
Often, the perception of quality derives from the presence of a practice. The practice exists, therefore it is right. In reality, a scheduled task is often passed off as a standard regardless of rightness. This disconnect occurs because the relubrication portion of the CMMS deployment follows a troubled model. A flawed practice is coded into a program. This doesn’t make the practice functional.
When we think of contamination in lubricated systems, we often focus on particle and water contamination. The fact of the matter is that there are many other contaminants we should consider and attempt to control. Most contaminants, which include any material not contained in the lubricant's formulation, can potentially damage the oil and the lubricated components. Although air is always present in lubricating oil, it is often justifiable to adopt measures to minimize its presence.
When we think of contamination in lubricated systems, we often focus on particle and water contamination. The fact of the matter is that there are many other contaminants we should consider and attempt to control. Most contaminants, which include any material not contained in the lubricant's formulation, can potentially damage the oil and the lubricated components. Although air is always present in lubricating oil, it is often justifiable to adopt measures to minimize its presence.
Good indoor air quality (IAQ) depends on a number of factors, including effective filtration, which provides the primary defense for building occupants and HVAC (Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning) equipment against particular pollutants. Today's higher standards in filtration, coupled with rigorous attention paid to HVAC filter selection, helps to produce cleaner, purer air and reduce IAQ-related problems.
Good indoor air quality (IAQ) depends on a number of factors, including effective filtration, which provides the primary defense for building occupants and HVAC (Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning) equipment against particular pollutants. Today's higher standards in filtration, coupled with rigorous attention paid to HVAC filter selection, helps to produce cleaner, purer air and reduce IAQ-related problems.
