Preventive maintenance in HVAC systems

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Air conditioning is not just a matter of comfort, it is also an essential factor in ensuring health, equipment performance and energy efficiency in commercial and industrial buildings.

However, all of this depends on an often overlooked element: preventive maintenance. When performed properly, it extends the life of equipment, improves indoor air quality and reduces energy and operating costs.

Why is preventive maintenance so important?

Regular maintenance of an HVAC system is not just a technical obligation, it ensures that the entire system operates with minimum effort and maximum return. Here are the main benefits of preventive maintenance:

• Lower energy consumption: clean filters and unobstructed fins require less effort from the fans and operate with lower energy consumption, reducing operating costs.
• Better air quality: Periodic filter replacement prevents the proliferation of dust, mould and other contaminants, providing a healthier environment.
• Reduction of downtime and unforeseen costs: Frequent inspections identify premature wear and tear and prevent unexpected downtime that can lead to high replacement costs.
• Increased Equipment Lifespan: Proper maintenance ensures that components operate within ideal standards, preventing early failures and extending their durability.
• Compliance with required technical and environmental standards.

Image caption: Example of the interior of an Air Handling Unit without preventive maintenance, after 18 months.

Main Preventive Maintenance Actions:

Preventive maintenance of systems varies depending on the equipment in question, however, a well-defined schedule should be followed according to operating conditions.

The main actions include:

• Regular cleaning of the unit to prevent dust or other volatile particles from accumulating that are not retained in the filters.
• Cleaning the battery fins (if applicable) to unblock the air passage, as if they are dirty, efficiency will be low and we will not obtain the necessary performance.
• Regular maintenance of the filters helps to maintain low pressure drop in the unit, thus reducing the fan’s energy consumption and substantially lowering operating costs.
• Inspection of components and verification of system efficiency.

Maintenance and Cleaning of Air Handling Units (AHU MU and AHU HMU)

Filters:

• Pre-filters: replace every 6 months.
• Final filters: replace every 12 months.

Essential care:

• Do not operate the unit without filters.
• Check for contamination, deterioration and corrosion, both general and of components: every 3 to 6 months.
• Check for fluid leaks in pipes and manifolds: every 6 months.
• Check clogging levels regularly: every 12 months.
• Carry out hygiene inspections: after start-up; every 2 years if you have humidifiers; every 3 years if you do not have humidifiers.

Cleaning:

• Cold water and pH neutral or slightly alkaline detergents.
• Use disinfectants suitable for different surfaces, with alcohol solutions never exceeding 95%.

Maintenance and Cleaning of Heat Recovery Units (KT Pro and KT Home)

Filters:

• Periodic inspection and replacement as needed due to wear.

Cleaning:

• Every 6 months.
• Use water at room temperature.
• Use pH-neutral or slightly alkaline detergents that are compatible with the materials.

Essential care:

• Regularly check for blockages in the fresh air or stale air intake.
• Check for condensation, contamination, deterioration and corrosion, both general and of components: every 3 to 6 months.
• Check for fluid leaks in pipes and manifolds: every 6 months.

Maintenance and Cleaning of Nano Purifying Systems (NPS® Master)

Filters:

• They should be cleaned every month.
• Replaced if damaged: every 6 to 12 months.
• Intelligent warning system, equipped with automatic replacement alarms.

Internal cleaning:

• Every 6 months, with an alkaline solution diluted in water. Ozone lamps must be removed before cleaning.
• Ozone lamps:
• Clean every 3 months.
• Replace with specific safety precautions (after cooling and residual ozone levels).

Energy impact of poor maintenance

Replacing and cleaning filters has a direct impact on energy consumption. An OCRAMclima® simulation with a flow rate of 11,000 m³/h shows:

Considering the average energy price as 0.24€/kWh:

The difference of 2 124€/year proves that preventive maintenance significantly reduces operating costs.

Keeping air conditioning systems running efficiently and safely depends largely on proper preventive maintenance. Small gestures, such as timely filter replacement, prevent particle accumulation, efficiency losses and high energy consumption.

In practice, neglecting this routine can seriously compromise the performance of the units and accelerate component wear, leading in many cases to the need for complete replacement of the equipment.

OCRAMclima® supports its customers in all phases of the HVAC system life cycle: from the supply of filters to the complete replacement of equipment when the system reaches the end of its useful life due to lack of maintenance. With specialised solutions, quality materials and ongoing support, we help ensure that the air remains clean, efficient and sustainable.