A major portion of your company’s energy bills comes from the operation of your heating and cooling system. In fact, the US Department of Energy states that as much as 30% of a commercial building’s energy consumption goes to waste. However, there are steps you can take to improve commercial HVAC energy efficiency. For example, with strategic planning, smart investment, and regular maintenance, you can reduce the overall heating and cooling consumption of your building.
Here are some of the things you can do to improve your commercial HVAC efficiency:
- Regularly clean or change your air conditioner filters: A dirty air conditioner filter can restrict the air flow and damage your unit, resulting in decreased commercial HVAC efficiency. Make sure to change your filters at least once every three months. Doing this simple step will lessen your energy waste by as much as 10%.
- Check your ductwork system and have it sealed and insulated: Do you conduct your business in an old commercial building? If so, chances are high that your building’s ductwork system is less than desirable, which can result in air leaks. These will make your air conditioner work even harder to compensate for the lost air and will decrease your commercial HVAC efficiency. Calling an HVAC company to properly seal and insulate the ductwork will significantly lower the amount of energy your system is wasting.
- Install a programmable thermostat: Using a programmable thermostat in conjunction with your cooling system allows you to automatically change temperatures at all times, even when there’s no one at work – a huge benefit to commercial HVAC efficiency. For example, you can automatically set the indoor temperature closer to the temperature outside at the end of each workday. Everybody has gone home by this time, so no one will be affected by the changes. Doing so will reduce your HVAC system’s workload and increase your commercial HVAC efficiency.
- Implement a seasonal maintenance program: For a more in-depth cleaning of your system, you can hire Galmiche & Sons in St. Louis to annually clean your system and keep it in top shape. This will improve the overall commercial HVAC efficiency and performance, and will detect issues before they become full-blown problems.
- Add a dehumidifier to the mix: Humidity is the amount of moisture in the air. If the level of humidity within the office building is too high, moisture begins to build up, making the building hot, humid, and uncomfortable to work in. During the height of summer, invest in a dehumidifier to maintain the comfort level of your employees, make the load easier on your air conditioning system, and improve commercial HVAC efficiency.
- Upgrade to a zoned HVAC system: Not all rooms and not all people have the same cooling requirements. Implementing temperature zones will allow you to distribute cooled air into different parts of the area according to your preference. For example, a busy office space filled with desks has a bigger cooling requirement than a rarely used meeting room. Using a zoning system will allow you to have greater control over your commercial HVAC efficiency, especially in office spaces that are not being used often.
Learn More About Commercial HVAC Efficiency
If you need any help in improving your commercial HVAC efficiency in the greater St. Louis area, call our commercial heating and air conditioning experts at 314-993-1110. We can help you upgrade to a new energy efficient system or maintain your current system for optimal efficiency.
