Commercial HVAC Archives - 3HAC

8 Most Common Commercial HVAC Issues In Tampa

3HacAdMin — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 22:44:51 +0000

Commercial HVAC systems are arguably the heart of most commercial businesses. If a Tampa area business’s HVAC system is not working properly in the heat of summer, chances are they will lose a lot of customers and revenue those days. While maintenance is an important step in preventing many common HVAC issues, sometimes repairs still need to take place.

1. Inconsistent Air Conditioning Throughout the Building

Ever have employees or customers complain that certain areas of your business are stuffy, hot, or just uncomfortable? These issues are often caused by HVAC systems that have a leak in the ductwork or a faulty or failing thermostat.

This is usually solved by a quick inspection of your thermostat to make sure it’s in working order then tracing ductwork to find the leak if the thermostat is in good working order.

2. Damaged Rooftop HVAC Units

The vast majority of commercial HVAC units are mounted on the business’s rooftop. With the extreme weather conditions we have here in the Tampa area, the rooftop-mounted HVAC system can be damaged but inclement weather, being superheated from the sun beating on them all day (day after day), roof dust and debris getting into the unit, plugged coils, and many other issues.

If you or your customers and employees notice a change in airflow or temperature, it’s possible your roof-mounted HVAC system may have been physically damaged in a storm causing the issues you are experiencing. An inspection of your commercial HVAC system is the best way to determine what damage has been done to your HVAC unit and what HVAC repairs are necessary to get the unit back online and blowing cold air once again.

3. Ventilation Issues

Issues with your HVAC systems ventilation can cause many different issues from increased humidity making the air uncomfortable to overheating HVAC systems that may malfunction due to the plugged ventilation ducts.

Typically ventilation related issues are easily diagnosed and resolved by one of our experienced HVAC technicians.

4. Clogged Drain Lines

This tends to be one of the most common issues we see in both commercial HVAC systems and residential heating and cooling systems. HVAC systems create moisture that is moved through the drain lines outside of a home or business. If your drain line becomes plugged, your HVAC system will not work properly.

Keeping drain lines clear and clean is part of a good maintenance program and should be inspected and maintained at least every 6 months. We do this as part of our maintenance programs as well.

5. Strange Noises

Odd noises coming from your commercial HVAC system are never a good thing. Whether it’s damaged duct work, a damaged compressor, etc. the longer you wait to have the issue inspected, the higher the chance for more expensive repairs.

A properly functioning HVAC system should not make strange noises, there should be no grinding, clanking, or anything else that doesn’t sound like normal operation. If you hear a change in the way your HVAC system sounds then it would be a good idea to have us out to inspect the HVAC system just to be sure there is not a minor problem that could cause bigger problems down the road.

6. Blown Fuses

Blown fuses are a pretty common issue as well. If you find your breakers are consistently being tripped and need reset, chances are you have something going on with the electrical systems attached to your HVAC system.

Whether the issue is a bad breaker, failing components in the HVAC system, or something else, our HVAC technicians can trace back the problem and resolve it.

Electrical problems are not something you want to ignore as they can often cause damage to expensive components within your HVAC system if left unresolved.

7. Burned Capacitors

Blown or burned capacitors are also one of the most common things that need fixed on commercial HVAC systems. Capacitors are one of those things that eventually wear out and need replaced. They can become damaged as well from many different things such as weather, overheating, or just another part in the system being damaged causing the capacitor to also become damaged.

Capacitor problems are easily caught by our certified HVAC techs and can quickly be replaced to get you back online and cool in no time!

8. Capacity Issues

This issue an issue that can be a bit more difficult to “repair”. Sometimes we run into HVAC systems that were either improperly sized when installed or left trying to cool additional square footage after an addition. In these situations, it’s best to have our certified technicians evaluate your building to see if you have a capacity issue. Undersized systems cannot keep an area comfortable that is too large for the unit.

Trusted HVAC Maintenance Company in Tampa, FL

Finding a local qualified HVAC maintenance company and building a relationship with them is the best way to prolong the life of your HVAC systems. When we work with clients, we get to know their building’s entire HVAC system, any issues it may have had in the past, and really just get a better idea of what we are dealing with.

This relationship allows us to better understand our customer’s needs, the life expectancy of their unit, what improvements can be made, etc. Contact us today to schedule service!

The post 8 Most Common Commercial HVAC Issues In Tampa appeared first on 3HAC.

How to Choose a Commercial HVAC Company in Tampa

3HacAdMin — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 22:36:09 +0000

With Tampa’s extremely hot summers it’s no wonder there are a plethora of AC repair companies and commercial HVAC contractors to choose from but, with so many to look at, how do you know what HVAC company to choose?

1) They Are A Fiscally Healthy HVAC Company

Since most commercial HVAC companies will not just hand over their financials it is best to look at the company as a whole to determine if they are financially stable. Does the company have marked or wrapped vehicles? How many trucks do they have working every day? Do they offer to finance? These are all things you can easily look at to determine if the HVAC company you are going to potentially do business with is financially stable.

2) HVAC Products Carrier & HVAC Brands Serviced

The product lines carried and brands an HVAC company services say a lot about them as a company. HVAC companies that do not carry any specific brands could be a sign that they are not established and have not built partnerships with known heating and cooling brands. At 3H AC we have built strong partnerships with some of the industry’s largest HVAC manufacturers.

If you have an HVAC company that says they only service a couple of brands that is a good sign that they are not confident in their abilities and are only used to working on and seeing certain brands. It may also mean they do not have the ability to source parts for the HVAC system you have resulting in long down times.

It’s really best to work with an HVAC company that can service all makes and models of air conditioners.

3) Knowledgeable HVAC Team

If you give an HVAC company a call and find that when you ask questions they have to go find the answer or they hesitate to answer certain questions, chances are you are dealing with people that are new and really do not know the HVAC industry well.

All of our staff is properly trained and can answer any questions you have. We can even walk you through some general troubleshooting tips over the phone to try and resolve small problems without an actual service call!

4) Highly Trained HVAC Technicians

The best HVAC companies hire the best talent. Just like our sales staff on the phone, the technicians coming out to do repairs on HVAC systems know every make and model of AC System inside and out. Beyond the initial training, all of our employees went through to become commercial HVAC technicians, we do additional training seminars regularly to keep everyone sharp and train on new technologies.

It’s this dedication to excellence that separates good AC companies from the best AC companies!

5) IT Savvy

Yes, being an excellent HVAC contractor goes above and beyond general HVAC troubleshooting and repair. Since HVAC is highly technical, the technicians you are dealing with should be IT savvy as well. Technicians have to work with back-office systems, building automation software, etc. so having a well-rounded technical background is important too.

Some important indicators of an HVAC company being tech-savvy would be:

Do they have software that they use for tracking service costs, time, prices on HVAC equipment, etc. or do they have to call someone for everything?
Can they tell you what would be best when it comes to repairing your HVAC system or replacing it based on historical data from your account? How well do they know you as a customer? (If you’ve used them in the past)
Do they have a way for you to look back on your past repairs?

We recommend avoiding HVAC contractors that avoid IT aspects of HVAC as its a sign that they are not only easily confused by highly technical aspects of HVAC (or could be) but its also a sign that they are unwilling to learn new technology which means you may not be getting the latest and greatest in your next HVAC purchase with them.

6) Licensed & Insured HVAC Contractor

This really goes without saying but, you should always hire a licensed and insured contractor. HVAC work requires work with large amounts of energy which can not only harm the technician if they do not know what they are doing but also puts you at risk.

Improperly installed systems can be a hazard to employees and customers alike and can even potentially be a fire hazard.

A licensed HVAC company will also have the ability to pull all necessary permits for the work being performed.

7) HVAC Industry Affiliations & Awards

The best HVAC contractors will have affiliations with HVAC manufacturers (like Ruud) as well as other industry partners that show they are established and respected in the industry. These partnerships help paint a picture of the company and how they are established.

8) Reputation And Price

This is where people often fail at comparing companies. Oftentimes people just look to see if they’ve heard of a company often or if they have the cheapest or highest price.

From the standpoint of reputation, how often you’ve heard a company’s name does not necessarily mean that they are reputable. It often just means they advertise a lot. It does not mean the quality of work is there or that they use quality products.

For this reason, it’s important to look at some of the other things we’ve mentioned about selecting an HVAC contractor. Looking at reviews, BBB rating, etc. are much better ways of gauging a company’s reputation.

Choosing a company based on price alone is another common mistake. Price does not tell you anything about the quality of the job. If it’s too low it does tell you that the contract is either trying to scam you or they are using cheap products, but on the other end, it really doesn’t tell you a whole lot.

If you are going to compare prices, make sure you are comparing apples to apples when it comes to your HVAC system. Look for the same seer ratings, same accessories, warranties, etc.

The post How to Choose a Commercial HVAC Company in Tampa appeared first on 3HAC.

Thermostat Battles: What is the Ideal Office Temperature?

3HacAdMin — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 22:03:54 +0000

So you finally got that commercial HVAC repair your Tampa office has so desperately been needing and the AC is WAYYYY colder than it used to be. You know you can turn the AC down now that it’s finally keeping up but what is the ideal temperature to run it at in a commercial environment?

While everyone in the office will weigh in where the temperature should be set, there are some factors that can help you decide and we’ll go over those a bit to help you make an informed decision on your commercial HVAC thermostats settings.

What’s the point of finding an ideal temperature for your office?

In a commercial environment, productivity is extremely important, and making sure everyone is comfortable plays a big role in the productivity levels of employees. When it comes down to it, if people are uncomfortable productivity comes to a screeching halt or at the very least slows down dramatically.

As a matter of fact, a study from Cornell on the impacts of temperature in the workplace shows a decrease in errors by 44% and an increase in productivity up to 150% when HVAC temperatures were raised from 68 degrees to 77 degrees.

Being uncomfortable in the workplace leads to all kinds of time-wasting behaviors from simple daydreaming, to long lunches away from the office, more (and longer) smoke breaks, etc.

Time wasting aside, uncomfortable temperatures in a commercial office can lead to high tensions, and conflicts with employees in the workplace too since people tend to become irritable from being uncomfortable for a long period of time.

What factors affect the ideal office temperature?

Humidity: In the Tampa area here humidity is by far one of the biggest factors when trying to determine an ideal temperature for your commercial office’s HVAC system. While most HVAC contractors would recommend a temperature somewhere between 71 and 73 degrees in a commercial setting, Cornell shows it can be even higher and still increase productivity at 72-79 degrees.

With OSHA having so much say about everything related to the workplace what do they have to say on the matter? Surprisingly very little. OSHA only recommends clean, well-circulated air with between 20 and 60 percent humidity.

Obviously, temperature is not everything because humidity levels definitely play a role in comfort levels.

Gender: A person’s gender can impact the ideal temperature as well. This can be related to varying BMI depending on the person which plays a role in how a person’s body temperature is regulated.

Occupancy: Prior to covid offices were highly crowded and had many people in and out all day long. This introduced significantly more heat and humidity in the office space and required more ventilation. Now that offices are often not nearly as crowded it may be necessary for adjustments to be made not only to temperature but also ventilation to maintain an ideal office temperature.

The thermostat battle!

Thermostats that are accessible to employees and even the general public at risk of being involved in a thermostat battle. Commercial HVAC systems are constantly being turned up and down by everyone when your business’s thermostat is accessible to anyone.

The best solution for this is to make sure the thermostat is only accessible to certain staff. Beyond that, a proper pre-programmed system can help keep the office at ideal temperatures throughout the various parts of the day.

Some times of day may require higher or lower temperatures, more ventilation, use of de-humidifiers, etc. so having a properly designed system plays a big role in maintaining an ideal office temperature with your commercial HVAC system.

HVAC maintenance…

Yes, everything comes back to how well your system is maintained. Even is you set your thermostat to a comfortable 73-75 degrees (somewhere in the middle of recommended settings), if your system is not working properly it will struggle to maintain those ideal settings.

Ventilation becoming stuck, de-humidifiers not working properly, coils freezing, etc. there are so many different issues that can be caused by not properly maintaining your commercial HVAC system and all of them will lead to an uncomfortable feeling no matter where the thermostats are set!

If your commercial HVAC needs repair in the Tampa area or if you’d like to see what a proper HVAC design would be for your business reach out to us for a free consultation!

The post Thermostat Battles: What is the Ideal Office Temperature? appeared first on 3HAC.

Benefits of Programmable Thermostats for Commercial HVAC

3HacAdMin — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 21:55:42 +0000

Just like your home’s AC system, commercial HVAC systems run off of a thermostat whether it’s a single thermostat in a small office or a complete building automation system in a large hospital or manufacturing facility.

Commercial HVAC systems benefit a great deal from having an up-to-date thermostat, just like your home’s AC system. The benefits of programmable thermostats don’t just include cost savings when it comes to the business’s electric bills, but also includes prolonging the commercial HVAC system’s life.

A programmable thermostat in a commercial setting allows the business owner to control both comfort levels in the office building as well as the companies expense on heating and cooling.

Allowing employees the ability to manually change the HVAC systems temperature levels can often result in larger electric bills and more wear and tear on the HVAC system itself. Oftentimes in businesses that employees make changes to the thermostat the AC runs all night long as well because no one remembers to turn it back up in the evening since they are focused on going home.

With a programmable thermostat, the ability to control temperature levels throughout the day and evening hours has a huge impact on electricity bills allowing businesses to save a lot outside normal business hours.

For instance, if you were a business owner of a clothing store, you could set your thermostat to raise the temperature in the evening after staff is gone for the day. This would decrease your electricity usage a lot and prolong the life of your Commercial HVAC system.

Key business benefits of programmable thermostats for commercial HVAC systems:

Warranty – Having a warranty on your thermostat provides peace of mind.
Remote control – Many programmable thermostats today also offer apps that can connect to your thermostat via the company wifi allowing you to control the system from anywhere.
Affordable installations – Most thermostats today are very affordable and can save businesses a large amount of money in energy expenses
Programmable – Programmable thermostats allow you to “set it and forget it” essentially provided your business hours do not change.
Alerts – Some programmable thermostats also provide system alerts for filter changes and other HVAC-related alerts via the mobile app. When followed, the alerts both prolong the life of commercial HVAC systems as well as improve efficiency.

Interested in adding a programmable thermostat to your commercial HVAC system? Contact the HVAC pros at 3H AC in Tampa, FL to learn more!

The post Benefits of Programmable Thermostats for Commercial HVAC appeared first on 3HAC.

5 Things to Consider Before Installing a Commercial HVAC Unit

3HacAdMin — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 21:39:03 +0000

It’s not ideal to have an old HVAC system if you own a company in the Tampa area, FL. However, if your HVAC system breaks suddenly and cannot be repaired, you will need to replace it to keep business moving along. Commercial AC unit installation can be complex, so here are the top 5 things to consider when installing a new HVAC system in Tampa.

1. What is the total size of the structure?

Commercial buildings may use a significant amount of energy to fulfill their HVAC needs. To avoid short cycling and energy waste; you’ll need a properly sized HVAC system installed. You may need multiple heating and cooling units for large structures with many different areas or different needs. As one of Tampa’s reputable HVAC contractors we can help you determine the precise number of units and the appropriate size of them for your facility. We do load calculations and determine exactly what your building will need during the HVAC design process to ensure years of heating and cooling that is as cost-effective as possible.

2. What Kind of HVAC System Do You Need for Your Business?

Remember that commercial HVAC systems come in various types, so you must choose the most acceptable option for your business depending on its surroundings and uses. We can help with that! Variable refrigerant flow (VRF), single split system, multi-split, and variable air volume (VAV) are some of most common cooling and heating system options. Due to the complex nature of HVAC design in Tampa, we help our customers determine what will best fit their needs and their budget during the HVAC design phase.

3. What is the location of your HVAC system?

The placement of your company’s HVAC system might have an impact on its performance as well. Easily accessible HVAC placement helps improve maintenance intervals, overall cost of maintenance, etc. For instance, a large rooftop mounted HVAC system may require cranes, downtime, and more if heavy parts are required to maintain the unit. HVAC systems that are located on the ground and more easily accessible would not have those issues.

4. Should the HVAC unit be large or small?

Your commercial HVAC system should be the right size for your area, neither too small nor too large. However, keep in mind that the size we’re talking about isn’t the unit’s actual size but its total capacity for your building’s heating and cooling needs. This is necessary to get the most out of your air conditioning and heating system. Buying the “biggest unit you can get” to make your office “colder” is not how HVAC systems work. HVAC systems must be properly sized to work properly.

5. Is the HVAC System Efficient?

When choosing a new commercial heating and cooling units, high-efficiency HVAC systems should be your first option. Look for the SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio), HSPF (Heating Seasonal Performance Factor), Energy Star badge, AFUE (Annualized Fuel Utilization Efficiency), and the EER (Energy Efficiency Ratio). These are all different ratings that can help you decide what HVAC system to go with. The most commonly looked at rating is the SEER rating on the unit.

Commercial AC Unit Installation in Tampa, FL

Your HVAC system should fit your commercial area and be appropriately sized for your company. As one of Tampa’s premier commercial HVAC contractors, contact us for experienced HVAC installation and design services today! We can work with you to design the best HVAC plan for your home or business.

The post 5 Things to Consider Before Installing a Commercial HVAC Unit appeared first on 3HAC.