Seasonal wear and tear and the complexity of the design and various components. Problems can be similar in communities that have heating only and no A/C at all. Here are common points of failure in HVAC systems.
One of the most common failures with a hydronic HVAC infrastructure comes over decades of use from the piping itself. For example, these systems can use chilled water for cooling. The plumbing risers that carry cold water through the system tend to experience condensation on the exterior of the pipe—much like water condensates on a cold drink glass on a hot day. The moisture gets trapped between the pipe and the insulation, which causes the insulation to deteriorate, reducing its effectiveness. The moisture also causes corrosion on the outside of the pipe and works its way inwards until pinhole leaks begin to appear.
In addition to pipes, HVAC systems can contain lots of different equipment, from boilers and chillers, pumps and heat exchangers, to fain coil units (FCUs) and control systems, and more. Every component is a potential point of failure. Deferred maintenance significantly shortens an individual component’s lifespan and can force other system components to work harder to compensate. This puts strain on the entire system creating a ripple effect of problems. Of course, equipment in even the best maintained infrastructure eventually reaches the end of its useful life and also strains the system.
One of the most common complaints our clients face with older HVAC systems is the lack of climate control residents have over their units. Centralized systems like the common closed loop, two-pipe hydronic system supply the whole building with either heating or cooling. The infrastructure frequently fails during “shoulder seasons” (the spring and fall) when you switch it from heating to cooling and back again. Besides shut downs, residents are frustrated by being too hot or cold, depending on the building setting.
Of course, there are other outdated configurations clients and residents deal with such as steam systems or systems with heating only and no central air conditioning.
Modernizing a community’s HVAC infrastructure can often significantly improve the property value—increasing occupancy in rental properties, for example—while also adding to resident satisfaction.
Mechanical system innovations in the last 20 – 30 years can bring significant benefits to building operations, reducing both high energy costs and resident service calls. You can experience improvements whether you upgrade to like-in-kind equipment and materials for your existing system or convert to a more modern configuration. For example, new model boilers and chillers use significantly less energy than older models, and newer fan coil units can heat and cool far more quickly and efficiently than older equipment.
Evolving, more stringent environmental regulations constantly demand reduced emissions and improved safety from your mechanical systems. As a result, many older refrigerants and refrigerant-based systems are being phased out. A recent example is the phased out R410A refrigerant.
Eventually, systems containing banned refrigerants will no longer be supported by their manufacturers, making them obsolete. In many cases, performing regular maintenance and repairs may trigger a requirement for you to implement refrigerant and/or component changes in your existing infrastructure.
