When HVAC systems are dirty, or their commercial air filters or industrial air filters are blocked, the effectiveness and longevity of the equipment will suffer. Unfortunately, HVAC cleaning, and keeping air filters clean, are not always easy jobs, and the mere cost of cleaning may be substantial.
The Dirt on Dirty
When cooling and heating equipment are dirty they have to work overtime. The results are higher energy consumption, potentially expensive repairs or replacement, unwelcome downtime, decreased unit longevity and even employee health issues.
According to the EPA, energy efficiency can be reduced by more than one-fifth with as little as 0.42″ of dirt on an A/C coil. Regular HVAC cleaning of fins and coils, paired with regular disposable air filter changes, or the use of washable HVAC filters, are the traditional method of handling dirt and debris. But since systems are typically “out of sight, out of mind,” the need for cleaning is not always obvious. Weekly air intake cleanings during cottonwood season, for example, may be necessary to ensure equipment is running at peak efficiency.
Chemical Damage and Water Use
The average annual cost of running a system with dirty coils for a 100-ton HVAC system is $22,500, as reported by Process Cooling magazine. But HVAC cleaning is costly, too—and challenging. Some regions must adhere to strict EPA guidelines on chemical runoff, but HVAC equipment, especially those on rooftops, may not be near a convenient water supply. To make things worse, the cleaning process itself can hurt equipment; many HVAC cleaning chemicals are corrosive and damage equipment over time. Coil cleaners, for example, can compromise copper and aluminum. You need to thoroughly rinse the equipment after using chemical cleaners, but that’s not always done effectively, especially when using inexperienced labor. Also, in areas where water costs are rising significantly, or water scarcity is a real concern, the costs of regular coil cleanings can start adding up. A typical coil cleaning can use 90 gallons of water just to flush out the chemicals.
How to Clean Without Cleaning You Out
By investing in the right air intake protection up front, you can avoid significant payments down the road. Keeping debris, like cottonwood or construction dust, from entering the system and clogging equipment fins/coils and high efficiency interior air filters is vital. That’s what our PreVent® system is designed to do: protect equipment, from small units to large cooling towers, and their filters. Powerful MagnaMount® earth magnets let you secure PreVent filter screens in minutes. When they are dirty the screens can simply be cleaned with a brush without removing them, and with zero downtime. They can also be easily removed and cleaned in minutes. But the best part of PreVent is how they can dramatically increase the lifespan of your filters and equipment, and help save you money by making cleaning easier. PreVent has been shown to reduce fin and coil cleaning costs by 25% or more, and regular preventive maintenance can reduce repair costs by 30% or more.
Ready to simply start saving money? Let us show you how much you’ll save from HVAC cleaning with our PreVent System cost calculator.
