Don't Hobble Your Building's Health

A history of deferred maintenance could take the wind out of improved ventilation strategies.

Our ventilation systems are under stress. Facility managers are also under stress, as well as the budgets available to manage reliability and safety in their buildings. Due to recommendations to increase both ventilation and filtration in response to COVID-19, many buildings have HVAC systems working harder.

That raises two important concerns. First, where systems have survived deferred maintenance up until now, that existing strain plus new stress could push systems to fail much faster. Second, maintenance strategies should compensate for new operating parameters, to ensure assets remain reliable and efficient. Facility managers will want to address any deferred maintenance issues, like those listed below, before they force untimely repairs or asset replacements, stressing budgets even further.

Less Pathogens? More Pressure?

Advice from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and ASHRAE (formerly known as the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers) has included improved ventilation and increased filtration. Both have also noted that each strategy requires a thorough look at how it impacts a facility. Introducing more outside air can dilute pathogens indoors but can also introduce more pollutants from outside. Adding stronger filters can remove particulates from the air, but also asks systems to work harder to maintain airflow.

While many facility managers are looking to improve indoor air quality and reduce airborne particles such as dust and pollen, volatile organic compounds, and other contaminants, the simple truth is that if ventilation systems are stressed to the point of failure, a strategy to improve air quality could end up making it worse.

If increasing outdoor air introduces more humidity, and the system is unable to compensate, humidity could increase risk of mold. If improved filtration catches more particles and viruses, but aren’t changed properly, impeded airflow could lead to pathogen buildup.

What to Watch For: Common Deferred Maintenance Issues

Holding off on maintenance until a breakdown is a huge risk. Before complete failure, a system probably fails in multiple other ways first. For instance, without maintenance, wearing or failing parts can restrict airflow and increase coil static pressure, which in turn reduce efficiency and stress other parts throughout the system, increasing operating costs and wearing out capital assets faster.

Any damage or gaps that allow fouled air to build up contaminants on internal components or evaporator coils can seriously impact efficiency and stop the system from keeping humidity or temperature within comfortable – and healthy – parameters.

Moisture and buildup on internal components are important to watch out for. Bacteria and mold can thrive inside uncared-for equipment, spreading microbes or spores into the air. That risks increased allergens and pollutant counts indoors, and the health impacts that can follow. Increased headaches or congestion can chip away at productivity. Increased asthma issues and colds can add more sick days.

As fans, motors, and moving parts wear, it can cost more and more energy to move the same amount of air through the building, increasing costs and hampering sustainability efforts.

When It’s Almost Too Late

As a system approaches failure, reduced airflow is joined with many other negative outcomes. As equipment overheats, electrical components may sustain damage, leading to the possibility of electrical incident, short circuit, or fire. A coolant leak is a significant health and safety issue. Both hazards are avoidable, but could cause significant downtime, repair costs, additional damages, and pose risk of injury to employees, occupants, or customers.

Ready to Move Forward

Facility managers can have their HVAC system assessed to identify any deferred maintenance issues before they impact ventilation improvement strategies. To maintain healthy air quality cost-effectively, it’s important to understand the conditions and capabilities of current equipment. Experienced facility service providers can help you develop strategies for protecting indoor air quality that don’t overstress your system or your facility spend.

About the Author

Kelly Pnacek, Senior Vice President, ABM Franchising Group

Kelly Pnacek is a senior vice president for the ABM Franchising Group and oversees its technical solutions activities. She joined ABM in March 2017. Prior to this, she was an outside business consultant and was vice president of sales for Linc Network. She earned a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan.


Featured

  • a traditional red brick school building with the right side visibly deteriorated and the left side well-maintained, surrounded by neat landscaping

    Making the Grade: Navigating Funding Uncertainty in K-12 Schools

    School districts across the country must prepare for all possible funding scenarios by analyzing school asset and infrastructure conditions, understanding their funding needs, and developing a proactive maintenance strategy to stretch their funding dollars.

  • PNSI Global Alliance Launches New Quality Assurance Certification

    PNSI Global Alliance, a network of technology integrators and service providers, recently introduced a new Quality Assurance Certification (QAC) for AV service and support, according to a press release. The two-day, interactive workshop QAC course is designed for Certified Solution Providers (CSPs) to provide them with the most up-to-date and advanced quality assurance knowledge available.

  • Boosting Student Wellness and Safety Through Indoor-Outdoor School Spaces

    Engaging students through facilities designed for indoor and outdoor learning and activities reflects a growing awareness of how children learn and thrive, with educators recognizing the importance of getting outside and disconnecting from technology. And, as today’s youth grapple with the urgent mental health crisis of increased anxiety and loneliness fueled by both the pandemic and technology, along with a related crisis in youth physical health, the wellness benefits of getting outside have never been so palpable.

  • California District Starts Construction on New Robotics Facility

    The Fremont Union High School District (FUHSD) near Silicon Valley, Calif., recently announced that construction has begun on a new Robotics Facility on the campus of Cupertino High School, according to a news release. The 14,500-square-foot facility will serve students at high schools across the entire district, providing purpose-built spaces for student creativity and collaboration.

Digital Edition