Do you have an inventory of your air conditioners? Do you know when they were purchased? Do you have a schedule to show you when they need to be replaced?

The life expectancy of commercial HVAC systems is about 15 years. However, there are many considerations to the actual life of your system:

• Amount of use. A system in Alabama would probably have more use than a system in Minnesota.
• Quality of both the system and its installation.
• Whether the system is sized properly. A system that is too small for a building will be overworked.
• System design year. New technologies come with energy efficiencies an older system does not have and might last longer.

Also, do you have a written Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) that lists the preventive maintenance work you regularly perform that follows the guidelines in the service manual? The work may be done by your staff and/or outside contractors.

To determine your schedules, you might contact your service provider, refer to the manufacturer’s service manuals, and search on the web.

To record this information and develop integrated schedules, Lodgepole Property System is a tool to make your life easier.

Resources

Small commercial buildings, on-site residences, and hotel-like rooms

Central air conditioning: types, upgrading, installation
http://energy.gov/energysaver/articles/central-air-conditioning

Heating and Cooling System Maintenance Tips
http://www.trane.com/residential/for-owners/maintenance-tips

Heat & Cool Efficiently
http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=heat_cool.pr_hvac

Commercial

General Air Handling Unit Checklist
http://www.nrel.gov/tech_deployment/pdfs/commercial_building_checklists.pdf

Contractors

Air Conditioning Contractors of America
https://www.acca.org/