As a business owner in Savannah, Georgia, you have plenty of things to worry about without your HVAC system adding to the list of worries. Still, comfort is important, especially when studies have found that productivity and comfort are strongly correlated. So how can you be sure to keep your employees happy and productive when the blanket of Southern heat attempts to lull them into a lackadaisical state? When it comes to how much temperature affects productivity in the workplace, business owners can take control, but they may not know how to do so.
Here are a few of the ways that business owners can keep their employees cool and productive this summer.
Commercial Preventive Maintenance
First and foremost, utilize your local professional team of HVAC service providers. Just like in any home, commercial HVAC units require regular preventive maintenance in order to prevent severe issues from arising in the future. These maintenance checks should at least be done in the spring and fall. At least at one point during the year, you should plan on having a complete tune-up on your system.
A professional maintenance check and/or tune-up will fix current issues in your system, and they allow you to consider upgrades that will increase the efficiency of your HVAC system. Preventive maintenance will ensure that your HVAC system is consistently running at peak efficiency, not only keeping you and your employees cool, but also saving you a few bucks on that monthly utility bill. And when you’re running a business, every bit of saved money counts.
Indoor Air Quality
This is a step in which you can take a bit more of an initiative. Believe it or not, the quality of the air inside your workplace will also affect the efficiency of your system. A dirty system, dirty ducts, or dirty air that is drawn into the ducts all force the system to work harder in order to deliver the cool air that your workplace needs. This will lower both the efficiency and lifespan of the system, potentially leading to worse issues in the future. Poor indoor air quality will also reduce your employees’ productivity.
So how can you solve the indoor air quality issue? For starters, you can keep up on replacing any of the air filters in your system. Most filters should be checked and replaced about once a month in order to maintain good indoor air quality and to preserve system efficiency. You can also install an air cleaner that filters the air much more effectively than a standard filter. These cleaners not only catch irritants, but they kill them, too. They also require less maintenance than standard filters.
Consider an Upgrade
As intimidating as it can seem, sometimes it may be your best option to simply replace an HVAC system. Most air conditioning and heating systems typically last for 10 to 15 years before their deterioration takes a great toll on your comfort and the efficiency of your system.
But other than the 10-15 year rule, how can you tell if it’s better to spend money on an upgrade rather than just go about the regular maintenance tasks? The number one symptom of a dying system is a drastic drop in efficiency. If you’re setting the thermostat at the same setting at which it’s always been, but your workplace just isn’t cooling down, you may have a system in need of an upgrade. A noticeable drop in indoor air quality (like a sudden collection of dust, for example) may also be a sign of a dying system. If a system repair exceeds 50% of the cost of a new system, it’s time to seriously consider a new system.
Again, the cost of upgrading an entire HVAC system may be daunting, but in the long run, the poor efficiency of the system will end up costing you more in utility payments.
Running a business is no small task, and you deserve to run your business in comfort and without spending extra money on your HVAC system. With consistent maintenance, keeping up on indoor air quality, and by upgrading your system when the time comes, you will have a comfortable and productive working environment. For more questions about commercial HVAC, or to have our professional team take a look at your system, give McDevitt Air a call at 877-692-9402.
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