When your business buys, leases, or moves into a building that is new to you, there are a lot of things to check before operations begin. The building may look ready on the surface, but that does not always mean the HVAC system is safe or ready to rely on.
When getting a commercial building owned by someone else, you don’t always know how the HVAC system was treated or when it was last serviced. In fact, the building could have sat vacant for a while and not gotten cleaning for the last 10 years! Dust, mold, moisture, standing water, dirty ductwork, old air handlers, or contaminated equipment can all affect how the building performs once your team moves in. That’s why every new facility should go through a commercial HVAC system cleaning checklist before it is fully occupied. Here are the most important areas to inspect and restore when preparing a new building for your business.
Why A New-To-You Commercial Building Needs A Full HVAC Cleaning Review
A newly purchased building is not always a clean building. Even if the previous owner kept the offices and customer-facing areas squeaky clean, the HVAC and other building systems might have been ignored for years, leaving you to deal with the mess. Whether it’s mold and dust in your ductwork, clogged air handler coils, rusted-out drain pans, or a whole plethora of issues, your new facility might have old issues that can impact the efficiency of your building as well as the indoor air quality. That’s why it’s crucial to investigate each part of your HVAC system before starting up operations. A new building HVAC cleaning review helps you find these problems before employees or customers are relying on the space every day.
Start By Checking Ductwork In Your New Facility
One of the first places to start is the ductwork. If you do not know when the ducts were last cleaned, or if the building sat empty for a long time, commercial duct cleaning before occupying a building is a smart step. Dirty ductwork can move dust, odors, allergens, mold spores, and other contaminants through the facility once the HVAC system starts running regularly again. This is especially important if the building has been vacant, poorly maintained, or used for an operation that created a lot of dust.
Another key consideration depending on your industry is explosive dust removal. If you work in an industry like woodworking, food processing, or textile manufacturing, your processes could leave explosive dust in all sorts of nooks and crannies in your facility. It is definitely worth checking to see if this dangerous dust is lying in your new facility before running any equipment.
New Commercial Facilities Require A Look At The Air Handler And Drain Pan
Your air handler is responsible for moving conditioned air throughout the building, so it needs to be inspected before the facility is fully used. A neglected air handler can have dirty coils, weak airflow, worn seals, internal buildup, rust, or moisture issues that affect the entire HVAC system. If you see any of this, air handler restoration might be needed.
The drain pan should be checked at the same time. Old drain pans can hold standing water, clog, leak, rust, or create conditions for mold and bacteria growth. If the air handler or drain pan has been ignored, air handler restoration before moving into a building and commercial drain pan refurbishment before occupancy can help prevent larger problems later.
A dirty or damaged air handler can increase energy costs, reduce airflow, hurt temperature control, and affect the air people breathe inside the facility. But a quick check can prevent all these issues and keep things starting up smoothly.
Test Your Newly Purchased Building For Indoor Air Quality, Mold, And Moisture Issues
Every newly occupied building can benefit from indoor air quality testing before moving into a building. Even if there are no obvious smells or visible mold, testing your air quality can help identify problems that may have been hidden while the building was sitting empty.
Moisture and subsequent mold growth can cause health issues for people in your building, as well as require extensive remediation and cleaning. The earlier you are able to catch it, the easier and less costly the repair will be. If testing shows a concern, PROAC can help determine whether the building needs mold remediation, duct cleaning, air handler restoration, or another service to correct the issue at the source.
Inspect Cooling Towers Before Using Your Newly Bought Commercial Facility
If your new building has a cooling tower, it should be inspected before the system is put under heavy demand. Cooling towers that sat idle or were poorly maintained can have scale growth, corrosion, debris, biological growth, or stagnant water issues.
Ignoring these problems can lead to poor cooling performance, higher energy costs, equipment strain, and unexpected repairs. Cooling tower inspection before occupying a commercial building gives your team a better understanding of the system’s condition before your facility depends on it every day. If the tower is damaged, dirty, or inefficient, PROAC can help with cleaning, repair, or cooling tower refurbishment to get the system ready for operation.
Build A Preventative Maintenance Plan For Your New Facility With PROAC
Once you take over a new building, the goal should be to start fresh. A full commercial HVAC assessment checklist should be the first thing you moving in. If you need help, our team can help your team understand what condition the building is in and what needs to be cleaned, restored, repaired, or maintained.
When your HVAC cleaning checklist is long, let PROAC handle the hard work. We offer commercial duct cleaning, air handler unit restoration, drain pan refurbishment, cooling tower refurbishment, air quality testing, mold remediation, explosive dust removal, and many more HVAC maintenance & cleaning services for your facility.
Before your new facility becomes a daily part of your business, make sure the HVAC system is ready to support it. Contact PROAC today to get your HVAC system in shape for whatever you have in store for your new building.