Drain Pan Refurbishment
Facility managers understand the importance of maintaining their building’s ductwork, cooling tower, air quality, air handler unit, and more. All of these things help keep the facility running in top shape. However, many building owners and managers forget about maintaining their drain pans. The drain pan, also known as the condensate pan, plays an important role in containing condensation and preventing drips and leaks that would cause rust and damage to the rest of the air handler unit. The drain pan requires proactive restoration to keep it working effectively and protecting the rest of the HVAC unit. Learn more about how PROAC can keep your facility running well with professional commercial drain pan refurbishment.
Why Your Facility Needs Drain Pan Refurbishment
Without proactive drain pan refurbishment, your business’s HVAC systems are at risk of damage. Leaks can spread across the air handler, causing rust, clogging the system, and even increasing the risk of electrical fires. Additionally, the condensation may contain nasty contaminants from the air, like bacteria, toxins, and allergens, and damage to the drain pan can cause these contaminants to get into the air supply and spread to the areas where your employees and guests are working. That’s why your business needs drain pan refurbishment to keep your system running effectively and to spot and fix any problems before they turn into something worse.
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What’s The Difference Between Drain Pan Restoration And Replacement?
When drain pans aren’t working properly, many facilities are left with the choice to either restore or replace their drain pan. While both options will get your HVAC system working properly, choosing to restore instead of replacing your drain pan is often the most cost-effective option.
Choosing to restore your drain pan means that you can keep much of your HVAC system the same, rather than performing a major overhaul. Drain pan restoration is cheaper, quicker, and much more sustainable than replacing a drain pan. While drain pans certainly won’t last forever, you can extend the life of your drain pan and reduce costs at the same time by choosing drain pan restoration.
What Happens If I Don’t Refurbish My Drain Pan?
If your drain pan is already starting to show symptoms of wear, neglecting the problem will just give moisture more time to spread through the rest of your HVAC system. A damaged or broken drain pan can allow water to flow into the air handler, resulting in insulation damage, rust and corrosion, reduced performance overall, and the perfect environment for mold and bacteria growth.
A little leak or a modest rust problem might become a considerably more expensive repair over time. Standing water can block drain lines, degrade system performance, and increase the potential for moisture-related air quality concerns throughout your facility. In the most extreme cases, water damage from a faulty drain pan can even lead to electrical issues that can shut down your entire HVAC system or cause a fire. Choosing to restore your drain pan is much better than neglecting it until it causes further damage.
How Does PROAC Restore Your Drain Pan?
The first step when PROAC arrives to restore your commercial drain pan is to assess the condition of the drain pan and associated air handler components. We'll look for standing water, rust, fractures, holes, clogged drain lines, damaged coatings, and other signs that moisture has started to affect the remainder of the unit. Depending on the state of the pan and the size of the system, we may have to temporarily shut down the HVAC unit to allow our crew safe access to the area to remove impurities and apply the correct repair materials. But if this is necessary, we can work with your team to organize the service so it creates the least amount of interruption to your facilities.
Once we know what the drain pan needs, our professionals clean and prepare the surface in order for the repair materials to effectively bind. This can include washing, scouring, removing loose rust or debris, patching holes or cracks, and upgrading the drain lines to allow condensation to flow out of the unit properly. Once the pan is cleaned and repaired, we then add water-resistant protective coatings that help prevent further corrosion and prevent impurities in the water from further eating away at the pan. When the restoration is complete, your drain pan is better protected, your air handler is safer from water damage, and your HVAC system is set up to continue serving your facility without issues.
Let PROAC Protect Your Facility With Commercial Drain Pan Restoration
PROAC is here to keep your commercial facility in the best possible shape to serve your customers and employees. Make sure your drain pan is taken care of with drain pan restoration by PROAC. We are a full-service commercial facility management company, and we also provide air handler unit restoration, duct cleaning, air quality testing, and so much more.
Trust the team with 25+ years of experience in commercial HVAC maintenance. Contact PROAC today to keep your facility serving your business.
Drain Pan Refurbishment Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if my commercial drain pan needs refurbishment?
If you find water pooling behind the HVAC unit, rust or corrosion near the air handler, musty smells, drain line backups, or indicators of moisture damage, you will need to restore your facility's drain pan. These are often early indicators that the pan is not gathering and draining condensation as it is supposed to.
Can a rusted HVAC drain pan be repaired?
Many rusty HVAC drain pans can be restored with proper cleaning, surface prep, sealing, and protective coating. If the pan has lost structural integrity, further sheet metal repair may be necessary before the refurbishment can be finished.
Is drain pan refurbishment better than replacement?
In most commercial HVAC systems, it is usually more feasible and economical to renovate the drain pan rather than replace it entirely. Refurbishment maintains and protects the existing pan, without the added inconvenience and expense of removal and replacement of critical components.
How long does drain pan refurbishment take?
Drain pan refurbishment can take from a few hours to several days depending on the size of the unit, condition of the pan, and how easy it is to reach. Larger walk-in air handlers or pans with structural damage will require more time to be completely restored.
How long does a restored drain pan last?
If a restored drain pan is maintained properly, it can survive for the remainder of the life of the air handler, which could be up to over 20 years.
Can a leaking drain pan cause mold?
Yes. A leaking, or failed, drain pan can cause standing moisture to accumulate in the air handler or around it, and this is a perfect environment for mold and bacteria growth.
How often should drain pans be inspected?
Commercial HVAC drain pans should be checked during routine HVAC maintenance visits, particularly prior to the heavy cooling season in the summer.
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