COMMERCIAL HVAC BLOG

This is a subtitle for your new post

5 Signs Your Commercial HVAC System Needs Immediate Attention Your commercial HVAC system is the heart of your business's comfort and operational efficiency. When it's working properly, you barely notice it. But when something goes wrong, it can create a costly disruption—impacting everything from employee productivity to customer satisfaction. Recognizing early signs of HVAC problems can help you avoid expensive emergency HVAC repairs or complete system replacements. Here are five warning signs you should never ignore. 1. Unusual Noises Commercial HVAC systems typically run quietly in the background. If you start hearing banging, clanging, squealing, or grinding noises, it's a clear signal that something is wrong. Possible causes: Loose parts, worn bearings, motor issues. Why it matters: Ignoring unusual sounds can lead to major component failures and higher repair costs. If your HVAC system suddenly sounds like it's struggling, it’s time to schedule an immediate inspection with a trusted commercial HVAC maintenance provider like Evolution Maintenance. 2. Inconsistent Temperatures Are some rooms freezing cold while others feel stuffy and warm? Uneven heating or cooling is more than just an inconvenience—it’s a red flag. Possible causes: Blocked vents, failing compressors, thermostat malfunctions, or ductwork problems. Why it matters: Temperature inconsistencies strain your system and drive up energy bills. Properly diagnosing and fixing these issues early prevents unnecessary energy waste and discomfort for employees and customers alike. 3. Sudden Spike in Energy Bills If your utility bills have shot up without a clear explanation, your HVAC system may be working harder than it should. Possible causes: Dirty coils, clogged filters, refrigerant leaks, or malfunctioning parts. Why it matters: High energy consumption means your system isn’t running efficiently, costing your business money month after month. Scheduling regular commercial HVAC inspections can help pinpoint inefficiencies before they become long-term financial drains. 4. Frequent Cycling If your HVAC system is constantly turning on and off (known as "short cycling"), it's struggling to maintain the desired temperature. Possible causes: Thermostat issues, refrigerant leaks, oversized equipment, or electrical malfunctions. Why it matters: Short cycling stresses your system, causing faster wear and higher repair costs. This behavior can significantly shorten the lifespan of your HVAC unit if not addressed quickly through professional HVAC servicing.\ 5. Poor Indoor Air Quality Bad smells, excessive dust, or a sudden rise in allergy symptoms among employees could point to HVAC system problems. Possible causes: Mold growth, dirty filters, clogged ducts, or stagnant moisture. Why it matters: Poor indoor air quality not only affects health but can also open your business to liability issues and customer complaints. An experienced commercial HVAC technician can assess and resolve indoor air quality problems to keep your environment safe and inviting. Don’t Wait—Protect Your Investment Delaying action when your commercial HVAC system shows warning signs can lead to higher repair costs, lost business, and even complete system failure. Being proactive is key.  At Evolution Maintenance, we specialize in rapid response and preventative care for commercial systems of all sizes. If you notice any of these warning signs, don’t hesitate—contact us today for an immediate assessment and expert repair services.

PROTECT YOUR BUSINESS WITH HVAC MAINTENANCE When you manage a business, every dollar matters. One often-overlooked strategy for safeguarding your company’s finances is simple: regular HVAC maintenance. Your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems aren't just a comfort feature—they are critical to your operations. Investing in preventative HVAC maintenance can lead to significant savings, improved performance, and a healthier, more productive work environment. The True Cost of Neglected HVAC Systems Ignoring routine commercial HVAC services might seem like a cost-saving measure in the short term, but it often leads to major expenses down the line. Dirty filters, worn-out components, and neglected inspections can cause your systems to work harder, driving up energy costs and increasing the likelihood of unexpected breakdowns. According to industry studies, businesses that skip routine HVAC maintenance face repair costs that are 30% higher on average—and a complete system failure could mean a five-figure replacement cost. Downtime, especially for retail stores, restaurants, or office buildings, also results in lost revenue and unhappy clients or employees. Benefits of Routine HVAC Maintenance Partnering with a trusted provider like Evolution Maintenance for regular HVAC check-ups offers a range of financial advantages: 1. Lower Energy Bills Efficient HVAC systems consume less power. Regular cleaning, lubrication, and inspections ensure that your equipment operates at peak performance, reducing your monthly utility expenses. 2. Extended Equipment Lifespan A well-maintained HVAC system can last up to 40% longer than one that’s neglected. This delays costly replacements and maximizes your original investment. 3. Fewer Emergency Repairs Preventative HVAC maintenance identifies potential issues before they turn into expensive emergencies. Scheduled inspections and tune-ups help your business avoid costly surprise repairs that can disrupt operations. 4. Improved Indoor Air Quality Cleaner air means healthier employees and customers. Regular filter replacements and system cleanings reduce allergens, mold, and bacteria, leading to fewer sick days and a more comfortable environment. 5. Compliance and Safety Regular inspections ensure your systems meet local codes and safety regulations. Non-compliance can lead to fines, insurance issues, or even shutdowns—all of which can hit your bottom line hard. How Often Should You Schedule Commercial HVAC Maintenance? The recommended frequency depends on your industry and usage levels, but most businesses should plan for professional HVAC servicing at least twice a year—typically in the spring and fall. Critical environments like healthcare facilities or food service operations may require more frequent checks.  Evolution Maintenance offers customized HVAC maintenance plans tailored to your specific needs, ensuring optimal performance year-round. Protect Your Business's Future with Evolution Maintenance Regular commercial HVAC maintenance isn’t just an operational necessity—it’s a strategic financial decision. By keeping your systems running efficiently, you safeguard your bottom line, protect your people, and support the long-term success of your business. At Evolution Maintenance, we specialize in helping businesses just like yours thrive through proactive, reliable HVAC solutions. Contact us today to schedule your maintenance plan and see how easy protecting your investment can be.

Get your commercial HVAC system ready for spring with this comprehensive maintenance checklist. Improve efficiency, reduce costs, and keep your building comfortable with expert tips from Evolution Maintenance!

Lower your commercial HVAC energy costs with practical tips like regular maintenance, smart thermostats, zoning systems, and more. Discover how Evolution Maintenance can help you save money and boost efficiency!

THE IMPORTANCE OF WINTER COMMERCIAL HVAC MAINTENANCE

Is your commercial walk-in freezer TOO frozen? Find out why and how to avoid it.

Common HVAC issues in commercial buildings and how to avoid them.

How to tell if your commercial building needs a plumbing upgrade.

How to Avoid Common Commercial Plumbing Issues

DECOMMISSIONING YOUR BUSINESS MADE EASY!

WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO ROUTINELY CLEAN YOUR COMMERCIAL KITCHEN HOOD

5 THINGS TO TROUBLESHOOT BEFORE CALLING FOR SERVICE!

Don't wait until its too late!

Losing heat during the winter can be costly and uncomfortable for your employees. Winter is arriving shortly and the best thing to do is to make sure your building is performing optimally to handle the change in temperature. Owners and property managers have a lot on their plate already, and problems with your heating are issues that can be easily avoided. Having your building inspected is key to stay ahead of the problems winter can bring. Your HVAC system is the integral component of your building, it keeps it cool during the summer and warm during the winter, but most people don’t realize there is a problem until it is too late. Inspect your HVAC equipment and have a preventative maintenance program in place to ensure everything is running smoothly. Having a professional technician inspect every odd and end in your building is the first step. Checking for cracks, leaks, and ensuring everything is sealed and insulated is not only integral to ensure your system is operating correctly, but also can save you money on heating costs. This can be done on a weekly, monthly, or annual basis. Not to be overlooked is your cooling system as well. The best time to repair or replace components in your cooling system is when it is not in use during the winter.

DOES YOUR BUILDING RUN LIKE A SWISS CLOCK, USAIN BOLT, OR A WELL-OILED MACHINE? No? If you feel like you’re working for your building rather than having a building that works for you, then it’s time to take a look at your maintenance services. If your on-site maintenance team can’t keep up or if you feel like you’ve lost track of all the subcontractors who beat a steady path to your door, then it’s time to consider a commercial building maintenance provider that doesn’t rely on an endless stream of subcontractors. A self-performing maintenance company is dedicated to taking care of your facility needs so you can focus on your business, not your building. When a commercial facility maintenance company says they’re “self-performing,” it means that your building is their business. Self-performing commercial facilities maintenance companies are committed to quality, safety, efficiency, and cost control. Not only that, but they have the deep expertise, the equipment, and the know-how to do it all. Commercial building maintenance or commercial facilities maintenance companies are qualified to perform a range of services including HVAC installation, maintenance, and repair; commercial and industrial refrigeration services; commercial plumbing repair, winterization, and water heater replacement; soda fountain, fryer, and commercial kitchen maintenance; electrical outlet installation, high and low voltage diagnosis and repair, lighting installation, and panel board installation and repair; and general maintenance services like painting, debris removal, light carpentry, and more. THE BENEFITS OF A SELF-PERFORMING MAINTENANCE COMPANY Companies that rely on a commercial building maintenance provider can rest easy knowing that qualified professionals are attending to their critical systems. SAVE TIME ON ROUTINE REPAIRS Highly trained technicians who specialize in commercial building systems get the job done right the first time. Unlike on-staff building engineers, who may lack specific certifications, or a facility services provider that relies on subcontractors, commercial maintenance companies send their own qualified technicians for the job. There’s no need to do something twice that can be done right once! And unlike your 40-hour/week employee, a self-performing technician is available around the clock. FIND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS TO COMMON (AND NOT-SO-COMMON) FACILITY PROBLEMS When you work with a company that specializes in commercial building maintenance, it’s pretty likely that they’ve “seen it all before.” Take advantage of a technician’s prior experience to expedite repairs and keep your business and your brand up and running. SAVE MONEY WITH COMMERCIAL BUILDING MAINTENANCE PROVIDERS There’s no need to budget for a full-time salary and benefits when you can rely on expert technicians on-demand. A reputable provider will work with you to find the safest and most cost-effective solution to your facility’s problems. COUNT ON QUALITY CONTROL A self-performing technician is responsible for his or her work. Which means they’re going to do their best work all the time, every time. Self-performing companies are pro-active, reliable, and are accountable for their technicians and their work. Highly qualified teams work together to find the best solution for your facility. PUT SAFETY FIRST WITH COMMERCIAL FACILITIES MANAGEMENT Highly qualified and experienced self-performing technicians are very familiar with OSHA regulations ranging from indoor air quality to electrical safety. Your safety is their first concern. FOCUSING ON SERVICE Most companies understand that your building is more than the sum of its mechanical parts. Looks for a commercial building maintenance company that sees beyond the systems and looks to build a rapport with you and your employees.

HVAC PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE IS A SMART INVESTMENT The results are in: studies show that preventative maintenance on your commercial HVAC system is worth the investment. According to the Building Efficiency Initiative , less than 50% of companies surveyed perform preventative or predictive maintenance on their critical HVAC systems. Think of your heating, cooling, and ventilation systems as the circulatory system — the heart, blood, veins, and lungs — of your commercial enterprise. Poor circulation can cost your business money and your employees their health and well-being. You owe it to your business and your employees to treat your system to regular check-ups. Industry resource, Buildings magazine, notes that HVAC system maintenance is nothing compared to what you’ll spend in the event of a catastrophic system failure and that by tracking system indicators (as you would if you have established a comprehensive HVAC maintenance plan), you can identify potential emerging problems before they reach a crisis point. “Some aspects of a maintenance plan are simple – change the oil, change the belts, change the filters. But, to keep a system operating at maximum efficiency, you’ll need to expend more elbow grease beyond the basics from time to time. Air-handler coils need to be cleaned periodically to keep heat transfer at maximum amounts. Boilers need to be cleaned annually; even 1/16-inch of soot and ash on heat-exchange surfaces in an oil-firing boiler can reduce efficiency by 10 percent.” Whole Building Design Guide reports that “Heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC systems) account for 39% of the energy used in commercial buildings in the United States. Consequently, almost any business or government agency has the potential to realize significant savings by improving its control of HVAC operations and improving the efficiency of the system it uses. The use of high-performance HVAC equipment can result in considerable energy, emissions, and cost savings (10%–40%).” COMMERCIAL HVAC SUSTAINABILITY TIPS THAT SAVE YOUR BUSINESS MONEY The US Department of Energy states that the average commercial building wastes a whopping 30% of the energy that it consumes. That’s a lot of money floating in the wind. Keep those dollars in your budget with proper HVAC maintenance. CHANGE AIR FILTERS REGULARLY Plan on changing air filters on a quarterly basis. Ideally, filters will be changed monthly during peak heating and cooling seasons. Dirty filters cause commercial HVAC systems to work harder by restricting airflow and may result in a 5-10% energy loss. Dirty air filters also lead to poor air quality and may reduce the productivity of your employees. INSTALL PROGRAMMABLE THERMOSTATS OR A ZONED HEATING SYSTEM Programmable thermostats and zone heating systems can save your business hundreds of dollars each year while simultaneously saving the environment. KEEP YOUR CENTRIFUGAL CHILLERS IN GOOD SHAPE Enjoy up big savings by removing microbes, ensuring an adequate air flow rate, and achieving optimal refrigerant levels ( Building Efficiency Initiative ). PROPERLY SEAL HEATING AND COOLING DUCT Professional HVAC technicians can reduce energy waste by using foil tape or blown-in sealant to seal your ducts and by wrapping ductwork in insulation. INVEST IN ROUTINE MAINTENANCE Qualified technicians will develop a maintenance plan that could include regular filter maintenance, duct cleaning, moving part lubrication, sensor testing, and thermostat installation, calibration, and maintenance. Think of preventative HVAC maintenance as you would a routine oil change in your car. Just as you wouldn’t risk your engine’s integrity by running on old, dirty oil, you shouldn’t put your costly HVAC systems at risk by neglecting them. Commercial HVAC systems have more than 100 components — and the potential for accompanying performance issues — that can degrade performance (Building Efficiency Initiative) and cost your business money, so contact Evolution Maintenance today! We can keep your HVAC running at peak efficiency. Contact us today!

Thinking about replacing your commercial ice machine? There are plenty of reasons for your commercial ice maker to stop making ice. Believe it or not, the process of freezing water is tougher than it seems. However, before you put in a purchase order in for a new ice machine, it’s worth determining whether or not a repair is in the cards. Is your commercial ice maker ready for the salvage yard or salvageable? TROUBLESHOOTING YOUR COMMERCIAL ICE MACHINE After running the obvious power and water supply checks, consider the following: HOW HOT IS IT IN THERE? If your ice maker is struggling to keep up with the demands of your commercial kitchen, or you suspect that heat is pocketing dangerously around the machine, take a temperature reading. If temperatures are routinely topping 90 degrees, ice machine production can drop dramatically. When ambient temperatures are too high, water temperatures increase accordingly and ice machines work exponentially harder to cool water to acceptable levels for ice making. As an added bonus, cooling your work space sufficiently not only aids in ice production, but it also helps keeps your employees happy and food supplies stable. On the off chance you’re already looking to purchase an ice machine, it’s wise to keep typical working temperatures in mind and to consider purchasing a machine that makes more ice than you think you’ll need. IS THERE ENOUGH BREATHING ROOM FOR YOUR ICE MACHINE? Space is at a premium for most kitchens and commercial retail spaces, however, even ice machines need a little elbow room. Air cooled ice machine heads and under counter ice makers need at least six inches of clearance for optimal airflow and ice making. IS YOUR COMPRESSOR WORKING OVERTIME? If this is the case, it may be time to throw in the towel. The experts at The News have this very common-sense advice for business owners: “If there are major problems with the compressor, metering device, controls, etc., and the machine is old enough that the owner wants to replace it instead of paying for major repairs on an old machine, the descaling procedure might turn out to be a waste of time.” HAVE YOU CLEANED YOUR MACHINE RECENTLY? If you’ve heard the horror stories about dirty ice, then your customers have too. Do yourself a favor and routinely clean your machine and replace the filter. Not only will scale, microscopic mineral deposits, cause your commercial ice machine work less efficiently, it’s one of the most common causes of ice machine failure. Always clean your machine using Federal Food Code standards. Check the machine manufacturer recommendations and clean accordingly. To minimize scale build-up, replace the filter every six months, at minimum. Scale can be safely removed with specially formulated removal products. IS THE CONDENSER CLEAN? If the condenser coils are dusty, oily, or otherwise grimy, warm air cannot be effectively filtered out and away from your machine. Heat, obviously, is the enemy of ice. Dust is easy to wipe away with a damp cloth. Grease is a little tougher and may require a chemical or specially formulated cleaning solution if the situation is particularly dire. IS IT TIME FOR A SERVICE CALL? While managers and business owners can certainly perform basic troubleshooting procedures, ice machines are complicated and sensitive industry-specific equipment. Arens Publications encourages entrepreneurs to “…Have your ice machines serviced annually by a professional. The experts are able to tune-up your equipment and be proactive about fixing any existing issues to make sure that not only is your machine working properly, but also so you don’t face any future breakdowns when least expected.” For commercial ice machine service, maintenance, and installation contact Evolution Maintenance today at (615)-649-0622.