We think there’s no better way to save on energy costs, and ensure the smooth, long-lasting operation of your HVAC equipment, than by maintaining a sound preventive maintenance (PM) program for your rooftop unit (RTU) or units.

That said, we’ve learned a trick or two throughout our 43 years in the business, so we wanted to conclude our series on preventive HVAC maintenance (PM), and specifically our heating season strategies, with a quick energy saving tip for those cold winter months.

It’s logical to assume that an HVAC unit is almost entirely responsible for regulating the internal temperature of a given space. Yet in truth, that space’s temperature is affected by the environment and elements – built and otherwise – that surround it. So why not use those variables to your advantage?

Accordingly, we recommend using your night setback thermostat, or turning thermostats down when spaces are unoccupied. This simple act can save 10% or more on heating-related energy costs for your property.

To illustrate this, consider a retail example. In mall configurations, your store may be surrounded by other stores that have only one exposed, or outside, wall. On a cool night, let’s say you turn the store’s thermostat down to 50 Fahrenheit when you leave. When you arrive the next morning, you check the actual temperature in the store. Chances are excellent that it probably will be above 55, thus indicating that the HVAC unit did not operate during the night.

So what happened? Well, the stores and malls common areas on all sides of your store actually “leaked” heat into your store. This is thanks to the first law of thermo-dynamics, which states that heat moves from the highest energy level to the lower energy level. It will take a bit longer to reheat your store; but you will save energy in the process.

We hope you found this series on HVAC preventive maintenance valuable. It’s been our pleasure presenting it to you, and we look forward to providing our insights, strategies and recommendations for other key building systems in your facility.

If you want to learn more about CLS’s national HVAC services, or all other CLS services, please call us at 800-548-3542.