Whether you own HVAC equipment or are in the business of repairing it, you will experience firsthand the many noises your equipment may make.  As with any equipment malfunctions tend to occur creating a variety of noises. This blog covers some of these noises and their possible causes.

Rattling

A rattling noise could be a result of a loose belt, panel, fan, or something as simple as a few loose screws.  Rattling could also be a result of a failing motor, a bent fan blade, or many other items that could be a result of having aged equipment.

Roaring/Growling

Growling noises could be a result of a failing compressor. If you hear a roaring/growling noise turn the system off and contact your HVAC service provider.

Chirping

Chirping noises may be a sign of dry bearings, the fan rubbing against the coils or blower cage, or a worn belt.  Make sure the chirping is consistent before “hitting the panic button”.

Clanking

Equipment that starts making a clanking noise could be a result of loose parts, such as the blower motor fan, blades, or loose pipes rubbing together.  If not addressed these can cause costly damage to your system.  If you hear a clanking noise, turn your system off and contact your HVAC service provider.

Remember, it is important to have a relationship with a reliable and dependable HVAC service provider.  The most important part of any equipment is keeping it maintained on a consistent basis.

PLEASE CALL HARDY SERVICES IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT HVAC, PLUMBING & CONTROLS

Why is the age of you HVAC equipment important?? Glad you asked.

Here are just a few reasons why you may want to know the age of your HVAC equipment:

• Budgeting Purposes – (it is getting close to the end of the fiscal year and you may need to budget for a new unit)
• Energy Efficiency (Spring into Action blog)
• Help in Replace/Repair Decision (Avoid HVAC Breakdown blog)
• Cost of maintenance and Preventive Maintenance

Finding the Manufacturer Date on Your Commercial HVAC

To find the age of the equipment, look at the outside cabinet of the air conditioning system. You will find a metal nameplate attached containing the system’s technical specification. On most units this is located on the backside of the cabinet. Sometimes the manufacturer birthdate will be listed as MFR DATE. If that is the case, then you know the age of the equipment. If the MFR DATE isn’t listed then look at the model and serial number that is given specifically for each piece of equipment. You can enter the serial number in your internet search engine or you can decode the number yourself. Example: if the serial number is 7754F312026…… that would mean that the unit was manufactured in the 31st fiscal week of 2012, i.e. March 2012. Here is how you can know this. The 12 in this serial number represents the year, the 31 is the fiscal week, and just for fun the 2 is the work day of the week this unit was “born”.

Call Hardy Services for any questions or needs for your commercial HVAC, Plumbing & Controls needs.

Plumbing issues happen in all commercial and industrial buildings and as a result all businesses are faced with the question, “When do I call a professional or can I fix this problem myself?”

Below are some helpful hints to know when you need to call a professional plumber.

Here are some Helpful Hints from Hardy Services so you will know when to call a commercial plumber:

• You smell gas inside your facility
• Your water bill spikes
• You notice pressure surges when using sinks and toilets
• Low to No water pressure
• Foreign items are put down your plumbing system
• You need kitchen equipment installed
• You receive a letter from an attorney stating your bathrooms do not meet ADA requirements
• You receive a notice from the water works needing your backflow presenter tested.

A contributing factor to your water bill spikes, water pressure problems, and other water flow issues can be leaks. Here are two typical leaks that occur:

• Hidden leaks can result in nightmares for building owners. Once the leak is finally discovered, repairs may require removing walls, floors ceilings.Some signs to help spot a hidden leak are: unexpected increase in water bill, signs of water damage or stains along walls, floorboards, wet floors, carpets or other structures.
• Underground leaks in sewer drains or other buried piping systems could lead to expensive repairs. In many cases, these types of leaks will require a visual inspection by remote video camera to pinpoint the location of the leak. When the leak is discovered, the pipes will have to be dug up and repaired.Some signs for underground leaks are: unexpected increase in water bill, areas of wet soil, or areas of grass that are growing faster than the surrounding areas.

Hardy Services is always trying to provide helpful and valuable information in our blogs! If you have any questions, please call us at 205.591.5678 or www.hardyserv.com #Hardymakelifebetter

Spring time brings the beauty of trees and flowers blooming, BBQ’s, and outdoor fun. But it also brings showers, pollen, allergens, and warmer temperatures.

So, is your HVAC system ready to spring into action this season? Will your HVAC system operate efficiently or will the months that it has laid dormant cause your unit to not operate at all?

These can all be unsettling questions, and no one likes to worry about the temperature in the room. So, here are a few tasks that Hardy Services will complete on a Preventative Maintenance Program that will help your HVAC system run as optimal as possible and keep you, and everyone in the building, happy and comfortable!

Here are some other tasks that should be included in a Preventive Maintenance Program

• Annual Coil Cleaning
• Check system Air Flow
• Inspection of the belts and pulleys
• Check system refrigerant level
• Check electric connections, igniters, burners, fans, motors, etc.
• Clean and clear drain lines and drain pans
• Replace filters #ToPleatorNotToPleat (Visit our Vlog: https://hardyserv.com/pleat-not-pleat/)

One of the most important tasks, included in a Preventive Maintenance Program, is an annual coil cleaning. During the year your HVAC system collects dirt, grime, and buildup that the coils get covered and can’t do their job. If the coils are not able to release heat, that is generated during use, the equipment can overheat which could result in a catastrophic mechanical issue that will cause your HVAC system to not function. This is a prime example that if basic tasks are performed, big expenses can be controlled.

The most important part of having an efficient HVAC system is to make sure all equipment is operating at the highest levels. If you are using outside vendors for any service, please make sure you have a positive and long standing relationship with them. If your vendor isn’t providing you quality service that you and your equipment deserve then consider Hardy Services for all HVAC, Plumbing and Controls needs.

#makelifebetter

Programmable thermostats have been the “buzz word” now for some time in the residential and commercial climate control arena. It doesn’t take an “expert” to come to the conclusion that programming a residence is very different that programming a large commercial facility. This blog will address specific challenges on maintaining and controlling climate in a commercial facility.

Energy Management Tips

Geographic Location

Having a Controls Team working with you and recognizing your climate is important. After all, changing temperatures, humidity levels and other factors contribute to the challenge of controlling climate in a facility.

Size Matters

The size of your commercial building does affect the placement and distribution of programmable thermostats. Support from professionals will help.

Ability of occupants to adjust temperature

Making a plan on who can adjust the temperature is very important. If it’s an “all hands on” approach, the temperature will never be stable and the energy bill will drive the Accounting Department crazy! A Controls Team will put the people in control that needs to be.

Multiple Buildings

If you are a business that has different locations, alerts can be set up for all locations and sent to the control person at each location. When you have the ability to monitor and control from one central location it saves on energy consumption and the expense of sending one person to each site to make changes. By using “cloud technology” controlling temperatures in multiple locations is easy to do with certain programmable thermostats.

Type of HVAC equipment

Not all HVAC equipment can be paired up with any programmable thermostat. It is important to have a relationship with a local Mechanical Contractor that provides a Team of experts. A worthy contractor will have an inventory of your HVAC equipment and be able to provide all the service work on the HVAC equipment. This will help in selecting a programmable thermostat.

Consider Hardy Services to help with any HVAC, Plumbing & Controls Needs

Hardy Services, “Making Life Better”!

If your garbage disposal won’t run you may need to reset the garbage disposal using the RED overload protector button on the bottom. If the disposal is clogged, if it is run for a very long period of time, if it overheats, or if there is something wrong with the disposal, it will shut down automatically and need to be reset.

If the overload protector has tripped, you will see that the red button has popped out about a quarter of an inch (5mm).

To reset garbage disposal follow these simple instructions:
• Make sure that the disposal switch is in the “OFF” position.
• Gently press the red button in to reset garbage disposal. If it does not stay in (retracted), wait ten minutes and try again.
• Turn on a cold stream of water and turn the disposal switch to “ON” position, the disposal should now run again.
• If the garbage disposal reset button still will not stay in, or if you have to repeatedly reset the overload protector, the disposal may require service or replacement. If you have questions visit us at www.hardyserv.com