Tips To Prepare Your Chiller Unit For Colder Temperatures

The temperatures are changing, which means your HVAC and chiller systems will need to be maintained and shut down. Now is the time to think about giving your chiller unit a tune-up because it will not need to work as hard or as often. Many businesses put off tuning-up their chiller units, even during the fall season. But, this is the wrong approach. If your unit experiences a sudden shift in temperature, which is common in the Texas Panhandle, it may not be able to adjust well.

The best way to prevent chiller unit issues is to have regular maintenance. You should inspect and tune-up your unit one or two months before every seasonal change to make sure it is working properly. You should also keep a maintenance log to track fixes and issues, and detect trends that could be coming up in your system.

Types of chiller units

There are many types of chillers, but this post will go over three: screw type, scroll type, and reciprocating type.

Scroll type chillers can be either air or water cooled. They are used in small to medium-sized buildings. These chiller units can provide a variety of speed options including fixed, staged, variable speed, and speed controlled.

Screw type chillers can be air or water cooled as well, and are also used in small to medium-sized buildings. These chillers work in combination. Usually, one compressor is water cooled while one or two others are air cooled.

Reciprocating type chillers are older and can be either air or water cooled. They are less common now but are still in use in small to medium-sized buildings. These systems use a piston chamber to compress refrigerant and cool your property.

Maintaining your chiller

Some facilities prefer to do a dry lay-up, while others use the wet lay-up cleaning method. Either of these may work for your needs, but it is important to start cleaning and maintenance at the right time. If you wait until spring, you may not have enough cool weather to keep your equipment shut down.

You should begin a daily log for usage and issues as soon as possible. Having this will allow you to note problems that have occurred or may occur with your chiller. Tubes should always be clean and water treatment should be done regularly. You should also check oil and refrigerant quality and levels, and make sure there are no leaks in the unit. These steps should be done throughout the year so you can be prepared to shut down your chiller and repair it during the fall and winter seasons.

Industrial equipment services in the Texas Panhandle

If you would like to come up with a tune-up and inspection schedule for your chiller unit, contact the experts at Allen’s Tri-State Mechanical Inc. today. Our specialized teams can inspect your industrial systems, clean them thoroughly, repair, and maintain them. Call us at (806) 376-8345 or Contact Us by email to learn more about our Commercial HVAC and Industrial Services. You can also stop by our office at 404 S. Hayden St. in Amarillo, Texas.