How The Sun And Storms Can Damage Your Commercial Air Conditioner
If the air conditioner for your building is on top of the roof, you don't have to worry about vandals bothering your equipment, but your AC may still be at risk. When the equipment is on the roof, it receives the full force of the wind, blown debris, rain, sun exposure, and hail. The forces of nature can cause damage to the parts of your HVAC, such as the fan. Here's a look at how exposure to heat and storms can lead to the need for commercial air conditioner repair.
Sun Exposure Can Cause Your AC To Overheat
Your air conditioner gets hot during the long days of summer. During a heatwave, your AC parts may get so hot that they overheat. This might happen to the capacitor, fan motor, or compressor. While a commercial air conditioner is made to withstand heat, when the temperature soars higher than normal, the heat can be damaging. If possible, you may want to provide shade for the equipment as long as it doesn't restrict airflow.
If you notice trouble with the AC starting or if it starts but doesn't blow chilled air, then call a commercial air conditioner repair service. They may need to replace burned-out parts. They may advise you to run the AC at a higher temperature until the heatwave passes to make things easier on the equipment.
Hail Can Damage Parts
Depending on the way your AC is designed and the direction of the wind, hail can do a lot of damage to your equipment during a storm. If hail strikes the sides of the unit, it may smash fins, and that leads to restricted airflow that can cause the AC to overheat. If hail falls straight down or at an angle, it might hit the grille lid over the fan or the fan itself.
If a fan blade or part of the grille is bent, the parts can scrape together when the fan runs. This puts stress on the motor and causes it to burn out eventually. In addition to damaging the fins and fan, the hail can dent up the AC case and leave it with cosmetic damage or damage to other internal parts.
When you notice hail damage to your equipment, call a commercial air conditioner repair service so they can examine your equipment for signs of damage. If repairs are done promptly, you might prevent escalating problems and keep the AC from breaking down.
Conditions can be harsh on top of your building's roof, so be sure to have regular inspections of your equipment so blown debris can be cleaned out and other problems with your AC can be caught early. If you don't keep up with AC maintenance and repair, the AC may break down and leave your employees hot and miserable.