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Prepare your Air Conditioning for Summer

In the halcyon days of yesteryear, there were always schools of thought that said ‘if it ain’t broke, then don’t fix it’. Today’s non-stop 24/7 world has changed all that and nowhere is it seen more than in the air-conditioned environment. A simple failure of a fan motor, a condensate pump or relay can cause data centres to shut down, offices to become uncomfortable and critical operations abandoned.

All mechanical equipment is designed to operate within certain limits.

If not properly maintained, the equipment will exceed the design limitations resulting in equipment failure. Preventative maintenance ensures that your system works at peak efficiency, which reduces energy bills, extends the life of the system and averts early equipment failure. Making even small adjustments to systems can significantly improve the working environment and at the same time save money. Considerable savings in energy can also be made with correct sizing and maintenance of commercial air conditioning systems.

In many businesses, especially office environments, where the drive for air conditioning is largely comfort led, there is a tendency to leave servicing of equipment until the first warm days of early summer. The cliché “out of sight, out of mind” is often the reason for neglected maintenance on an air conditioning system. This often leads to emergency repairs having to be rushed through at a premium cost, which could have been avoided if a Preventative Maintenance Agreement (PMA) was in place. A PMA is a simple, all-inclusive, 24/7-maintenance contract, such as the Coolcare24 package offered by Celtaire.

Typical problems that arise from poor or irregular servicing include:

• Dust in condensate trays that forms a grey sludge, blocking condensate drains leading to unpleasant leaks
• Dust and other particulates circulate around the room. These can carry airborne diseases that can lead to staff feeling unwell
• Chilled water systems can be fertile breeding grounds for Legionnaire’s Disease
• Warranty provisions are rendered null and void by manufacturers if correct maintenance has not been carried out

What can you expect from your PMA?

Getting your air conditioning checked is as important as changing the oil in your car. During these inspections proper operation of the equipment is checked and verified. Every part of the air conditioning system is tested including:

• The system’s functions, controls and adjusting the operating sequence where appropriate
• Inspection of electrical components and connections, repairing, replacing and tightening as necessary
• Ensure proper airflow and clean dirty air filters
• Carry out an inspection of pumps, lubricate and check flow rates
• Clean and lubricate motors
• Examine belts, adjust and align
• Clean inside coil, condensate tray and ducting to prevent obstructions
• Clean outside coil and clean fins
• Check refrigerant levels

A well-maintained modern air conditioning system not only uses energy much more efficiently but also reduces carbon emissions. Air conditioning systems use a lot of energy - up to 50% of a building's consumption in some cases. That's why the new Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) specifically targets air conditioning systems. As of January 2009, air-conditioning equipment, rated between 12kW and 250kW, must be inspected by January 2011 by an energy assessor. Air conditioning systems of more the 12kW will then have to be re-inspected at least every five years in accordance with the latest Energy Performance of Building regulations.

The aims of the inspection are to:

• Assess the efficiency and appropriateness of the systems in relation to the cooling requirements of the building
• Advise building users/managers on possible improvements to, or replacement of, air conditioning systems – and alternative solutions

Therefore to ensure systems meet guidelines they need to be maintained carefully and managed in order that they do not consume too much energy. This makes good business sense as energy consumption can increase by 30% if regular maintenance is not undertaken.

PMA’s more than pay for themselves through higher efficiency, lower utility bills, a longer life and the peace of mind knowing that system failure is far less likely and if there is a problem during the heat of the summer.

Contracts can be tailored to suit the customer’s requirements whether they are driven by lowest cost, fixed budgets or maximum flexibility. What is most important, however, is that there is a safe, effective and planned maintenance programme in place to prevent downtime, equipment failure and health concerns.

R22 Phase-Out. Are you prepared?

EC regulation EC2037/2000 introduced and immediate ban on the use of CFC’s and the phase out for HCFC R22. Commonly used up to the late 1990’s in AC and refrigeration equipment, CFC’s and HCFC’s were classified as ozone depleting substances and were largely replaced by HFC’s up to 2004.

However many end users are having to face the dilemma of how to address older air conditioning equipment still operating with R22 gas.

From 1st January 2010 it will be illegal to use virgin HCFC’s for service and maintenance and from 1st January 2015 all HCFC’s will be banned.

For more information please contact our sales Dept.

New shentonGroup Structure

As regular customers and contacts will know the four companies in our group all operate autonomously from 'Shenton House' here in Andover.

The next stage in the strengthening and growth of the group will be a formal amalgamation of all four into one company. At this time the company name has not been finalised.

This change will be a gradual process over the coming months with a target date of March 2010 for completion of all the necessary legal and commercial paperwork.

All existing brands identities and products will be retained for the foreseeable future.

This change will enable us to provide customers with a single point of contact, as well as increasing our focus and commitment to further improve customer service.

Absorption Air Conditioning

We all know that a fan doesn’t cool us down, it simply moves the warm, stale air around the room in which it is situated. So, we moved on from there and thus the point of this article.

How times have changed in the world of Air Conditioning. Today you will find thousands of companies making money by supplying, installing and maintaining Air Conditioning and millions of people who use Air Conditioning in their living rooms, shops or offices.

It stops the data processing equipment from crashing in the head office of your Bank, it keeps the Prime Minister cool as he sanctions the installation of thousands more speed cameras and you and I from cracking (well nearly) as we get dragged around John Lewis by our wife’s.

Most commonly used today is what we call a split unit. We’ve all seen the external condenser on the wall as we drive around. This is connected to an internal fan coil which is either wall/ceiling mounted or ducted and has the option of being cooling only or heating & cooling combined.

Following years of this type of system we started to install water cooled units in the larger offices. Still able to supply the same interior fan coils it was a more viable option when a large office blocked needed cooling/heating.

Once again we’ve moved on.

Welcome to the world of absorption Air Conditioning.

Absorption Air Conditioning goes hand in glove with CHP. This does not stand for Causes HyPothermia, Can Heat People or even Contains Hot Parts.

CHP stands for Combined Heat & Power. In a green world, going greener, carbon foot prints are the talk of the times. The point of CHP is to reduce your Carbon footprint by finding uses for otherwise waste products. By using Absorption Air Conditioning along with a CHP system you can use your waste hot water to cool your offices.

The diagram shows the basic principle of how Absorption Air Conditioning works.