Preventive Maintenance Basics

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Key Questions

The following key questions are answered in this module:

What are some of the routine preventive maintenance tasks required to maintain indoor air quality and keep a building's heating and cooling systems running efficiently?
Some basic preventive maintenance tasks include changing air filters, changing belts and checking sheave, or pulley, alignment, cleaning condenser and evaporator coils, lubrication of bearings and other rotating components.

What are the main steps taken when changing a filter?
1. Use a filter with the correct MERV rating 2. Sign and date the filter 3. Make sure the direction of flow marked on the filter matches the actual air flow 4. Install the filter so the pleats run vertically 4. Use masking tape to seal the seams between filters and any gaps around the edges.

How can you clean coils?
Coils can be cleaned with compressed air or with water and cleaning solutions depending on the amount of buildup. For difficult deposits, a pressure washer that is specifically meant for cleaning coils can be used at the recommended pressure.

Most electric motor failures are caused by poor bearing lubrication. What are the common bearing lubrication errors?
Common bearing lubrication errors include using the wrong grease, contamination, insufficient grease, and over-greasing.

What is the purpose of doing preventive maintenance rounds?
All programs will have scheduled rounds. The purpose of rounds is to compare actual readings against a defined standard or range to identify abnormalities.

Sample Video Transcript

Below is a transcript of the video sample provided for this module:

Filter maintenance is essential for maintaining good air quality and system performance. Dirty filters will reduce air flow, which increases the load on the fan motor. Dirt can also build up on the coils and other components, which reduces their efficiency and can cause premature failures. Filters should be checked at least monthly. The replacement frequency will depend on the unfiltered air quality and how often the system runs. Filter performance is correlated with the pressure drop across the filter. The pressure drop increases as the filter collects particulates and becomes clogged. A Magnehelic is a differential pressure gauge that is often permanently installed to measure the pressure drop across a filter bank.