My husband likes to work on vintage cars. Turning a wrench is his yoga and he likes giant engine bays which are like giant crocodile mouths that he must lean into. Often, I find him in the garage (doors open) with the vehicle’s engine running and his head stuck in the engine bay, listening to the engine. Although smoke, liquid spray, and sometimes flame will tell him there is an issue, most of his evaluations of the mechanical performance come from his ears. While I watch him operate like a greasy handed surgeon, I think about buildings. We do not listen to them enough.
Mechanical equipment in buildings can use up to 30% more energy when it needs maintenance or repair. The principle is simple: a machine operating outside its optimal condition must work harder to achieve the same output, thus consuming more energy. This inefficiency manifests in various forms across different types of mechanical equipment.
Consider the Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system. A dirty air filter, for instance, forces the blower motor to exert more effort to push air through, leading to increased electricity consumption. Similarly, a refrigerant leak in an air conditioning unit reduces its cooling capacity. To compensate, the compressor must run for longer periods, again drawing more power. A poorly maintained heat exchanger can hinder efficient heat transfer, requiring the heating system to burn more fuel to reach the desired temperature. This is true for both your common area (owner paid) systems and your residential unit (resident paid) systems. Note that for the residential unit, the ‘sound’ you are looking for is your resident expressing frustration with her energy bill.
Pumps, crucial for circulating water in heating, cooling, and plumbing systems, are also susceptible to energy wastage due to lack of maintenance. Worn bearings create friction, requiring the motor to work harder. Scale buildup or corrosion within the pump and piping restricts flow, forcing the pump to operate at a higher pressure and consume more electricity. Even a slightly misaligned pump shaft can lead to increased energy consumption and premature wear.
Fans and blowers, essential for ventilation and air handling, suffer similar fates. Dust and debris accumulation on fan blades disrupts airflow, necessitating higher motor speeds and increased energy use. Imbalanced fans create vibrations, leading to energy loss and potential damage.
Motors, the workhorses driving much of this equipment, are particularly sensitive to maintenance neglect. Worn bearings increase friction, demanding more power from the motor. Ignoring these issues can not only increase energy consumption but also significantly shorten the motor’s lifespan.
Even with routine maintenance schedules, there can still be issues. We are all pressed for time, but we need to retrain ourselves in preventative maintenance. Future major repairs and replacements are often preventable. The trick is to listen for them.
