Long Heating Season Defines Canadian HVAC Start-Up Checklists Support Efficient Operation
November, 2007

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By Mark A. Silver

Semi-annual system start-up checks are one of the best ways to ensure building or plant operations run more efficiently and avoid service outages. And they can also add to a company's bottom-line. 

Canada has two seasons when HVAC start-up checks are important - cooling in the spring and heating in the fall. Both are critical for a building's HVAC equipment operation and efficiency and both offer opportunities for energy efficiency.

Heating season runs about two months longer than the cooling season - approximately from October to the end of April. With units running for a longer time in heating mode, there is a higher probability of failure during the heating months. Heating is a basic human need in the Canadian climate, so performing a heating start-up is essential for ensuring the efficiency and reliability of key building operations.

If heating units are not started up properly, they will not operate efficiently. This further compounds the problem by driving up energy costs.  A late or overlooked heating start-up could also mean extra costs in emergency service calls, tenant or employee complaints, time, aggravation and higher energy costs.

Here are tips for smoother operations.

1. Have an HVAC maintenance program that includes semi-annual start-ups in place with a reputable company.
2. Prior to heating season, call the HVAC service provider and schedule heating start-up early.  Some service companies put maintenance on the backburner, which may result future service calls that could have been avoided.
3. Ask the HVAC company for its heating start-up checklist.  If it doesn't have one or won't share it, go back to step #1.
4. Make sure gas pressures and burners are checked and set properly - this is primarily where efficiency is lost and costs are incurred.
5. Make sure that all thermostats are checked and adjusted, and make sure thermostats without auto-changeover features are switched over to heating.
6. Make sure all programmable thermostat schedules and set backs are checked. 

A heating start up is the easiest and most cost-effective way to save money, time and aggravation, and is something that every commercial operations manager should consider.

Mark Silver is President of NorthRock Mechanical Services. He can be reached at mark@servicecall.ca.