The Role of an Evaporator Coil in Commercial HVAC Equipment and How it Relates to Energy Efficiency and Extends Equipment Life

SD ATLAS HVAC Maintained Evaporator Coil

A regular HVAC preventative maintenance program and energy efficiency goes hand in hand.  It is in these routine checks where problems, like dirty evaporator coils, can be found.  A dirty evaporator coil will reduce cooling capacity and degrade equipment energy efficiency over time.  When an evaporator coil becomes plugged it reduces air flow through the system and in the process it causes the compressor motor to work harder and thus consume more energy.  Replacing filters on a regular basis will help keep the evaporator coil clean, which will ultimately increase equipment efficiency, help preserve equipment life and lower operating costs.

What is an Evaporator Coil?

 
The evaporator coil is one of two coils in an air conditioning unit.  It is responsible for cooling the air as it passes over the equipments fan.  An evaporator consists of copper tubes with aluminum fins; the constant air flow causes the coil to become dirty.  Accumulated dust, pollen, dirt, grass clippings, pet hair, and moisture can have very negative effects on the evaporator coil.  Scheduled preventative maintenance and regular cleanings are strongly recommended to prevent deterioration and create better indoor air quality.  Depending on the pollution and air quality surrounding the equipment, monthly cleaning may be required to keep your evaporator coil free of blockages.

Evaporator Coils and Energy Efficiency

 
It is a proven that dirty evaporator coils make an air conditioning unit less efficient.  In fact, a dirty evaporator coil can cause utility bills to go up significantly.  A dirty coil cannot provide the proper heat transfer, causing the air conditioning unit to use more energy.  HVAC equipment with dirty evaporator coils can use up to 35 percent more energy than those with clean coils, and reduce cooling capacity as much as 30 percent.  A less-efficient system is harmful to the environment and raises utility costs along with unwanted service calls in the peak summer heat.
 

Evaporator Coils and Indoor Air Quality

A dirty evaporator coil can have negative effects on indoor air quality; it can also cause your air conditioner to spread mold, dust and allergens into the air.  The entire surface of the evaporator coil is constantly moist with condensation, making it the perfect place to harbor germs and bacteria.  Without the proper maintenance, moisture around the evaporator coil becomes a breeding ground for bacteria and mold.  Mold spores released into the air can be harmful to your health.  Dust released into the air from a dirty evaporator coil can aggravate allergies.

Evaporator Coils and HVAC Preventative Maintenance

 
Without a proper scheduled heating & air conditioning (HVAC) preventative maintenance program, a dirty evaporator coil can ultimately lead an air conditioner to fail.  Increased temperature and pressure can cause problems breaking down the compressor’s lubricant.  The evaporator coil will freeze, causing compression failure. A failed compressor means the system is no longer capable of cooling.  System failure can be costly.  To avoid costly break downs, have your system serviced on a quarterly basis with filter changes.

 
SD ATLAS HVAC strongly believes in HVAC preventative maintenance programs to ensure proper operation and energy efficiency.  We specialize in this area and would like to help you extend your equipments life and provide better indoor air quality.  SD ATLAS HVAC proudly serves Vancouver, Langley, Surrey, White Rock, the entire lower mainland and the Fraser Valley.  Contact us at info@sdatlashvac.ca to set up free quotation for all of your HVAC needs including service and repairs; we are here to help you.

SD ATLAS HVAC project update: supply fan system repair

Recently our service division came across a faulty supply fan motor assembly that served a commercial storage area.  The customer had the decision of replacing the fan motor or the entire fan assembly. Ultimately, they chose a new motor and assembly based on the age, and the increased efficiency that they would receive with a new piece of equipment.  Check out our before and after pictures of the installation.

If the HVAC equipment in your facility is making loud noises or you feel is not operating properly, don’t hesitate to contact SD ATLAS HVAC to check for damages.  We are more than happy to help you with all of your commercial and strata heating and air conditioning (HVAC) repairs.  We also specialize in cost effective HVAC preventative maintenance programs that can help avoid costly break downs.
 

Before

This is going to be one of the coldest winters in the Fraser Valley according to weather analysts.  If it’s time to replace your old furnace so you can be warm and toasty, while saving a few bucks on your gas bill for Christmas shopping, give the new 2011 Bryant line a try!

Residential furnace installation by SD ATLAS HVAC

At first glance the new Bryant furnace line-up is more compact and sleek, but most importantly, it has an increased efficiency and happens to be one of the quietest furnaces ever produced.  Standing next to the furnace you can hear a very calm purring sound as the 2 stage inducer motor starts in the fully insulated cabinet, the firing of the burner assembly follows, and then the variable speed fan motor that distributes air through-out the ventilation system kicks in.  Depending on the model you select to have installed in your home, the gas valve either is a single stage, dual stage, or of modulating style which is the most efficient and increases heat output in 1% increments for maximum efficiency.

The 2011 Bryant condensing furnace line up has become the easiest generation of high efficiency furnaces to install.  All of the combustion and exhaust piping can exit vertically or horizontally, making it the right fit in your home regardless of location.  The reduced cabinet widths also allow for installation in narrow mechanical rooms or closets where space is an issue. And how can you go wrong with a lifetime warranty on the heat exchanger?

We at SD ATLAS HVAC understand that adding value and comfort to your home is a very important decision.  Allow us to help you reduce your monthly gas bills and keep you and your family warm for the winter by installing a new Bryant furnace.  We can be contacted at info@sdatlashvac.ca for further questions or to set up a home consultation.

 
Heating & air conditioning filters can be grouped into different categories depending upon how they capture airborne contaminants. The most common and least expensive filters are mechanical filters which are described below. If a passive electrical charge is added to a mechanical filter to assist in attracting airborne contaminants, it is then referred to as an electrostatically charged filter. If rather than a filter media, collection plates are used to attract and capture airborne contaminants, the filter is called an Electronic Air Cleaner (EAC). And finally, pre-charging of airborne contaminants can be combined with an actively charged filter media, to create an actively charged filtration system. It is important to select a proper filtratation system for your work and living areas, location plays a large role in your choice and also determines the amount of maintenance that is required.  At SD ATLAS HVAC we are able to assist you with all of your commercial, strata and residential HVAC filtration needs and help you improve your indoor air quality through scheduled HVAC preventative maintenance programs. We also specialize in HVAC service and repairs to keep your equipment running as efficient as possible.

Mechanical filters remove dust by capturing it on the filter element also known as the filter media. Such filters are often referred to as panel filters because they look like a panel of filter media held in a cardboard frame. The effectiveness of this type of filter is determined by the chance that a dust particle will collide with one of the fibers in the media, and the ability of the fiber to hold the particle. There are three different processes by which a mechanical filter works: impingement, interception and straining.  Impingement is the main process that captures large particles. Air passing through the filter is routed around the filter’s fibers. Large particles, however, do not follow the air streamlines around the fibers due to inertia. Rather, they move straight ahead colliding with the filter’s fibers and become attached. Interception occurs when a dust particle comes into contact with the fiber because the particle has followed the air streamlines. Another form of interception is the diffusional effect, which explains the capture of smaller particles. Because the small particles do not contain much mass, they are affected by the bombardment of air molecules that cause them to take an erratic path, which increases the route through the filter, increasing the chances that the particle will collide with a fiber. Straining is the filtration effect where the size of the particle is larger than the distance between the fibers (like a coffee filter).

Filters are given their rating by the term “MERV” or Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value. It is a number from 1 to 16 that is relative to an air filter’s efficiency. The higher the MERV rating, the more efficient the air filter is at removing particles. The lower end of the efficiency scale is the fibreglass panel filter that has a MERV rating of 1 to 3. On the higher end a MERV 14 filter is typically the filter of choice for critical areas of a hospital and this prevents transfer of bacteria and infectious diseases. Higher MERV filters are also capable of removing higher quantities of extremely small contaminant (particles as small as 1/300 the diameter of a human hair). A higher MERV rating filter has more resistance to airflow because the filter media becomes denser as efficiency increases. For the cleanest air, the highest MERV rated filter that the HVAC equipment is capable of forcing air through, based on the fan power, is what should be selected to create the optimal indoor air quality.
 

BASIC PANEL FILTERS

A typical 1-inch coarse filter provides protection for only the largest particles (10 microns and larger). These filters are designed only to protect the furnace or fan coil from bulk dust that can clog the cooling coil or otherwise decrease heat transfer efficiency. Because of the inability of these filters to capture smaller particles, they do very little to improve indoor air quality. These basic filters are generally a MERV rating of 1 to 3.

 
1-INCH PLEATED FILTERS

These filters typically have a MERV rating of 4-5. Although they are an improvement over a low-density coarse filter, they can capture some of the larger particles found in household dust. These filters can commonly be found as replacement filters in home improvement stores.

 
2-INCH TO 4-INCH PLEATED BOX/CARTRIDGE FILTERS

For a more effective air cleaning capability than standard 1-inch filters, box or cartridge filters may be used. These filters are typically MERV 8 to 13. They have the ability to capture particles with some efficiency down to 1 micron. In addition to being more effective in capturing smaller particles, pleated filters have the advantage of having greater holding capacity due to increased surface area. This extends the life of the filter. Typically these filters achieve a MERV 9 rating.

Electronic air cleaners differ considerably from mechanical “panel” filters. EACs use high-voltage electrodes
installed between grounded plates to create an electrostatic field imposing a charge on the dust particles as they pass by the plates. The particles are then attracted to oppositely charged collector plates. Several factors affect the ability of an electronic air cleaner to remove dust: particle size, velocity, voltage, plate spacing and ionizer spacing. Electronic air cleaners require occasional cleaning of the collector, or grounding plates. While this requires additional maintenance, their advantage is that there are no replacement filters required as with mechanical or electrostatically charged filters. Because electronic air cleaners can produce some amount of ozone as a by-product of normal operation, it is important to determine how much ozone different EACs produce. In general, ozone can be minimized with proper maintenance of an EAC, but the amount of ozone generated by an air cleaner can vary greatly between brands and should be a factor when selecting a device for the home.

How well and for how long a panel filter works is a function of the type and density of the media used and the amount of capture surface area that is contained within the filter. To increase surface area, panel filters are pleated like an accordion to get more surface area to capture more particles and last longer. Typically the more pleats in a filter, the better and longer it will work. Also the deeper the filter pleats, 1-inch, 2-inch, 4-inch, the more filter material there is and thus the better and longer a filter will work. It is recommended to replace your air filters every 1-3 months to remove indoor pollutants and create a healthy breathing environment. The amount of filter changes vary with the location and the type of structure, some commercial and industrial buildings require more changes due to high pollutants and occupancy.

To enquire about your air filtration needs or to schedule a commercial, strata or residential HVAC preventative maintenance quote please contact SD ATLAS HVAC at info@sdatlashvac.ca.   We are proud to serve Langley, Surrey, White Rock, Vancouver and the rest of the Fraser Valley and lower mainland.

Within the HVAC community, especially in the commercial, strata & residential market place, there is a growing recognition that HVAC systems need to do more than just control temperature and humidity. It’s not just about comfort anymore. Work places and home owners are increasingly aware of the fact that indoor air quality can have a significant impact on their health as well as their comfort. This increased awareness is being fuelled by front page stories regarding indoor air quality and its relationship to allergies, asthma, and illness. Organizations ranging from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to even the World Health Organizations are now providing statistics that relate air pollutants to increased risks for serious illness. We at SD ATLAS HVAC believe that regular scheduled HVAC preventative maintenance programs along with filter changes is the key to quality breathing air and improved health conditions.

The importance of indoor air quality is not a new idea. Today’s buildings and homes are constructed and operate very differently than buildings of the past. These new structures are built much tighter than years ago. The tighter the building envelope, the less outdoor air can leak into and out of the structure. Therefore, tighter structures help reduce energy costs for heating and cooling equipment, but also reduce the amount of unplanned outdoor air intrusion that would typically dilute indoor air contaminants. Additionally, furnishings including carpeting, paints, furniture, cleaning products release chemicals that can cause irritation, trigger allergies or asthma attacks, and over long periods of exposure, chronic illness. These factors combine to increase indoor air quality problems if ventilation and air filtration are not implemented. Without proper ventilation and regular scheduled HVAC preventative maintenance and filter changes, indoor air can be 2 to 5 times more polluted than outdoor air.

About Indoor Air

Realistically most of us spend about 90% of our adult lives indoors, and that is where we all breathe with our families, co-workers, pets, and guests. What many of us don’t know is that the EPA has ranked indoor air pollution as a high priority public risk. According to the EPA, levels of pollutants indoors can be 2 to 5 times higher than outside, which is mind boggling. Household dust is present even in clean homes, and can be made up of pollens, mold spores, bacteria, allergens from pet dander, dust mites and other pests, and food particles. Many cleaning methods often re-suspend such dust into the air unless proper cleaning equipment like vacuums with HEPA filtration and dust-capturing cloths are properly used. These dust mites cause allergic reactions in about 10% of the population; there could be as many as 19,000 dust mites in one gram of dust. Your mattress and bedding could be a home for as many as 2 million dust mites.

While we can see “dust” in the air and settled on surfaces, about 99% of the particles in the air are smaller than 1 micron. The human eye can only see particles bigger than about 10 microns in size. So most of the harmful particles we are concerned about are invisible. Many gas contaminants in indoor air come from chemicals found in paints, finishes, carpets, flooring, cabinets, adhesives, cleaning supplies, air fresheners, candles, cosmetics, hair spray, or insecticides.  Always check to see if the amount of ozone generated by an air cleaning device is stated. The EPA recommends very low ozone generation levels (50 ppb, or part-per-billion), but many portable room air cleaners generate higher levels that can actually trigger asthma and other respiratory problems.

Outdoor air is often less polluted than indoor air and therefore opening the window will improve indoor air quality by diluting indoor airborne contaminants. However, this is not always true. Whether during pollen season or urban rush-hour, downwind from a dusty field or a power plant, outdoor air can contain pollutants that can actually make indoor air worse, not better. Therefore outdoor air, dependent upon the season, building location and even time of day, may be worse than the indoor air it is replacing. That’s because outdoor air must often be “conditioned” to match temperature and humidity settings indoors and that requires an additional energy cost. Commercial HVAC preventative maintenance programs are designed to improve indoor air quality by optimally balancing ventilation, recirculation and filtration of indoor and outdoor air in the most energy and cost efficient way.

Sick Building Syndrome & Building Related Illness

Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) can create symptoms of frequent headaches, eye irritation and fatigue. These symptoms generally disappear in an individual when that person leaves a building. The condition is generally caused by a build up of carbon dioxide, volatile organic compounds, mold by-products or other airborne contaminants. Building Related Illness (BRI) is diagnosable and can be directly attributed to environmental agents in the air such as Pontiac fever, Legionnaire’s disease and humidifier fever. Identifying the specific pollutant is not always easy. The sources could be any one or a combination of: the building itself, biological growing in the mechanical equipment, the building’s contents, the air around the building, operations or process in the building, and even the occupants.
In an effort to improve the indoor air quality in a building and to remove the offending sources we need to educate ourselves of the health benefits that well circulated and filtered air can provide us. It is important to understand that filters should be changed at regular intervals of every 1-3 months depending upon the facility and the surrounding environment. Without proper care, commercial HVAC systems can also contribute to indoor air quality problems. The commercial, industrial or strata HVAC systems may be contaminated because of mold in duct lining or bacteria on evaporator coils and filters. The system may spread these pollutants throughout the space. Regular maintenance and inspections of the building or strata HVAC equipment can eliminate any possibility of stale air and health hazards.

SD ATLAS HVAC takes pride in providing our customers with the best level of indoor air quality through offering comprehensive HVAC preventative maintenance programs for commercial, industrial and strata buildings. Leave it to our professionally trained service and repair experts to improve your air quality and keep your HVAC equipment running at optimum efficiency.

To schedule a commercial HVAC preventative maintenance quote please contact SD ATLAS HVAC at info@sdatlashvac.ca.  We are proud to serve Langley, Surrey, White Rock, the rest of the Fraser Valley and Vancouver area.

On September 20, 2011 our new website went “live” on the web.

The aim of our new HVAC services site is to provide much more detail about the HVAC services we offer.  We’re also pleased to profile our extensive qualifications and share with you some of our client feedback and reviews of work we’ve done.