Going Commercial: 5 Key Differences between Home and Industry HVAC

There are some heating and cooling companies that are just not ready for the big time – installing, repairing, and maintaining commercial HVAC systems is not just about the size of the job, there are many important differences that must be recognized to ensure a professional-quality system.

 

Choose a trusted HVAC company that understands variables that change with commercial HVAC service, some of which we will look at below.

 

 

• The Basics – Residential HVAC systems are comprised of an outdoor unit and indoor unit which function in tandem; in contrast, commercial HVAC systems typically have a lot more area to cover and the unit is self-contained. This means that all necessary parts are packaged together: the condenser, compressor, drainage system, blower, and fan.

 

• Unit Location – With residential HVAC systems, the separate units are typically installed next to the house outside and in an attic, basement, or closet indoors. But even with the latest in commercial HVAC systems, the units are just too loud for a commercial setting.  Therefore, these units are usually installed on the roof, from where massive amounts of cooled or heated air is piped through the roof and into various locations throughout the commercial space.

 

• Design – HVAC systems for homes have a “fixed capacity” – this means that there is a metaphorical ceiling to how much heat or coolness they provide. In commercial HVAC, there is a great deal of flexibility.  If, for some reason, the building was expanded or the system simply needs more power, additions can be made to the HVAC unit to increase the power.  In contrast, if half of the space was sold and separated for example, the system could also be downgraded to be more efficient.

 

• Ventilation – This is always a huge concern. Homes have windows that can be opened to help ventilate (although a good working HVAC system should not need it), but there is no accounting for windows in commercial HVAC – whatever ventilation must be done, must be accomplished by the system itself.  Adjusting proper ventilation is extremely important for the safety of workers and/or customers, therefore only the most experienced and qualified technicians should be hired.  Perhaps you have heard that the concern is not your surgeon, it is your anesthesiologist?  The anesthesiologist keeps you breathing properly.  This is what proper ventilation does, so get the best.

 

• Drainage – Just like ventilation, moisture drainage is a major concern. Homes typically have a drainage port to the outside of the home, but the sheer quantities of water that a commercial HVAC system accumulates requires a more complex and robust drainage system.

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Entek HVAC of Longview, Washington is the premier installer and maintainer of industrial HVAC. Here is a short list of the needs they can fulfill:

• Tenant Improvements
• New Construction
• Building Improvements
• Large Multi-zoned VAV Systems
• Energy and Ventilation Controls
• Motor Control Room Load Estimating
• Design/Build Pressurization: Labs, Clean rooms. Motor Control Rooms
• Retro-Commissioning
• Energy Solutions

 

In addition, Entek’s credentials are beyond reproach.  Here is another short list of organization to which Entek is affiliated:

• Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) “ENERGY SMART” Design Program
• Portland General Electric (PGE) “Commercial Retrofit Program”
• An “OREGON ENERGY TRUST” partner
• County P.U.D. Energy Efficiency Rebate Programs
• Certified in the Oregon Energy Trust project delivery system
• Active in the US Green Building Council LEED Activates

 

We encourage you to do thorough research on your choice of commercial HVAC service, because we are confident that there is no better company qualified for commercial businesses in Southwest Washington than Entek HVAC.

 

Contact Entek HVAC of Longview, Washington to schedule your business’s HVAC visit

Related Reading:

Commercial HVAC – Clearing the Air

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