The Hidden Costs of Skipping Commercial Cooling Maintenance
Going from winter’s chilly, blustery days to spring and summer’s sudden heat and humidity is tough. There seems to be little time for your body to acclimate to the sudden switch. In a warehouse, manufacturing plant, restaurant, or other business, sharp increases in heat and humidity are tough on workers, clients, and stakeholders.
No one can be productive or want to stay in a building that’s too hot and stuffy. If odors or fumes build up, it’s even worse. The loss of business is simply part of the cost of having an HVAC system that’s not working properly. When you skip commercial cooling maintenance, that’s one of the costs you face. It’s not the only one.
Skipping maintenance of your business’s HVAC system may seem like a great way to cut costs. It’s actually going to drive up your yearly expenses in more ways than you might think.
Explore the Hidden Costs of Skipping Commercial AC and Ventilation System Maintenance
It’s not even July, and Chicagoans have already seen several days in the upper-80s to mid-90s. Summers here are often sweltering with high temperatures and humidity levels, often trapped by towering skyscrapers and crowded streets. While Chicago does everything possible to reduce heat through green infrastructures, there’s still a way to go.
Those higher temperatures don’t just impact people. Your building’s HVAC system is working overtime to keep your offices, waiting rooms, and floor space cool enough.
Think of it like this. When it’s hot and humid and you’re trying to jog a mile, your body is working overtime to keep you feeling cool. If you’re not taking care of yourself by staying hydrated, your body is going to fail. Your commercial HVAC system is doing the same. It’s working harder and needs proper maintenance to work effectively and correctly.
Skip routine maintenance and cleanings, and you’re risking your profits on expensive repairs and breakdowns. Here are the many ways you lose money.
1. Costly Emergency Repairs
When you skip maintenance on your commercial AC system, you’re ensuring the components wear out faster. Imagine driving your car every day without ever checking or changing the oil, brake fluid, and coolant. Eventually, your engine will overheat and fail. You’re replacing expensive components instead of a cheaper filter and oil.
The same is true of an AC system. When you skip commercial HVAC system maintenance, you’re going to spend more on emergency repairs. Something is going to fail and require replacing or repairing. Lack of lubrication may cause a pump or fan to break. What could have been an affordable maintenance visit months ago is now an expensive repair at emergency rates.
If the component isn’t available and has to be ordered, your business is going to be hot and uncomfortable for several days. That’s going to add up to the cost of the emergency repair, plus lost business, plus possible fines and loss of employees.
2. Customer Dissatisfaction
Many consumers head to stores, theaters, restaurants, etc. when it’s hot looking for respite from the heat and humidity. If your system isn’t cooling your building properly, you’re going to lose customers. Even if you get it fixed, will it be in time to keep them from switching to your competition?
3. Equipment Loss
Computers and other electronics require cooler climates or they can overheat and fail. Suddenly, you’re having to replace your servers and other expensive computer components.
4. Expensive OSHA Penalties
If an employee suffers heat exhaustion on the job due to unsafe working conditions, the fines are expensive. As of January 7, 2025, the OSHA fine for a serious violation is $16,500 per violation.
You’re given time to make changes, but failure to fix issues by the deadline leads to OSHA fines of $16,550 per day. If you still refuse, repeated or willful violations soar by just over 10x. Can you afford to pay $165,514 per violation?
5. High Employee Turnover Rate
If heat, humidity, and air quality affect a worker’s health or comfort, they’re more likely to leave. That’s extra money you spend on advertisements, interviewing, and onboarding. The more workers you have to replace, the more it costs.
6. Lowered Productivity and Reduced Comfort
A comfortable indoor environment is important for your employees to do their job safely and correctly. If a worker is too hot, it’s distracting and even dangerous. When your air conditioning and ventilation aren’t working correctly, indoor temperatures soar. That leads to several issues.
7. Plummeting Productivity
Studies find that uncomfortable climates at work decrease productivity by as much as 14%, depending on the industry. It also depends on the worker’s weight, age, gender, and pre-existing health issues.
8. Poor Indoor Air Quality
A failing HVAC system often creates poor air quality. Humidity builds up, which increases the risk of mold and mildew growth. In some businesses, you might end up with fumes building up, which is hazardous and can lead to additional OSHA fines.
Another concern is the viruses and bacteria that spread when ventilation isn’t properly drawing air from a room. You have one worker with the flu who keeps coughing. While it should be drawn from the room for air filtration, it’s not working. Soon, all your employees in that section will be sick. If everyone is out, how much money will you lose?
9. Premature Commercial HVAC Equipment Replacement
A well-maintained commercial cooling and heating system typically lasts upwards of 20 to 25 years before a replacement is necessary. Skip maintenance and you might find your HVAC system needing replacement after just 10 years.
10. Repeated Sick Days
If it’s hot and uncomfortable, employees are more likely to stay home where they know their AC system is working properly and keeping them cool. This is especially true for older workers or those with chronic health conditions that are exacerbated by heat and humidity, such as asthma.
11. Skyrocketing Energy Bills
An HVAC system consumes a lot of energy. Whether your system is gas-powered or electric, it runs a lot and uses up a lot of energy. Your electricity and gas bills increase when your system is working harder than it needs to.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, regular HVAC maintenance can reduce energy consumption by as much as 20%. In a hot Chicago summer, this can add up to hundreds or thousands of dollars saved, depending on the size of your business’s space or building.
Stay Comfortable and Avoid High Repair Bills
When you choose a Chicago-area HVAC expert for your business’s heating, cooling, and ventilation system’s maintenance, you avoid unexpected costs. You’ll have a comfortable year-round climate for your workers, customers, and clients, and you avoid expensive emergency repair bills.
Don’t wait until it’s peak season and AC technicians are busy. Contact Air Blue Heating and Cooling to discuss comprehensive commercial HVAC maintenance plans.
