Why Keep Spare HVAC Control Parts?

One of your HVAC controls has reached the end of its life, what do you do next?

You usually have 2 options:

1. Call a mechanical contractor to come out to the campus, evaluate the situation, order the part, and then install it once it arrives, or
2. Personally order the appropriate part from the manufacturer or some other source, install it or have a contractor install it.

With either option, there is an inevitable waiting period before the HVAC equipment is back to full operation. During that time, the spaces served by that unit will be unavailable to use without enduring uncomfortable conditions. It’s hard to control when a part will give out, but there are some ways to mitigate the pain caused by these situations. The easiest of these is to keep replacement controls on hand for the most common control parts at the facility. Read on for some of the reasons why this is important.

The Importance of Comfort

As a building operator, one of the highest priorities is the comfort of the building occupants. When a unit is down because of a bad controller, repairing that unit can quickly become a high priority. The Society for Human Resource Management references a study in their blog that shows the effects of temperature on employee productivity. The study, conducted by CareerBuilder, concludes that 22% of people claim that a workplace that is too hot made it difficult to be productive and 11% said the same about being too cold. A broken controller can leave your workplace and its occupants very uncomfortable. But with replacement parts on hand, the amount of time occupants are uncomfortable can be cut down significantly. A contractor can install the part on their first trip to the site, or you can personally install it.

Protect your Investment

Building HVAC systems are usually a large financial investment. Large portions of facility budgets are spent maintaining and protecting this investment. Keeping the systems running as long as possible and in top condition is so important. The Cooling Company blog explains that if a controller is on it’s way out, it will start to show signs that can potentially be very costly. These include the system running continuously, inaccurate temperature readings which leads to discomfort, or a completely unresponsive system. Replacing the controller is the cost-effective solution. But what if that part you need is no longer manufactured or is too expensive for your budget? Often the only option you are given is to make another large investment and upgrade the system. Save your investment by finding discontinued or hard to find parts at an affordable price from a source like Value Controls and keep them on hand to avoid costly repairs.

Time is Money

When you need to get a replacement part quickly, it may end up costing more than anticipated because of expedited shipping costs. To avoid this, shop around periodically for parts that are likely to wear out and when you find a good deal on them buy more than you need at the time. This not only saves you money in the long run; it also gives you peace of mind.

Your controllers and HVAC parts are going to falter at some point and need to be replaced. Having a good supply of replacement parts will help you be better prepared when the time comes.