Operation and maintenance manuals for heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems

Overview

When you buy a $1500 washing machine, it comes with a comprehensive booklet explaining how to operate and maintain the machine. It would be reasonable to assume that when a building owner takes possession of a building with up to $20 million dollars of air conditioning plant and equipment – they are given a document detailing the operation and maintenance of these systems. Operating and maintenance manuals are normally produced as part of the mechanical services contract when the plant is first installed. Whenever the system is altered or upgraded, so should the manuals. However this is often not the case and all too often the building owner is left with a set of out of date and misleading manuals.

Affect on Businesses

An accurate manual will save the building owner a lot of money. An up to date manual will minimise time spent troubleshooting a problem and in the event of a fault it will provide one-stop information for all aspects of the plant and systems. An O & M manual means that people not familiar with HVAC systems can operate those systems on a day-to-day basis. The manual also includes procedures to follow when a fault occurs, or if there is an emergency. The maintenance instructions detail the frequency of all preventative maintenance operations to ensure the trouble-free operation of the plant.

Airlab Solution

We develop and produce a manual to IRHACE standard 01 or to the ASHRAE Guideline 4-1993. The normal contents of an O & M manual are:

• Introduction
• Description of systems
• Operating instructions
• Routine maintenance
• Equipment details
• Manufacturers data
• Commissioning reports
• Warranties and guarantees
• As-built drawings

If your building does not have a manual Airlab can develop one retrospectively. Once this comprehensive manual is completed it can be updated with information and changes to the building.