As Anything Ages, It Needs More Care And Maintenance

Something my doctor is fond of telling me.

That goes for just about anything we own too…fixtures, furniture, belonging, appliances and more. And one thing our team tries to help with, during the annual filter change and life safety inspection program, is the HVAC convectors. During the summer, a lot of the leaks we chase are related to the convectors.

Throughout the years there are a variety of problems they experience over time. Somethings can be prevented, somethings can’t. The motors for example will fail eventually. And as we’ve seen very recently, as pipes and valves age, repairs and replacement are necessary from time to time. And the coils in most units are original to the construction of the building…they will eventually have problems requiring replacement. And they’re not cheap. Our team will change the filter and flush the drain pan once a year, an effort budgeted by the Association that takes several employees about 2 months. To do more and more often would undoubtedly require additional staff and that’s not on the outlook for the budget.

But there are some things Owners and residents can do. First, if you want service more often, Owners are welcome to request it from the Association. (Renters would need to contact their Owner to discuss any such maintenance needs.) We are happy to put in work tickets to change out the filter and check the drain pan as often as you like. Some Owners even request the coils be cleaned and more recently many have been replaced all together. This of course comes at a cost, but if it was free some would say our employees would too often become in unit handymen rather than focusing on common area maintenance and janitorial needs.

There are also things that are obvious…keep the HVAC free from waste and debris. In the past, we’ve found convector grills removed and residents using the units as a garbage can and ash tray. The pans clogged and overflowed causing leaking and damage in surrounding units. (Ultimately in that case, the Owner was fined $1000 and the renter was evicted.) Plants near the convector can also be problematic. We recently responded to leaking that was caused by plant material that had fallen through the grates and clogged the drain pan.

Most clogs though which lead to leaking, are simply from the pan becoming gunky and leading to the drain line getting stopped up. This is hard to predict. Dustier units would likely experience problems more often, and such Owners and residents could consider air filters. Do your own research and as always web-browser beware. Consider the size of your space and whether you have allergies. I found a recent article in the New York Times to be very helpful. https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-air-purifier/.

Personally, I’ve used Levoit brand in my own home, and we have three Core 300 Levoit units in the office. They use HEPA grade filters.

There are also some things you can do on your own. As we’ve posted in the past, it is relatively easy to change the filter:

It is also relatively easy to flush the convector and clean the coil. Our maintenance team suggested some basics…after removing the convector grates, debris and dirt can be cleaned out with a vacuum (GENTLY) and the coils themselves can be treated with a cleaner. Here is a product they suggest:

Amazon.com: CRC Foaming Coil Cleaner, 18 Wt Oz, Water-Based, Heavy-Duty Cleaner For Air Conditioning And Refrigeration Condensers, Aerosol Spray : Industrial & Scientific

Here is a great representative instructional video on cleaning coils – please keep in mind this AC unit is not apples to apples to our convector units. However, the method he employees to clean the coils is solid:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLwHqOSa_vo

This can be done as often as you like throughout the year, as even during heating season dust and debris can accumulate on the coils.

For the drain pan, pour a few cups of water into the pan (SLOWLY) and make sure it’s draining away properly. You could do this once a week or even every few days during the summer if you really want it to stay flushed. But during the summer season you can also use the following tablets…one a month in a clean drain pain should work to maintain yours for the season.

Amazon.com: Nu-Calgon 4296-60 Pan-Treat Scum 200 Tablets : Health & Household

If you do attempt to flush the pan and it does not drain, or you otherwise notice standing water, contact our team immediately. (After hours, the front desk at 773-769-3083, or when the office is open 773-769-3250.)

Water meters are useful too, to place at the bottom of the unit; they alarm when they come in contact with water, alerting you to leaking. There are also wifi capable meters that send a notification to your smart phone if water is detected. These can even but put under your sinks and toilets to alert for leaks. Our team suggested:

Govee WiFi Water Sensor 3 Pack, Smart Water Leak Detector, 100dB Adjustable Alarm Suit for Home and Basement, Water Leak Alert with Email & APP Push – Amazon.com

If you have any questions about the in unit HVAC convectors or concerns you wish to share, please follow up anytime at parktowercondo-mgmt@habitat.com.