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"It was one of those Spring days when the
sun shines hot and the wind blows cold:
when it is summer in the light,
and winter in the shade." - Charles Dickens
Its spring. A time of rebirth, renewal, preparations and of course cleaning out the garage and the spare bedroom. Its also a time of erratic weather, temperature shifts and allergies. Is your building ready? Now is the best time to clean and prepare for the inevitable Sacramento Summer heat, before its 100+ degrees.
This issue of COAC's Trends introduces you to our new Service Division General Manager
James Biagioni; offers some HVAC spring cleaning advice; provides an update on the dwindling R-22 supply; and asks you to join us at our office on
April 20th for a presentation on "LEAN Thinking".
Our goal is to bring you new ideas and information about trends in our industry. We want your feedback. If you have any ideas or comments about the newsletter please email me at -
[email protected].
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Spring Cleaning Includes Your HVAC System
 As the rains and chill recedes, spring is a time when everyone collectively gives their HVAC system a momentary rest. However, when the first sizzle of Sacramento's summer hits, businesses are too often stuck with a failing air conditioning unit.
According to many HVAC industry experts, more than 50 percent of all air conditioner failures are the result of improper cleaning (or failure to clean at all). The following HVAC maintenance checkpoints are necessary to check in the spring so all air conditioning systems are a go once the weather warms up:
- Check the condenser unit. After fall and winter, the condenser unit's coils can become clogged with fallen leaves and other plant debris. Be sure to remove debris from the coils, straighten any bent coils, and then clean them with soapy water.
- Inspect the wiring. Unfortunately, mice and other rodents seek shelter in a/c unit wiring over the winter. That's why it is important to check the wiring for signs of a nest, which may mean there is damage such as burnt wires, loose connections, or electrical shorts.
- Survey refrigerant levels. When refrigerant levels are low, this may indicate the system has a leak. Before adding more refrigerant, it's required to repair the unit before adding more refrigerant.
- Clean drain lines, the blower fan, and evaporator coils. During the bad weather months, blockages of mold, mineral deposits, dust and dirt may clog drain lines, blower fans, and evaporator coils. Remove any debris you find and clean for proper drainage and airflow.
- Replace filters. The quality of the filter dictates how often it needs to be changed.
A perfectly functioning HVAC system works to reduce energy consumption and help keep utility bills from spiking due to seasonal temperature changes.
To learn more about HVAC maintenance as part of a comprehensive commercial energy management program, visit our
website, call 916.381.4611 or contact
James Biagioni.
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IFMA Presents
April 20th, Hosted by COAC
The
Sacramento Chapter of the International Facilities Management Association's (IFMA) April 20th Luncheon will include a presentation of
"LEAN Thinking" hosted at the COAC facility on 6250 Sky Creek Drive. COAC has been on its own LEAN journey and understands the value and benefits of this methodology.
LINK TO EVENT
The executive summary of this presentation:
"Key to improving facility management activities is recognizing the difficulty in seeing waste and in applying appropriate steps to reduce it. This presentation focuses on introducing Lean Thinking as a methodology for identifying and eliminating non-value-added or wasteful elements in Facility Management."
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As HVAC system owners and contractors, we should all be paying attention to the major changes in the refrigeration markets occurring in 2016.
As the complete phase-out of R-22 continues, the EPA has declared that in 2016 only 18 million pounds of R-22 can be produced or imported. The 2016 amount is down from 51 million pounds allowed in 2014, and will be decreasing significantly each year until December 31, 2019, when no new or imported R-22 will be permitted in the United States. READ MORE
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 Infographic on the
Evolution & Psychology of the Office Space
A powerful infographic illustrating the relationship between office work spaces and productivity, along with how offices have evolved to meet the changing psychological needs of employees from generation to generation.
READ MORE
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About Us
Cooper Oates Air Conditioning
is committed to increasing the
return on your building investment.
Cooper Oates Air Conditioning
6250 Sky Creek Drive,
Sacramento, California
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COAC is delighted to announce the selection of
James Biagioni as General Manager, Service Division. James will be responsible for all aspects of the Service Division and to continue its growth trajectory. Most recently, James was the Senior Facility Supervisor for Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's where he managed a team of professionals tasked with comfort and process heating and cooling for the Lab's 103 buildings.
READ MORE
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Thermal Comfort Survey
Identify areas that are too hot or cold
Are you brave enough to ask your occupants how they really feel about the temperature in their space? Linked below is an abbreviated version of ASHRAE's satisfaction survey which captures the various factors that affect thermal comfort. Factors such as time of day, proximity to exterior walls or windows, and number of vents. The data will help identify sources of discomfort so you can make targeted improvements. READ MORE
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 AFE Heats It Up At Crocker
With the help from Fluke's Infrared Camera,
Assn. of Facilities Engineering (AFE) was able to take an infrared group shot before the group toured the Crocker Art Museum. COAC's
Bill Schmalzel attended the April 24th event (can you see him?) where an equipment rep from
Fluke demonstrated their testing and monitoring equipment. After the show and tell, the group took a behind the scene tour of the museums mechanical systems. It was very cool (the darker areas).
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 A little History Behind "Tons" of AC Capacity
Before Willis Carrier invented the modern air conditioner, people used to cool buildings in the summertime with ice harvested in the wintertime. So Find out how that equates to air conditioning capacity with this historical article.
READ MORE
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