One significant problem caused by poorly maintained commercial cooling towers is the threat of standing water.
Ensuring that commercial cooling towers are working at maximum efficiency can prevent operational problems. When these cooling towers are optimized, they can save your business money and spare your employees undue stress and discomfort. But what happens if commercial cooling towers are not well-maintained? What hazards and other issues can arise from a cooling tower in these circumstances? One significant problem caused by poorly maintained commercial cooling towers is the threat of standing water. Water is a crucial element of commercial cooling towers, and badly damaged or worn out towers can leak the water, leaving pools of standing water behind. Water in the cooling towers can also contribute to other potential problems such bacterial contamination and build ups of calcium deposits. Let’s learn more about how to rectify these problems.
Potential Health Hazards from Standing Water
When maintaining a cooling tower, property managers and building owners must be watchful for any possible health risks.You can expect the hotter weather of summer to present some health threats that aren’t always heat-related. For instance, mosquitoes can be more than just annoying – they can be dangerous too. Mosquitoes will take any source of standing water as an open invitation to invade your building. Preventing a mosquito infestation can make your building a safer and healthier place to be for everyone involved with the site. As cooling towers depend on water, cleaning up any sources of standing water can not only keep the mosquitoes away, it can also reduce the risk of bacterial contamination.
Mosquitoes are not the only pests that take advantage of any standing water. Another significant reason to strive for effective maintenance of commercial cooling towers is to reduce health risks from bacteria such as Legionella, which can cause headaches, coughing, and fever, among other symptoms. Legionella can also flourish in these waters; exposure to Legionella is hard to avoid, especially since the bacteria can spread through any water vapor or water mist that has been contaminated.
ASHRAE Standards for Legionella
A new ASHRAE standard has been outlined, detailing what to do if the presence of Legionella is detected. This standard, known as ANSI/ASHRAE 188-2015, applies to new buildings under construction and current buildings that could need to be updated to meet the standard. The information contained within the standard allows businesses to identify any system components that might be contaminated properly. Another valuable piece of information found within the standard is advice on how to assemble a maintenance team for removing the contamination and preventing future incidences.
Calcium Deposits in the Water
Excessive calcium deposits in your commercial cooling towers will affect their performance as well. Calcium will build up in the water over time, and these deposits will cause the towers to work inefficiently due to the need for higher water and pressure levels. Because the towers have to work so much harder, your building’s energy bills will increase, which will cause your operating costs to go up in turn. In addition to higher pressure levels and water consumption, calcium deposits and other blockages can cause unnecessarily high temperatures within your building’s commercial cooling towers. It’s important to ensure that your cleaning towers contain cleaner water, because cleaner water results in cleaner cooling towers. Cleaner cooling towers last longer, work more efficiently and require much less preventative maintenance.
Crockett Facilities Can Help!
Crockett Facilities Services, Inc. (CFSI) is committed to helping building owners, property managers, engineers, and facility professionals lower their operating expenses through HVAC preventive maintenance. We can develop a cost-effective, customized preventive maintenance plan for your commercial building that will provide you with peace of mind, improved comfort, and energy savings.
To learn more about the importance of HVAC Preventive Maintenance, please contact us at 202.600.2787 or sales@crockett-facilities.com. Our PM contract customers receive priority service with 24/7 emergency service in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC.