Slab protok zraka iz klima uređaja? Provjerite ima li problema s kanalima

Osobito u poslovnim prostorima u kojima se prozori ne otvaraju, bitno je imati ispravno funkcioniranje ventilacije. Jedan od najčešćih izvora problema s protokom zraka HVAC su problemi sa zračnim kanalima.

Zagušljiv, ustajao zrak teško je podnijeti. Kada problemi s klima uređajem dovedu do nedovoljnog protoka zraka na vašem radnom mjestu, primijetit ćete da ljudi iskorištavaju svaku priliku da izađu odatle. Odlazak van na pauzu, dugi ručkovi... možda ste to i sami učinili. Ako je tako, vrijeme je da dođete do korijena problema prije nego što zaostala produktivnost počne utjecati na vaš krajnji rezultat.

Ali prije nego što se pozabavimo time, prvo identificirajmo znakove problema s protokom zraka.

Simptomi lošeg protoka zraka HVAC uzrokovani problemima s kanalima

Zagušljiv zrak

Kada vaš prostor iz dana u dan počne djelovati zagušljivo i ustajalo, isprva možda niste svjesni da je za to kriv vaš HVAC sustav.

To se može dogoditi u proljeće, prije dolaska ljetnih vrućina koje vas odmah obavještavaju kada vaš klima uređaj ima problema. Ali pri umjerenim temperaturama, prvi znak problema s kanalima može biti osjećaj da zrak ne prolazi kroz vaš prostor.

Nedostatak zraka iz AC registara

Iako čujete rad klima uređaja, možete primijetiti da vrlo malo zraka izlazi iz vaših registara. Kada se to dogodi, postoji velika vjerojatnost da imate problema s kanalima kao što su začepljenja, curenja ili loš dizajn kanala.

Odstupanje temperature

Kada se zrak ne kreće kroz vaš prostor kako je projektirano zbog problema s HVAC kanalima, primijetit ćete nedosljednosti temperature kao i slab protok zraka. Možda imate neka područja sa smanjenim protokom zraka i temperaturama koje su pretople, a druga gdje je propuh i prehladno.

Neuravnotežen tlak zraka

Kada vaša ventilacija ne radi kako je predviđeno, možete doći do neuravnoteženog tlaka zraka. Problemi s kanalima mogu uzrokovati simptome kao što su vrata koja se sama zalupe, mirisi koji se zadržavaju ili migriraju ili čudni zvižduci. Možda se počinjete pitati je li vaš prostor uklet!

Povezani članak: Rješavanje problema HVAC-a:Iznenađujući simptomi problema HVAC-a

4 problema s kanalima koji smanjuju protok zraka i vašu udobnost

Blokirani registri

Ovo je vrlo česta situacija u komercijalnom okruženju, a jedan problem možete sami riješiti.

Vaši zračni kanali ne mogu pravilno distribuirati zrak kroz prostor kada su ventilacijski otvori i komore zatvoreni ili blokirani. To se može dogoditi slučajno kada se namještaj presloži, a nitko ne obraća pozornost na to gdje se nalaze ventilacijski otvori. Ali češće zaposlenici uzimaju stvari u svoje ruke kada im je prevruće ili hladno, zatvaraju ventilacijske otvore ili ih namjerno začepljuju namještajem.

Povezani članak: Office Air Conditioning Battles:Take Control Before Workers Do

Clogged ductwork

Especially when HVAC maintenance has been neglected, dust and debris can accumulate in the ductwork. Over time, air flow is reduced and can eventually become completely blocked. When one duct run is blocked, you may experience those temperature variance symptoms in different parts of your space.

If dirty ductwork is causing your air flow problems, investing in duct cleaning service can be a quick and easy solution.

To learn more about duct cleaning and how it affects your HVAC system and air quality, read this helpful guide: FAQ:HVAC Duct Cleaning &Indoor Air Quality.

Air leaks

Leaks, cracks and holes in your ductwork mean that the cooled air coming from your air conditioner never makes it to the space that needs cooling. Duct problems caused by leaks can happen for many reasons:age, poor installation practices and even nesting rodents.

Improper sealing of duct joints is one culprit:did you know that you can lose as much as 20 percent of conditioned air this way? High-efficiency systems that run longer at a lower capacity are especially prone to this problem. Ducts should be sealed with mastic gum or metal-backed tape to prevent leaks.

Sagging joints is another problem caused by improper installation. It’s tempting for installers to take shortcuts, especially in NYC commercial spaces where equipment and ductwork tends to be jammed into any available crawl space. Make sure your ductwork is properly supported to prevent leaks and duct problems.

Poor ductwork design

There are a couple of reasons you could end up with a poor ductwork design that impedes the function of your HVAC system.

1. Your space may have been renovated without updating your HVAC system. Even if you just changed the layout of your space–rearranged cubicles and office areas–your ductwork may no longer be moving conditioned air to where you need it.
2. Or, you may have ductwork problems because it was poorly designed to begin with. These are some of the most common ductwork design mistakes that could be causing your air flow problems:

Ducts that are too small

When contractors who are not HVAC experts install your ductwork, they may fail to properly calculate the cooling load your HVAC system must handle. Many factors need to be considered in this figure, including the type of HVAC equipment, where it is located in the space, as well as the ductwork material (flex duct or sheet metal). It’s all too common for the load to be underestimated, and in that case you end up with duct problems caused by ducts that are too narrow.

Ductwork runs that are too long

If the location of HVAC equipment is too far away from the space to be cooled, you may have duct runs that are too long to carry the air to the space. That’s why equipment location needs to be carefully planned prior to beginning construction of the space.

Bends that are too sharp or too numerous

This is another duct problem caused by lack of planning. When ductwork design is not considered during the design phase for the space, ductwork installers may be left with little alternative than to create bends that are too sharp or numerous to effectively move air.

The good news is, an HVAC expert can help you sort it all out and get to the root of your air flow and duct problems. In many cases, a good cleaning or small layout changes can make a world of difference in the comfort of your commercial space.