October 9, 2017 - All Kote Lining, Inc.

A lot of building owners and property managers ask the question, “When Does Cooling Tower Fill Need Replacing?”. There are 5 signs that your cooling tower fill media is worn out and needs to be replaced. When the fill isn’t doing its job properly the cooling tower is using much more energy to do its job. Save money, service your cooling tower, and make sure the fill is working properly.

Five Signs To Replace Cooling Tower Fill

There are 5 many signs that your cooling tower fill needs to be replaced. Read through this list to better understand what to watch for, and know when you need to call your local cooling tower maintenance company.

Increased Energy Consumption

When fill isn’t doing its job properly the water flowing through the cooling tower isn’t getting cooled. This means that to do the job the cooling tower is designed to do at your location it will take more electricity to do the same job. While electricity prices to change if you’ve seen a marked increase in your bill you might check the cooling tower and the cooling tower fill.

Calcium Buildup

Makeup water contains a lot of dissolved solids and one of them in calcium. Calcium from hard water will build up in the fill causing blockages. When your fill is clogged the air and water cannot pass through and the cooling tower will not work. In some cases the fill can be cleaned, in others the buildup is severe enough to require cooling tower fill replacement.

Uneven Distribution of Water

All cooling towers are designed to maximize the contact between the water and air running through them. When the water isn’t being distributed properly because the fill is damaged or clogged it dramatically impacts the performance of the cooling tower. Much more energy will need to be used to get the necessary cooling needed for your industrial application or HVAC system.

Warped or Sagging Fill Packs

Poor quality or old fill may warp from heat or sag with age. If this happens you can expect that there is incredibly uneven water distribution. Replacement of fill is a great option in these cases as one of the common reason fill sags or warps is that it simply old or has been damaged.

Damaged Support Grids

Support grids are the structure that holds your fill in place. If water has degraded the structure, or there have been other types of damage your fill will not be performing correctly. This can be a cause for fill packs to sag, warp, or simply fall out of place. If your fill isn’t sitting where it should be, it isn’t doing its job. Invest in your cooling tower maintenance and ensure that your support grids are up to par.

Phoenix Valley Cooling Tower Maintenance

There are a number of important cooling tower maintenance tasks to keep your cooling tower running at optimum efficiency. Fill is one of the most important elements for the performance of the cooling tower. It is where the hot cycle water goes to be cooled by the air flowing through the fill. If your fill has buildup, clogging, or is damaged we can help!

If you’re searching for ways to reduce energy costs in commercial buildings or energy saving tips for commercial buildings you’re likely a building owner or business owner. Reducing energy loss in your commercial property will help lower your overhead and it is fast becoming a national energy imperative. Many of today’s retrofitting energy saving improvements could culminate into a 29% drop in energy usage by 2020. That could translate into energy savings adding up to $290 billion dollars and also reducing green house gases by an incredible 360 million tons!

Retrofitting & The Law

There are some regions of the United States have passed initiatives that require energy saving retrofitting that reduce energy loss. For areas that do not have such requirements the savings on energy is a major motivation for most business owners to act even without a requirement to do so. Larger properties that have chillers and large HVAC systems consume an enormous amount of energy that constitutes a significant portion of everyday overhead. Reducing that cost will mean freeing up funds to invest in the business or other avenues.

Five Areas To Reduce Energy Consumption

There are five major areas that you can take action to reduce your overhead and energy consumption in your commercial building. When businesses save money on the everyday expenses it means major savings which can be invested elsewhere.

Optimize HVAC

Chillers and boilers in commercial buildings are some of the highest energy consuming elements. They can add up to a whopping 20% of the overall energy usage. In hot climates like Arizona chillers play a critical role in keeping commercial spaces comfortable and safe during summer. Chiller maintenance helps keep the system more efficient and reduces the energy needed to do its job effectively. If the chiller is worn out it can also be replaced with a newer more energy efficient unit. Boilers are also important for colder months and colder climates and must be maintained to run at peak efficiency and draw as little energy as possible.

Commercial Building Retro-Commissions

We all know that our vehicles need regular maintenance like oil changes, replacing belts, new tires, etc. Commercial properties also need to be regularly maintained to stay efficient and use as little energy as necessary. Adjusting small things such as when the heat or air conditioning are ran can add up to significant savings in energy and budget. As buildings age they also may be outfitted with outdated or broken down designs for energy efficiency. Retro-commissioning is a the process where the building will be evaluated for energy efficiency and improvements made to reduce the cost of operation.

Advanced Energy Technology

Building materials, light bulbs, and even windows have taken incredible leaps in recent years. This is a great opportunity for older commercial properties to take advantage of much more energy efficient technology. Commercial property energy audits are the best way to start improving a building’s efficiency. Energy solutions discovered by the audit may include upgraded lighting systems, improving the building’s envelope, or the installation of renewable energy solutions. These improvements will help building owners in the short term and improve the value of the building for future owners.

Steam Trap Improvement

Poorly designed, maintained, or old steam trap systems are a common issue for older buildings and hospitals which rely on boilers. Some of these properties have hundreds of steam traps that control the steam and condensation inside the steam system. When they are not properly maintained they can end up stuck open, and return steam into the boiler causing a decrease in efficiency. Boiler maintenance companies can help keep these steam traps working property and the boiler working at peak performance so it consumes as little energy as possible.

Upgrading & Evaluating Energy Management Controls

When energy management controls are either outdated or programmed improperly it can lead to terrible energy efficiency. While the controls may seem like they do their job they may be leaving your building far below its potential and be costing you money. Upgrading to newer more advances energy management controls or having your existing controls reprogrammed can save energy and money. When the power system is programmed correctly and climate control is optimized the savings can be incredible.

(Bonus Way) Commercial Solar

Installing commercial solar panels can help you save a ton of electricity for your building. There are many benefits of solar power for business including: reduce electricity costs, instant ROI, reliability and maintenance free, lock in your power costs and more. Depending on your business type, you could save thousands, if not millions, by installing commercial solar panels on your facility.

Budget & Environmental Benefit

To save energy building owners and property managers should evaluate their buildings in these 5 important areas so they can identify which are the highest priorities for their specific property. Tuning, adjusting, and retrofitting the building will help reduce the energy consumption, potentially save enormous operating costs, and reduce the building’s carbon footprint.