What Is The Difference Between Commercial and Residential HVAC Systems?

As the owner or manager of a commercial building, you have a lot to deal with on a daily basis. You need everything to run smoothly. Then, one day… your building’s HVAC is on the fritz and it’s going to make everything more difficult to manage. You know you need to hire a Kennewick HVAC technician, but who? Can anyone from any company handle this for you?

No! You don’t need any HVAC technician; you need one who specifically works on commercial HVACs. While a residential HVAC and commercial HVAC do the same job, they are very different machines. Just a few of the biggest differences between the two include:

#1 Power

Commercial environments are larger and have significantly more people inside than a home. A machine that is able to keep a large building, like a retail store or restaurant, cool needs to be really powerful. It’s this power that a smaller, residential machine simply can’t compete with. Commercial HVACs require a higher tonnage output for adequate cooling and heating. Without enough power, your commercial building is really uncomfortable.

#2 Complexity

Residential systems are relatively simple in their design and the components used. A need for more power means commercial HVACs are also more complex. Various zone occupancy and activities that take place during different times of the day or night must be addressed. Along with the basic components necessary for controlling and dispersing heating and cooling, commercial HVAC systems often require additional components to limit or restrict treated air in various zones of the building. Commercial units also tend to require advanced systems for exhaust alleviation, which are not needed in home.

#3 Drainage

Take a look at your home HVAC’s drainage. It’s more than likely a single pan. The size and power of most commercial systems makes drainage much more complicated. This makes sense! It is common for commercial HVAC systems to include multiple pipes and pans to accommodate drainage, ensure complete evaporation, and prevent overflowing. These needed components add to the necessary dimensional space required to accommodate them, meaning the HVAC is really large and requires an extra large place in your building.

Maintenance on a commercial HVAC system requires a great deal more dedication and effort than the one at your house, mainly due to the complexity of the various systems, the size of the unit, as well as the various components of its mechanics. This isn’t something to let go! When your commercial HVAC needs work, you need someone who specializes in a job this big. For those in the Kennewick area, you can trust the team at Coffey Refrigeration! We only handle commercial work, so we know exactly what needs to be done to install, maintain, and repair your commercial HVAC system. Call us at (509) 586-1519 to request an appointment!