Sometimes looking at your calendar can make your eyes cross as you get lost in a sea of color-coded blocks of time for meetings, school bake sales, little league games, band practices, and so much more. We rely on our calendars for pretty much everything these days.
Are we on your calendar? From cleanings, to layups, to maintenance, to monitoring, proper water management and safe water treatment is a year-round job. We know, we know, adding to the calendar isn’t ideal. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered on all of these.
FALL
Ah, fall – pumpkin patches, sweater weather, and PSLs, right? Here at Solid Blend, we love a PSL in the fall – Power, Scrub, Layup! (Real punny, we know!)
Back to business. According to Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines, cooling towers not in use year-round should be cleaned twice a year. “Cleaning” doesn’t just mean cleaning in this case – it also means a thorough inspection for signs of corrosion or damage to your system (plus any necessary repairs), a disinfection to break down gunk buildup and bacteria (while also preventing further bacteria growth in the offseason), and finally the physical cleaning. Post-cleaning, your cooling tower and condenser piping should be coated in layup material to ensure a safe, corrosion free, and bacteria free shutdown and startup.
In case you haven’t checked your calendar lately, we’re ready to get you on ours. Fall is almost here. Do you have your cleaning scheduled?
WINTER
In the winter, you have your cozy sweaters and your fuzzy blankets to keep you warm, but what about your HVAC equipment? Enter: glycol – a solution that protects your equipment against those freezing temperatures. Think about it as a warm cup of hot cocoa… for your HVAC equipment. We know, we know, the analogy wasn’t the smoothest – but you’re totally going to remember to think about glycol this winter now. (Mission accomplished!) Solid Blend provides loop volume studies, automatic feed equipment, analysis, and of course, glycol removal and replacement.
As the thermometer plummets, it’s time to bring your boiler back online. Just like your cooling tower cleaning and layup, it’s essential to clean and inspect and repair your boiler before turning it on for the season.
SPRING
Warm weather forecasts, tinges of green in the grass, and lots of basketball is your cue to full-court press toward your layup – your boiler layup, that is.
Even when your boiler is idle, corrosion isn’t. In fact, more corrosion occurs when your boiler is idle because the oxygen content can significantly increase. Properly draining, cleaning, inspecting, and repairing prior to shutting down your boiler for the season extends the life of your boiler, minimizing future maintenance costs, and preparing you for a smooth re-start when winter hits again.
As your boiler goes off, it’s time for your cooling tower to turn on. Don’t flip that switch just yet! Periods of water stagnation – even as few as three days, much less an entire winter – can create conditions that foster bacteria growth. Ideally, your proper cooling tower layup has set you up for a smooth re-start, but it’s important to still physically clean, disinfect, and monitor your entire system prior to flipping that start switch.
SUMMER
Finally sunshine and pool time! Sometimes the excitement of summer brings a lull in facility usage and maintenance. Sometimes it’s the total opposite, and your facility is now busier than ever. Either way, when it comes to protecting and prolonging the lifespan of your HVAC equipment, the best defense is a proactive one.
Even though the summer season doesn’t call for any startups or layups, continued routine maintenance helps to keep things running smoothly. Periodic water sampling and testing helps you detect any traces of waterborne pathogens, like Legionella, early enough to remediate before an outbreak occurs. Remote monitoring gives you real time, around-the-clock data on your equipment, its efficiency, and its chemical levels. Continued equipment inspections and necessary repairs help you ensure your equipment efficiency – saving you and your team time and money.
Regardless of the season, an outbreak can happen when you’re least expecting it. Solid Blend has a 24/7 emergency phone line available – we’re standing by and ready to safeguard your water.
866-264-8453
This seasonal cycle goes on and on and on and on and, well you get the point. It likely feels overwhelming – don’t worry, we’re here to help. Our team puts together customized Water Management Plans and Water Treatment Programs to keep your team and your facility running smoothly, no matter the season. Are you ready for what’s next? Let’s chat.