5 Must-Know Signs Your Chiller Needs Replacement:
As businesses go back to work and the economy reopens, it's essential to check that the equipment you need to operate smoothly is in proper order. In many cases, your chiller—which carries the majority of the energy load for most businesses—may need attention.
Here are five things to look for that can indicate the need for a new chiller:
1: The age of the unit:
As a chiller system ages, its components wear down dramatically over time, and scale can accumulate. This buildup can have a significant impact on the durability and effectiveness of your chiller. For most chillers, the average lifespan is 15-20 years. Common issues requiring replacement are outdated or not supported controls, internal evaporator or condenser leaks, compressor failure. Although regular maintenance can hold off some effects of aging, the performance of your chillers and your business will ultimately suffer if it is not replaced soon enough.
2: High maintenance costs:
If you have an older chiller, the wear on the parts can lead to higher maintenance costs for your business. As motors age, the energy required to output the required power increases. Over time as your chiller ages and components begin to fail, one of two things can happen. Either the components go un-replaced, leading to lower efficiency and higher operating costs, or the parts get replaced, resulting in higher maintenance costs. Either way, the expenses of an aging cooling system add up quickly.
3: Higher energy bills:
Modern chillers are much more energy-efficient than their older counterparts. To track your chiller's efficiency, you should determine its coefficient of performance (or COP). The COP tells you the ratio of heat removal to the energy input in the equipment the chiller is being used on, with higher coefficients representing greater efficiency levels.
In "Sustainable Retrofit & Facilities Management", author Paul Appleby notes that modern chillers have a COP surpassing 6.0 while a chiller 25 years of age has a COP of only 3.5. The increased efficiency of newer chillers can save you thousands of energy costs, with these savings alone (not counting for the other savings), likely paying back the chiller's investment over its lifetime.
4: Hard to find replacement parts:
One of the other things to consider when evaluating the need to replace your chiller is the difficulty of attaining spare parts. Since your chiller is often the most expensive piece of equipment in your business, it becomes increasingly important to maintain any components that tend to wear over time, like the condensers or the cooling fans. Unfortunately, some older chillers have parts that may not be made anymore, making it difficult to source parts. If this is the case with your chiller, it may be time to consider a replacement.
5: Difficult to operate:
One of the often-overlooked things that can signal the need for a new chiller is its ease of operation. If your chiller is challenging to operate, it can create stress for your team and result in higher operational costs. Modern energy-efficient chillers come equipped with advanced control functionality, resulting in a better experience for employees who work with the equipment. These improvements can make today's chillers a great complement to modern facilities with more complex operational demands.
In summary:
Modern-day chillers can increase efficiency, lower your operating costs, and give you and your employees more peace of mind. If you've determined that a replacement chiller may be the right step for you, we can help you find the right solution for you and your needs. With over 44 years of experience, our chiller experts will help you get an energy-efficient chiller that will help you run your business more reliably and save money over the machine's life.
Ready to find the right energy-efficient chiller for you?