What is Testing & Balancing?
Testing, adjusting and balancing is a vital part of completing HVAC installations, new or retrofit. This is the final step in maximizing a customer’s energy savings and comfort level of their employees. T&B (testing and balancing) is normally performed on most new commercial HVAC projects such as schools, hospitals, clinics, offices, retail, and multi-tenant buildings along with several other types of buildings. The goal of T&B once again is to save money at the equipment’s peak performance while maintaining comfort levels of employees. Having a piece of equipment whether it be a roof top unit, an indoor air handler or a furnace that is constantly cycling on and off due to poor improper air flow will be costly at the least. Throw in the mix employees that are too hot or too cold can be a nightmare for the director of any facility.
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What are the nuts and bolts of testing and balancing?
Generally speaking testing adjusting and balancing are necessary to ensure that a buildings HVAC system or systems meet the design engineer’s objective — especially the goals of comfort and economy. T&B a building includes gathering information such as blue prints for design quantities and layout of duct delivery system / hydronic system, and controls configuration (stand-alone systems, pneumatic systems, and computer automation or direct digital controls). When this step is completed now it’s time to measure the quantity of air. Documenting and comparing the measured quantities to the engineer’s design quantities is the base line of testing and balancing. From this point dampening down the air that is considerably more than design pushes air to the areas with less air than design. After proportionally setting the air flow to the registers, it is time to adjust the fan / motor for a more accurate system total air flow. Most job specifications give a criteria of plus or minus 10% of air flow design. When a system or systems are within the + or – 10% factor, as long as the mechanical engineer has done their homework, this should be the peak performance of your mechanical system.
Generally Speaking
Why is your HVAC system running inefficiently? Why are your employees not comfortable? If you are asking yourself these questions, you probably need a certified testing and balancing contractor. Circle “R” Mechanical is a Certified TABB* Contractor. Our company has been the TABB contractor on various types of projects such as Hospitals, Schools, Office Buildings, Retail, Grocery Stores, Restaurants, and many other Commercial type Buildings along with Industrial applications. We also perform comfort balancing to a customer’s specific needs.
For more information or to request a quote for Testing & Balancing please call 219-787-5566 or use our contact form above.