Heating and cooling equipment is a major expense for restaurant owners. Not only is the equipment expensive, it’s estimated that HVAC accounts for anywhere from 25% to 40% of the overall energy use in a quick-service restaurant. And according to recent studies, maintenance costs can be up to 6% of sales on average.

Given how important it is to have your heating and cooling equipment functioning properly, regular maintenance should be a no-brainer. However, it’s often one of the easiest things to put off when you’re busy dealing with the day-to-day nuances of operating a successful restaurant. It’s not uncommon for restaurants managers to operate off a reactive maintenance model, but that philosophy can have detrimental impacts on the operations of the business.

On the flip side, regularly taking care of your equipment saves your business time, money, and undue stress.

Consider this blog a friendly reminder to schedule your Spring System Startup maintenance today so that you can realize the benefits of regular equipment maintenance over the long term.

At a minimum, we recommend twice-annual service check-ups – a Spring System Startup that focuses on your air conditioning unit heading into the busy summer season, and a Fall Shutdown maintenance to service your heating equipment. Completing preventative HVAC maintenance provides your business with a host of cost-saving benefits.

1. Help protect against unexpected downtime & extend the life of your equipment

There is nothing more disruptive to your business than having to unexpectedly shut down operations. It’s a worst-case scenario that can become a reality if your heating and cooling equipment suddenly malfunctions. With current labor shortages and supply chain issues, it could mean weeks of missed revenue.  

Independent surveys show that regular maintenance can reduce breakdowns by up to 95%. In addition to keeping equipment clean, which extends its life, regular maintenance can expose if there are parts on the verge of breaking down so you can implement a fix before it impacts the entire unit.

2. Reduce overall energy consumption

A well-maintained HVAC system uses less energy to operate. The simple act of cleaning or replacing filters can reduce energy use by up to 15 percent. A comprehensive Spring System Startup includes everything from cleaning coils, drains, and tubing, to making sure burners operate efficiently, checking belts for wear, testing safety controls, and lubricating moving parts. The absence of this regular maintenance means your unit must work harder to run efficiently, increasing energy costs as well as the overall wear and tear on the unit.

You spent a significant amount of money on your heating and cooling equipment. Protect that investment by keeping it operating at peak efficiency.

3. Reduce repair costs

When you regularly have eyes on your unit, you’re able to catch common repairs early so you can easily swap parts before the damage becomes widespread and requires larger equipment replacement. Identifying parts that need to be replaced early is increasingly important given current supply chain challenges. We’re seeing long lead times for basic replacement parts, so getting ahead of repairs is critical to maintaining operations.

If you’re ready to take your maintenance schedule a step further than the twice-annual check-ups, moving to an enhanced connectivity program means your equipment will be monitored by experts in real-time, which can reduce overall maintenance costs by up to 30%.

4. Enhance overall comfort for kitchen and restaurant

Nothing is worse than going to your favorite restaurant only to sit in a space that is hot, humid, or drafty. The ambiance and overall comfort of your dining space is nearly as important as the food you serve. Regular maintenance helps ensure the system produces and distributes the warm or cool air evenly and efficiently. This provides optimal comfort to your guests and staff to keep them coming back time and again.

It’s easy to neglect your HVAC system when you’re busy running a restaurant. Compared to other components of your restaurant – flooring, lighting, etc – heating and cooling equipment can feel “out of sight, out of mind.” Until something goes wrong.

Reactive maintenance is costly to your bottom line. Get out of reactive mode and take control over the destiny of your operations by scheduling your Sping System Startup today.