How to Handle Emergency HVAC Repair in St. Louis, MO When You Run a Business

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Whether you’re a business owner or managing a team, one of your jobs as a leader is to protect employees from workplace hazards—and one such hazard involves complications created by a failing commercial heating or cooling system. Should you need to wait for emergency HVAC repair in St. Louis, MO, here are a few ways to handle the situation:

  • Turn off the system, immediately: Are you experiencing loud banging sounds, strange odors or sizzling coming from behind the thermostat? For safety’s sake, turn off the entire HVAC system if these factors are present. With causes ranging from loose ductwork to bad wire connections, constant loud sounds that are not due to the system turning on or off are not normal. Indoor office and dirty filter smells can circulate when the blower kicks on, but questionable odors need to be taken seriously. Another concern is the presence of sizzling or crackling coming from or within the vicinity of the thermostat.
  • Notify your employees: In the best-case scenario, the unit just failed and has shut down without further problems. In the event that that’s not the case, let everyone in the office or building know there’s a possible problem with the HVAC system. After informing your staff, ask them to be on the lookout for anything suspicious that may be related to the broken HVAC, including smoke, electrical smells, wetness in the area around the cooling unit and visible sparks or sounds.
  • Strong odors? Leave the building: Strong odors connected to the heating or cooling system that are so overwhelming you’re left coughing or having trouble breathing are a signal that it’s time to get outside. Oftentimes, dangerous odors are invisible, meaning that they are not accompanied by smoke or a solid material. You may not know where it’s coming from, so get everyone out of the building until the right officials have deemed it safe to re-enter.
  • Evaluate what you can: If safe to do so, conduct your own mini investigation to make sure no sparks or fluids are present. Don’t touch anything, but do take notes to relay important information to the service providing emergency HVAC repair in St. Louis, MO. In the future, take measures to keep the commercial unit working smoothly by way of preventative maintenance, or look at replacing an old unit before it has the chance to break down.
  • Get temporary HVAC equipment: If you live in an area where the weather has a tendency to knock out the electricity or cause other issues with cooling and heating units, it might be a good idea to have temporary HVAC equipment at the ready. In the building’s basement or storage area, keep a generator, a portable heater or air conditioner and fans, or retain the contact information of a nearby heating and cooling equipment rental company.

Being vigilant and taking precautionary measures during an HVAC emergency are some of the most important steps you can take. When such emergencies arise, call a professional commercial HVAC company, like Ashley Brothers Heating & Cooling, for HVAC repair in St. Louis, MO.