How HVAC Maintenance Field Service Software Can Help Maintain Industry Standards?

Blog, HVAC

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Last updated Jan 12, 2018 at 9:55AM | Published on Jan 12, 2018 | Blog, HVAC

As the new year came in, so too did new regulations in the HVAC space. In the United States, the Department of Energy’s new compliance guidelines, described as the “largest energy-saving standard in history”, came into effect. The rooftop air conditioner standards — which covers new units found on low-rise buildings, like hospitals, schools, and big-box stores — will take effect in two phases, increasing minimum efficiency by about 10 percent as of Jan. 1, 2018, and by 25-30 percent as of Jan. 1, 2023. Standards for new warm-air furnaces that are typically installed in conjunction with commercial air conditioners also become effective in 2023. For HVAC organizations, it means plenty of change has arrived, as new equipment and diverse types of refrigerants are being introduced and HVAC technicians and contractors must become familiar with them. It also means new units will have to be installed and old equipment will need to be upgraded in order to bring the units up to the new standards. An HVAC field service management software will help keep track of all upgrades and installs that are upcoming, when the work to those units will be done, which parts will be needed to bring them up to the new standard, and help HVAC organizations manage the business schedule with HVAC scheduling software that will ensure projects are completed on time, while satisfying all new standards.

HVAC scheduling software for your new projects

With all new standards, HVAC organizations are going to busy with upgrades and repairs. But they will also be busy with new installations of units that will take more than a single visit to complete. While some HVAC organizations specialize in repairs or installations, many utilize a technician pool to satisfy both regular maintenance and installation projects. Trying to keep every technician’s schedule full of jobs can be made easy with an HVAC scheduling software, which will give a dispatcher a full view of where the technician or subcontractor is working and for how long. Should they need another pair of hands on a new installation project, a dispatcher can move jobs around and reschedule technicians to fit them into the project’s timeline, without interrupting other customers service appointments.

With technicians crossing back and forth between repair work and project jobs, having a clear view of the schedule within an HVAC scheduling software will ensure that projects are getting completed on schedule and on budget, while keeping your organizations’ other day-to-day repairs moving forward without missed calls.

HVAC maintenance checklists ensure standards are met

With all new standards by the Department of Energy, HVAC organizations are also having to tweak their standards in the field. By utilizing an HVAC maintenance checklist for inspections, repairs, and reports, HVAC organizations can keep a firm grasp on their standards and ensure they remain high, while also satisfying the new regulations. Using checklist builders inside the HVAC field service maintenance software, specialized checklists can be built to comply with the new regulations, ensure that whichever technician or subcontractor reports to a job site, they will complete the same repair as the next one, to your organizations and the Department of Energy’s standards. With smart questions and required answers, nothing gets missed in an HVAC maintenance checklist, as the workflow for your technicians is laid out for them in a checklist. With technicians having to learn new equipment and units, this is also another way to minimize the amount of time spent learning on the job, as repair notes can be added, manuals attached and a step by step guide is laid out in the designed checklist. With new environmental and safety issues becoming regulation now, HVAC organizations are having to adapt how they do business heading into the new year. HVAC field service maintenance software will not only help mitigate the problem of tracking and scheduling the new upgrades and installations your customers need but also reduce downtimes and make sure every project is completed on schedule with high standards.