AIR BALANCE

101
What facility managers
need to know to get the
most out of their largest
facility expense

Presented by:

Melinktb.com
 AGENDA

WHAT IS BUILDING PRESSURE? SLIDE 4

WHAT ARE SYMPTOMS OF NEGATIVE BUILDING PRESSURE? SLIDE 5
WHAT’S AN EXAMPLE COST SCENARIO OF AN UNBALANCED FACILITY? SLIDES 6-7
WHAT CAUSES BUILDINGS TO BECOME UNBALANCED? SLIDES 8-9
WHAT IS AN AIR BALANCE? SLIDES 10-11
WHAT DO YOU GET OUT OF AN AIR BALANCE? SLIDES 13-15
JASON’S DELI CASE STUDY SLIDE 16
HOW DO I CONTACT MELINK? SLIDES 18-19
Q&A SLIDE 20

M E L I N K C O R P O R AT I O N MELINK T&B
 WHAT IS BUILDING PRESSURE?
STAY POSITIVE

Calculated by the amount of fresh air/makeup air

being introduced to the building through the HVAC
system verses the amount of exhaust air being
exhausted from the building through the HVAC
system. The difference in these two measurements
will determine your building pressure. The fresh
air/makeup air being introduced to the building
should be higher than the airflow being exhausted
from the building. This will help achieve a slight
positive building pressure.

Building Pressure is a large factor in Customer

Comfort, Smoke Capture, Condensation Issues,
A BALANCED BUILDING
Energy Efficiency, Door Pull Issues, Insect
Issues, and more…

M E L I N K C O R P O R AT I O N MELINK T&B
 SYMPTOMS OF NEGATIVE BUILDING PRESSURE
ALL INDICATE YOUR BUILDING IS OUT OF BALANCE

M E L I N K C O R P O R AT I O N MELINK T&B
“Hidden energy, O&M, and other costs can go undetected for years
until they are discovered in a retro-commissioning project. Without
retro-commissioning or a TAB check, the extra costs are never
found, and the owner pays high utility costs unnecessarily built into
an operating budget.”

-Dave McFarlane, Environmental Engineering, The High Cost of

Improperly Balanced Buildings

MELINK T&B
 THE COST OF IMPROPERLY BALANCED BUILDINGS
STUDY PUBLISHED IN CONSULTING-SPECIFYING ENGINEER MAGAZINE

• 100,000 sq. ft. building Issue Yearly Cost Savings 20-Yr Cost Savings
• Design Airflow: 110,000 CFM Excessive fan air flow $17,400 $350,000
Excessive reheat requirements $25,000 $500,000
• Design Motor Load: 110 Horsepower Excessive fan static pressure $5,500 $110,000
• Actual Airflow: 130,000 CFM Excessive exhaust makeup air $25,000 $500,000
costs
• Actual Motor Load: 180 Horsepower Excessive pump static pressure $3,000 $60,000
Leaky reheat valves causing a $14,800 $300,000
• Operates: 16 hr/day, 5 day/week
3 F air temp rise
• Energy cost: $.08/kWh Total $90,700 $1,820,000

M E L I N K C O R P O R AT I O N MELINK T&B
 WHAT CAUSES A BUILDING TO BECOME UNBALANCED?
THE 4 COMMON EQUIPMENT CAUSES

Outside air dampers not properly set Exhaust fans not operating to design

Rooftop units not operating to design Make up air not operating to design

M E L I N K C O R P O R AT I O N MELINK T&B
 WHAT CAUSES A BUILDING TO BECOME UNBALANCED?
THE 6 COMMON POOR PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE CAUSES

Dirty Indoor Filters Dirty RTU Blower Fans Worn or broken belts

Dirty/Clogged Evaporator Coils Dirty/Damaged Grease Filters Dirty Outdoor Air Filters

M E L I N K C O R P O R AT I O N MELINK T&B
 WHAT IS AN AIR BALANCE?
ALSO KNOWN AS “TEST & BALANCE”

An "air balance" is a process for measuring the performance of an HVAC system, and for providing the
occupants with a comfortably conditioned space according to design specifications. In other words, it is
an overall health check for your HVAC systems to make sure the equipment is mechanically sound, that
there is positive building pressure and that the thermostat and air flow are adjusted properly.

~Greg DuChane, Trane

M E L I N K C O R P O R AT I O N MELINK T&B
 WHY IS TEST & BALANCE CRUCIAL?
T&B ASSURES:

Return on Investment
1 HVAC installation and operation verification

Comfort
Proper airflow and elimination of drafts to keep occupants comfortable 2
Health
3 Proper Fresh/Outside Air Volume, Air Turn-Over

Energy Efficiency
Setting Fan Volume for Needed Airflow 4
5 Life Expectancy
Building & HVAC System Equipment

M E L I N K C O R P O R AT I O N MELINK T&B
 WHEN TO HAVE AN AIR BALANCE?
IN BOTH EXISTING & NEW LOCATIONS

NEW CONSTRUCTION REMODEL REBALANCE EQUIPMENT CHANGES COMFORT ISSUES

Full system balance after start up to bring Changes in floorplans or Rebalancing the existing Installation and operation verification Investigation of HVAC comfort
into design specification placement of cooking equipment HVAC system every 5 years for new HVAC equipment issues and inefficiencies

M E L I N K C O R P O R AT I O N MELINK T&B
 GET THE MOST OUT OF AN AIR BALANCE
INFORMATION NEEDED FROM FACILITY MANAGERS

• Have all the HVAC maintenance items

completed BEFORE the balance

• Provide access to all areas of the restaurant

where HVAC equipment is located

• Provide mechanical prints

• Bring mechanical contractor or HVAC

contactor onsite during the balance

M E L I N K C O R P O R AT I O N MELINK T&B
 THE BALANCE REPORT DELIVERABLE

Detailed Field Summary Detailed Punch List

Photos of Findings Detailed Inspections, Airflows

M E L I N K C O R P O R AT I O N MELINK T&B
 BENEFITS OF A T&B REPORT
NO MORE GUESSWORK

Record of Record of Reference for

Equipment Balanced Airflow Owner & Maintenance
Final operating data Control set points and gives Baseline for preventative
confidence that systems are maintenance decisions
operating and installed as
designed, to maximum
efficiency

M E L I N K C O R P O R AT I O N MELINK T&B
CASE STUDY
MAY 2015 The Challenge:
During spring 2015, Melink was hired for a pilot
service to audit the balance of a previous contractor
during the new construction phase at a fast casual
restaurant in TX. Comfort complaints were the main
cause of the suspicion that the balance was not
performed correctly.

Sample Of What We Found:

FAST CASUAL REBALANCE PROGRAM

Results:
Melink found several HVAC deficiencies and was asked to
service an additional 3 stores. Across these 4 locations, Melink
found 60 deficiencies. Melink brought each store into balance
with a positive pressure according to design and the facilities
team team received reports with punch lists for all locations.

MELINK T&B
 WHAT WE DO
4 Businesses,1 Energy Mission

• National HVAC Test & Balance • Pre-Engineered Pump

Contractor Package
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Certified Technicians • Ground-loop Financing

• Pioneer & DCKV Industry

• Developer & EPC Contractor Standard
• Commercial Ground Mount, • Global Installation & Project
Roof Mount, & Parking Management
Structures

Integrity. Service Excellence. Innovation.

Since 1987
M E L I N K C O R P O R AT I O N MELINK ABOUT US
 NEED TO SCHEDULE A BALANCE?
3 EASY WAYS TO CONTACT MELINK

513-965-7300

TBestimating@melinkcorp.com

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Speaking Event:
Is your HVAC system
tuned to sing your
praises?

M E L I N K C O R P O R AT I O N MELINK T&B
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 THANK YOU

M E L I N K C O R P O R AT I O N