Chiller Maintenance: Your Building's Most Valuable Asset
Chillers are the most expensive equipment in any building's mechanical system—and they account for a significant portion of your electricity costs. Proper maintenance protects this investment and keeps cooling costs under control.
Whether you have centrifugal, screw, scroll, or air-cooled chillers, our maintenance programs are designed to optimize performance, extend equipment life, and prevent the catastrophic failures that can leave residents without cooling during Toronto's hottest days.
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Maximize efficiency
Clean tubes, proper charge, and optimized controls keep your chiller operating at design efficiency—reducing electricity costs by 10-30% compared to neglected equipment.
Extend equipment life
Proper oil analysis, refrigerant management, and compressor care can extend chiller life well beyond 20 years—deferring major capital expenditures.
Prevent failures
Regular inspections catch wear items before they fail. Compressor repairs during the off-season cost a fraction of emergency replacements in July.
Why chiller maintenance matters
Chillers operate under extreme conditions—high pressures, tight tolerances, and constant thermal cycling. Without proper maintenance, efficiency degrades, components wear prematurely, and the risk of catastrophic failure increases.
- Tube fouling: Scale and biological growth on heat exchanger tubes reduce efficiency by 20-40%. Annual cleaning restores design performance.
- Oil contamination: Moisture and acid buildup in compressor oil degrades bearings and seals. Regular oil analysis catches problems early.
- Refrigerant leaks: Even small leaks reduce capacity and efficiency while creating environmental and regulatory issues.
- Control drift: Sensors and setpoints drift over time, causing inefficient operation and premature compressor cycling.
Chiller maintenance services
Our maintenance programs cover all aspects of chiller care, from routine inspections to major compressor overhauls.
Compressor Service
- Oil analysis and sampling
- Vibration analysis
- Bearing inspection
- Motor amp draws
- Starter inspection
- Overhaul scheduling
Heat Exchanger Service
- Tube brushing and cleaning
- Eddy current testing
- Approach temperature analysis
- Tube plugging (if needed)
- Water box inspection
- Gasket replacement
Refrigerant Management
- Charge verification
- Leak detection
- Moisture analysis
- Filter drier service
- Federal logging compliance
- Recovery and reclaim
Controls & Safety
- Control calibration
- Safety device testing
- Setpoint optimization
- Sensor verification
- Sequence of operation
- BAS integration check
Electrical Systems
- Starter inspection
- Contactor check
- VFD maintenance
- Connection tightening
- Megger testing
- Power quality analysis
Performance Analysis
- Capacity verification
- Efficiency calculation
- Operating log review
- Trend analysis
- Benchmark comparison
- Optimization recommendations
Chiller brands we service
Our technicians are factory-trained and experienced with all major chiller manufacturers. We maintain parts relationships and technical resources for efficient diagnosis and repair.
Smardt
Oil-free centrifugal
Trane
Centrifugal & screw
Carrier
All chiller types
York
Centrifugal & screw
Daikin
Air & water-cooled
McQuay
Centrifugal & screw
Multistack
Modular chillers
Dunham-Bush
Screw & scroll
Maintenance program options
Choose the level of coverage that matches your building's needs and risk tolerance.
Preventive Program
Seasonal inspections + annual service
- Pre-season startup inspection
- Mid-season operating check
- End-of-season shutdown service
- Annual oil analysis
- Refrigerant leak check
- Dashboard access and reports
- Emergency response (billed separately)
Best for: Newer chillers with reliable history.
Comprehensive Program
Full coverage including tube cleaning and repairs
- All Preventive program items
- Annual tube brushing
- Eddy current testing (bi-annual)
- Control calibration
- Minor repairs included
- Priority 24/7 emergency response
- Parts discount on major repairs
Best for: Aging chillers or risk-averse boards.
Specialty chiller services
Beyond routine maintenance, we offer specialized services for complex chiller issues.
Compressor Overhauls
Complete compressor rebuilds including bearing replacement, seal kits, and motor rewinding. We coordinate with OEM parts suppliers and can often rebuild in place to minimize downtime.
VFD Retrofits
Variable frequency drives reduce chiller energy consumption by 20-40% at part load. We design, install, and commission VFD solutions for compatible chillers.
Control Upgrades
Modern controls improve efficiency and reliability. We upgrade legacy control systems and integrate chillers with building automation for optimal plant operation.
For property managers & boards
Chillers represent significant capital investments—often $200,000-$500,000+ for replacement. Proper maintenance protects this asset and provides documentation that supports capital planning.
- Reserve fund planning: Detailed condition assessments help forecast replacement timing for reserve fund studies.
- Energy costs: Optimized chillers reduce electricity costs—the savings often exceed maintenance costs.
- Refrigerant compliance: Federal regulations require tracking refrigerant usage. We maintain compliant logs and documentation.
- Board reporting: Clear status reports for AGMs showing equipment condition, efficiency trends, and recommended actions.
Related services
- Cooling tower maintenance for heat rejection systems
- Preventive mechanical maintenance for complete building coverage
- Comprehensive mechanical maintenance for full-service contracts
- Generator maintenance for emergency power systems
FAQs
Ready to protect your building's cooling plant?
Request a chiller maintenance proposal or schedule a pre-season inspection. We'll assess your equipment and recommend the right program for your building.