Blog

Birmingham bar upgrades fixed air conditioning system

When a bar in Birmingham suffered the complete breakdown of its ageing air conditioning system, it left the proprietor with a decision to make. Although repairing the existing equipment was initially discussed, it was eventually decided that it would be more cost-effective in the long term to install a replacement.

The new design was initially based on a two pipe heat pump system as recommended by the manufacturer. However further discussions with our specialist team led to some alternative proposals incorporating an improved, less obtrusive design. read more

Medicated tablet producer requests assistance

When a client in the pharmaceutical industry encountered problems with their fixed cooling system, their immediate thought was to contact the company that had originally installed it. It soon transpired that the contractor in question had succumbed to liquidation, meaning an alternative supplier was needed in order to rectify the issue.

Andrews Air Conditioning & Refrigeration were subsequently approached, and we sent a qualified technicial to survey the customer’s premises in Lancashire. Of the 12 Mitsubishi condensing units fitted inside the building, eight had damaged compressors. Several air handlers were also assessed as faulty, thus requiring a comprehensive solution to ensure the building could be adequately cooled once again. read more

Andrews Air Conditioning help preserve systems across the North East

As the UK’s number one provider of fixed air conditioning systems, we are exceptionally well-placed to oversee the upkeep of your equipment and ensure it continues to operate at full capacity. Maintenance is an essential requirement when owning permanent units, and if this is not conducted regularly then companies are likely to encounter difficulties sooner or later.

We were recently responsible for assessing the air conditioning in more than 350 sites across Scotland and the North East. A four-man service team visited each location within an eight week period, providing detailed reports on the functionality of every single system. read more

R22 phase-out deadline is now fast approaching

As from the start of 2015, the maintenance or repair of any air conditioning system using R22 refrigerant gas will become illegal as part of legislation outlined in the EC Ozone Regulations. The imminent ban on this chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) gas thus poses a very real threat to companies whose cooling equipment still uses ozone-depleting R22.

Despite service activities on this equipment being outlawed as from the new year, R22 remains one of the most common refrigerants in the UK, widely used in older chillers and air conditioning. Businesses will therefore be compelled to source more environmentally-friendly alternatives. Numerous companies are likely to be affected by the change, many of which are currently unaware of the implications. read more

Retail outlet undergoes TM44 Energy Efficiency Inspection

As part of revised legislation aimed at monitoring the efficiency of air conditioning systems over 12kW, independent inspections must be carried out every five years. These inspections often highlight money saving opportunities as well as help companies reduce their CO2 emissions.

At Andrews Air Conditioning, we are responsible for maintaining the systems of our clients and recently identified that one of them – a ceramics retail outlet – required an Energy Efficiency Inspection. This was to ensure the systems across their fifteen stores were still suitable for the intended purpose and operating correctly. read more

The benefits of an optimal body temperature: The science

You may be well aware of the disadvantages to businesses that don’t develop and maintain the optimum working temperatures of 21-23 Celsius but are you aware of the advantages and disadvantage of the optimum body temperature?

It’s amazing what a difference a few degrees in temperature can make. We definitely notice the change from 5°C to 10°C as the weather improves from winter to spring – in fact, some actually consider such a change to be the beginning of t-shirt weather. However, an alteration like this within the human body could mean the difference between life and death. read more

Andrews Air Conditioning and Andrews Heat for Hire help control office temperatures

Andrews Air Conditioning works with facilities management companies throughout the country to ensure they and their clients continually receive great service. As a gold member of the BIFM, Andrews Air Conditioning was contacted by a facilities management provider regarding a problem with the fixed air conditioning in an office building. The temperature on the second floor was controlled by two large VRV systems linked together. A site visit established that the system was extremely short of refrigerant and in need of a pressure test. The total refrigerant charge for both systems was 55kgs, therefore it was determined that the work would take four full days to complete. read more

Why working in uncomfortable temperatures can hurt your bottom line

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the authority on workplace health and safety in the UK has indicated in the past that “an acceptable zone of thermal comfort for most people in the UK lies roughly between 13°C (56°F) and 30°C (86°F).” Today, the HSE states that “during work hours, the temperature in all workplaces inside buildings shall be reasonable.”

Not only is it important for employers to ensure that employees are comfortable in the workplace, numerous studies have revealed that employee productivity has increased at cool, well air-conditioned workplaces. A satisfactory comfort zone for employees can be achieved by maintaining temperatures of air-conditioning systems at 21°C–23°C. By doing this, employee productivity has improved during morning, afternoon, and evening periods by 18%, 1% to 15%, and 7% respectively. Arguably, statistics such as these indicate that worker productivity can be severely affected during hot, afternoon sessions where an office is not fully air-conditioned. read more

Andrews Air Conditioning & Refrigeration cool NHS patient

As part of the NHS’s plan to manage patients with complex needs, team meetings are held and attended by all parties involved in the care itself. This allows GPs, nurses, specialists and parents to discuss requirements and make plans to accommodate these in the future.

The consultations were used as an opportunity to discuss the situation of one particular patient in Wolverhampton, whose disrupted sleeping pattern had become increasingly detrimental. It was identified that he had taken to sleeping on the sofa every night because the constant use of an oxygen concentrator upstairs had generated a considerable amount of heat. read more

New vans mark recent development

The continued growth of Andrews Air Conditioning & Refrigeration has brought about the need for more vehicles across our nationwide fleet. In order to accommodate increased demand for our services, the company has recently taken delivery of four brand new Vauxhall Vivaro Field Service vehicles.

With a prolonged period of hot weather imminent as summer approaches, our skilled technicians are expected to be very busy maintaining and repairing fixed air conditioning systems all over the UK.

In order to accommodate an intensified period of business, we have moved to further streamline our service by acquiring these additional state-of-the-art vehicles. Complete with satellite tracking devices, we are able to monitor their whereabouts at all times which helps us calculate response times and engineer productivity. read more