Air Conditioning System Commissioning and Startup

Air conditioning system commissioning and startup is the process of inspecting a new air conditioning installation, and verifying that the new system is running efficiently.

The inspecting technician will take a look at the ducting (if any), the wiring, and the conduit runs.

He'll verify that the piping is the right size, and check on the pipe insulation and support, how and where the unit was installed, he'll check the anchors and brackets, and he'll verify that there's good air flow around the unit.

He'll check to make sure the fans run in the right direction, the supply voltages are correct, the safeties are properly adjusted, and the thermostat is working correctly.

After the technician has verified that the installation is satisfactory, the next step in the air conditioning system commissioning and startup procedure is to start the unit, finish charging it up if necessary, and then verify that it cools normally and efficiently.

If there is a charging chart on the unit, or charging information in the service literature, he'll verify that the unit is charged to factory specifications.

If there is no factory charging information, he'll charge to standard HVAC/R industry specifications.

He'll write up an air conditioning system commissioning and startup report, and the owner should get a copy.

The report should include the installation evaluation,
and the operating characteristics of the system:

This information will be valuable to technicians who work on the unit in the future.

It provides a base-line snap-shot of how the unit ran when it was new and running normally, and it can help identify future cooling capacity problems more quickly.

Keep in mind that saving technicians time saves you money.

Some dealers require that a qualified technician must perform an air conditioning system commissioning and startup inspection to qualify the unit for warranty.

They might even specify that their own technicians must do the startup, especially on larger units.

I've never seen any unreasonable service charges for a startup, so if you want a warranty, find out ahead of time what the requirements will be, and get it in writing.

I hope this page has helped you understand what the commissioning and startup procedure is all about; and please, feel free to contact us with any specific HVAC questions you might have, including questions about air conditioning on Guam, or refrigeration on Guam.

Are you learning the HVAC Trade "on the job"? If you would be interested in the possibility of studying at home to develop your potential to become the finest HVAC Technician you possibly can; we highly recommend that you contact Penn Foster Career School and request the free, no-obligation information brochure about their complete, accredited HVAC Technician course. It won't take even 5 minutes, and might change your whole future. You'll find a brief review of the course on our HVAC Training page.