FAQ

What is a fan coil unit and what does it do?

The in-suite fan coil unit provides air conditioning (summer) and heating (winter) in the condominium unit it serves.  It has a number of internal components: water coil, supply air fan and motor, condensate drain pan, control valve, etc., and is controlled by a wall mounted space thermostat.  It requires regular maintenance to ensure proper operation. 

Why should fan coil maintenance be performed regularly?

Industry and equipment manufacturer standards recommend that twice a year routine maintenance should be performed to both maintain the mechanical components of the fan coil unit and to ensure efficient operation of the unit. Fan coil units that lack proper maintenance work harder and result in a drop of efficiency in the unit.  This results in the main central heating and cooling plant to work that much harder, leading to higher energy costs. The fan coil unit consists of mechanical moving components such as fan, fan motor, control valve and thermostat that need to be inspected and lubricated to prevent premature failure. 

Is there risk of flooding my condominium suite from the fan coil unit?

Yes, the fan coil unit has a condensate drain and hose that catch and drain condensation (moisture) that occurs during the cooling season.  Should either the condensate drain or hose be blocked, it could lead to corrosion of condensate pan or worse flooding.  Routine maintenance includes cleaning the condensate pan as well as checks for and removal of any blockage in either the condensate drain or hose. 

For what other reason should you perform fan coil maintenance?

Routine preventative maintenance can help minimize the risk of microbiological growth (mould). Key ingredients for microbiological growth are moisture and dust/dirt.  Routine maintenance provides for vacuuming/cleaning of the interior components of the fan coil unit.  Although there is no guarantee of the elimination of microbiological growth due to the design of the unit, the materials used within the unit and the conditions within the suite; routine maintenance does help to minimize the risk of this occurring.

What to check before requesting a “Service Call”.

Check for sufficient airflow.  Make sure air filters are clean and those supply-air and return-air grilles are open and unobstructed.   Secondly, check the setting on your thermostat.  If you want cooling, make sure the temperature control is set below room temperature and the system switch is on COOL or AUTO position.  If you want heat, make sure the temperature control selector is set above room temperature and the system switch is at HEAT or AUTO.  The FAN switch should be set at ON for continuous blower operation or AUTO if you want the blower to function only while the unit is operating.

What additional benefits are there in performing routine fan coil maintenance?

Routine maintenance allows for our technician to perform “predictive maintenance” to discover problems before they become evident to you the home owner, providing minimal disruption to the comfort of your home.  Additionally, in the event of a service call our technicians will be familiar with the type of equipment found in your home, again leading to minimal disruption to the comfort of your home.  Finally, as a contract client of Merrit you will receive priority service over a non-contract client.

Why should dryer vent cleaning be performed regularly?

Lack of maintenance is the leading cause of dryer fires.  The key to dryer performance is optimal airflow, this helps prevent the dryer from overheating and potentially causing a fire.  A plugged vent will certainly cause a dryer to run hotter and increase the chance that something could catch fire. A dirty vent, however, is only one link in a chain of events that must occur for a fire to start. Other events may include: failure of thermostat and limit switches in the dryer, lint inside the dryer, a missing or damaged lint screen, and a crushed hose behind the dryer.

How often do vents need cleaning?

The better a dryer vent air flows the less lint builds up in it.  Short vents have better air flow than long vent lines.  Full size dryers blow better than smaller stack dryer, typically found in a condominium complex.  Vents with a lot of turns and elbows have more restricted air flow and therefore build up more with lint.  However we recommend dryer vent lines is cleaned every two to three years.

For what other reasons should you perform dryer vent cleaning?

Cleaning the dryer vent will reduce “wasted energy” and “appliance stress”.  Use of a dryer with a dirty vent will cause the dryer to run longer to dry the same amount of clothes because the hot air being expelled cannot freely exit the vent.  Longer drying time takes more electricity and puts added stress, wear and tear on the appliance.

How does dryer vent cleaning improve the operation of my dryer and minimize the risk of an accident occurring?

When professional technicians inspect your clothes dryer exhaust duct, they will completely disassemble the dryer and conduct a thorough cleaning of all internal components.  This minimizes the risk of obstructions and verifies that the correct type of vent is in use and installed properly.  The technician will unhook the connection piece that runs between the dryer and the vent. They will run the vent cleaning equipment from the dryer side out to the end of the vent while using an industrial type air blower or vacuum.

Who is Merrit and why should I choose them as my preferred fan coil and dryer vent maintenance contractor?

We are an integrated building services provider within the multi-residential industry serving the growing condominium market by providing fan coil and clothes dryer preventative maintenance.
We view ourselves as a partner along with the building’s property management group, with the ultimate responsibility of exceptional maintenance.  At Merrit, we place importance in performing maintenance to meet your individual schedule and provide 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed Service.  Our quality performance has resulted in the development of customers who repeatedly use our service.