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Spring Is Here: Perfect Time for Roof Fan Maintenance

It’s finally here! March, the glorious month that comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. With the onset of warmer weather in New York City, it’s the ideal time for property owners and managers to schedule rooftop exhaust fan maintenance. Here’s an overview of why you want to take care of this service in spring, along with other essential advice about rooftop exhaust fans and proper ventilation.

Why Is Spring the Perfect Time for Rooftop Exhaust Fan Maintenance?

Clean up for summer use

It’s been our experience at Antler Pumps that spring is the best time to perform rooftop exhaust fan maintenance. You may use your rooftop exhaust fans year-round as part of your building’s ventilation system, but they’re likely to go into overdrive once summer arrives. This is especially true if you own a property where windows don’t open. So, you want to be ready when the demand for exhaust increases.

Also, we find that fans take a lot of unseen abuse over the fall and winter. If you have not had your rooftop exhaust fan serviced recently, you’re likely to find that wind has blown leaves, twigs, trash, and other detritus into the unit. That needs to be cleaned out to prevent the airflow from becoming blocked and to ensure those items don’t impair the mechanics of the fan.

Additionally, the operation of the unit may have been affected by fall and winter weather. Wind and months-long accumulation of snow and ice can make a fan run poorly or cause damage. We can inspect it for corrosion, worn belts, bent blades, rust, loose wires, and lack of lubrication, all of which decrease performance.

Why Is Maintaining Your Rooftop Exhaust Fans So Important?

Proper ventilation is vital for tenants

While rooftop exhaust fans may be “out of sight, out of mind” for many property owners and superintendents, they shouldn’t be. The optimal functioning of your rooftop fans is integral to providing proper airflow within your building.

Fresh, clean air should be drawn into your building through your ventilation system, and stale air is exhausted through the rooftop fan. When the rooftop exhaust isn’t functioning properly, the right airflow does not occur. Inadequate airflow can result in:

• Higher rates of illness, especially during cold and flu season
• Increased incidents of asthma and allergies
• Greater risk of carbon monoxide and radon poisoning
• More mold and mildew growing in damp areas
• Tenants complaining about smoke, food, and other unpleasant odors
• Potential renters being turned off by bad smells and fear of health issues

Poor airflow is not just a recent concern with COVID-19. Outbreaks of contagious diseases due to poor interior air quality have been documented since the 1970s. In extreme cases, bad airflow can result in citations and fines from the New York City authorities.

How Do You Know If a Rooftop Exhaust Fan Is Not Working Properly?

Heed these warning signs

Your rooftop exhaust fan may not be working, or it could be functioning sub-optimally, if you notice any of these signs:

• Moisture, mildew, or mold collecting in dark places or between walls and floors
• Carbon monoxide or radon monitors signaling safe thresholds have been exceeded
• Undesirable odors in hallways, stairwells, elevators, lobbies, rest rooms, and other public spaces
• Tenants complaining about smells from public areas or other units coming into their personal spaces
• Tenants reporting respiratory troubles, such as sudden allergy or asthma attacks in their homes
• Unusual noise coming from the rooftop fan area
• Electrical panel breakers serving rooftop exhaust fans tripping repeatedly
• In tall buildings, worse air quality on the lower levels than upper floors

If you observe any of these negative things, take care of the problem right away, before it could potentially morph into a more serious concern. Once you have your rooftop exhaust fans serviced by Antler Pumps, if you are still experiencing these issues, you should reach out to your HVAC specialist for further assistance.

What Are Some Other Ways to Improve Ventilation in Your Building?

Use these tips in addition to roof fan maintenance

In addition to making sure your rooftop exhaust fans work properly, there are a few other things you can do to improve ventilation in your property. The first is to use good old-fashioned fresh air, also known as natural ventilation. Of course, this only works when you can open the windows. And in some instances, it may allow other unwanted substances inside, like soot, vehicle exhaust, dust, smoke, and noxious odors.

Garages and industrial areas, especially in mixed-use buildings, tend to be sources of poor-quality air. To reduce airflow from these spaces, make sure seals are in place and doors remain shut to living, office, or retail areas. Fixing air leakage problems may also help with your utility bills, as it’s likely leaks aren’t only letting in unpleasant odors; they’re also probably causing you to lose heat in winter and air conditioning in summer.

Check to make sure all kitchen range hood and bathroom exhausts are functioning correctly. This is especially important if you have a mixed-use property that contains both restaurants or industrial kitchens and residential units. Likewise, dry cleaners, photo labs, and the like should be well ventilated and sealed off from people who live in the building.

You can also try ventilating public spaces separately from residential ones. This will help prevent food odors, tobacco smoke, and other smells in the halls and lobbies from reaching private residential areas.

Schedule Your Rooftop Exhaust Fan Maintenance Call Today

Get ahead of the crowd

Don’t wait until spring is yielding to summer before checking your rooftop exhaust fans. Call Antler Pumps today at 212-534-2500, or schedule your service call via our online form. You’ll get the pick of appointments and can book the time that’s most convenient for you.