The importance of smoke extraction fan servicing

Ensuring your fans operate at peak performance and enjoy a prolonged lifespan necessitates understanding the importance of regular fan servicing. This process involves a thorough inspection, cleaning, and lubrication of various components, ensuring they function efficiently. Neglecting this vital maintenance can result in reduced airflow, increased noise levels, and risks complete fan failure when they are needed the most. 

We’ve all seen the devastating results of inadequate safety systems. And yet, the London Fire Brigade in their Fire Engineering Thematic Report, concluded that 20% of smoke control systems audited did not work and 20% were not being maintained.

Whether your critical safety fan system is for smoke extraction in a car park or tunnel, or stairwell pressurisation in a high-rise building, regular fan servicing not only improves air quality and energy efficiency, it can also reduce operating costs. Moreover, it helps prevent issues such as motor overheating, bearing wear, and blade imbalance. Ensuring fans operate at peak performance when suddenly needed, requires disciplined execution of scheduled preventative maintenance, not only of the fan but also of the associated control system. Failure to do so could put lives at risk.

Do you want the peace of mind that the critical fire safety systems under your care are ready for anything? Of course you do!

Benefits of Regular Smoke Exhaust Fan Maintenance

Regular fan servicing not only ensures functionality and life, it also reduces unscheduled downtime and operating costs.

Recording the condition of critical components at regular intervals, supported by the correct vibration, electrical and temperature diagnostics, will help identify issues before they cause a problem, minimising the likelihood of potentially catastrophic failure.

A poorly lubricated bearing puts the entire rotating assembly at risk. The solution is simple – stick to the O&M bearing replacement and relubrication guidelines. In high temperature applications the specification of the grease is critical to maintain HT certification. Accessing the fan and performing critical tasks safely can be challenging and should only be undertaken by a qualified engineer.

System functionality

There is no point having an emergency smoke extraction fan if sensors, actuators, dampers, and control systems are not also working correctly. It is therefore essential to check that all the elements that work with the fan, are also fully functional as a system.

Dust, dirt, and debris accumulate on impellers and motors over time, causing them to work harder, hotter, and less efficiently. Regular cleaning and maintenance removes any fouling, to maintain optimal efficiency and air movement.

Choose the right Fan Engineer

While it may seem obvious that regular servicing is crucial to maintain emergency systems, neglect is widespread, and original aspirations are frequently not met after only a fraction of the expected life. ‘Time bombs’ can be inherited by incoming facility managers and a thorough ‘reset’ event at the start of a new preventative maintenance regime, led by experts in fan design and engineering, is the most effective way of returning to safe operation.

Not only can the performance of the original system be optimised, but an experienced, qualified fan service engineer is also best placed to provide:

• additional analysis comparing designed performance to real life demands, potentially discovering opportunities for energy saving system adjustments without any changes to hardware
• factory-based complete overhauls, extending life
• reverse engineered and validated, otherwise obsolete designs
• retrofits to minimise overall disruption while introducing a technology step-change, such as control system and associated large energy savings, or from variable pitch to fixed pitch impeller blades to eliminate multiple potential mechanical failure modes

Service Excellence from Woods Air Movement

At Woods Air Movement, we understand the importance of tailored servicing solutions for optimal performance and diagnostics to ensure the longevity of critical fire safety systems. Our team of service professionals has the knowledge and experience to keep your system at its best, ensuring a comfortable and safe environment for all who depend on it. We are passionate problem solvers, and we like the detail necessary to make sound maintenance decisions and provide well engineered solutions.

Contact us today to schedule a system condition or energy efficiency review.