We can all agree that preventive maintenance is better than being stuck with a catastrophic repair. Repairs generally cost more than maintenance. Repairs also mean that you’re stuck waiting for a part or service when your family could be comfortable.
A seasoned technician can diagnose problems because they have years of experience to draw on. But what if…
- your HVAC could signal when it was having trouble?
- your machine could tell you when it was working too hard, or a part was wearing down?
- every technician, no matter their level of experience, could predict when HVAC systems will eventually need repairs, and stop the problem before it starts?
That’s where machine learning comes in.
What Is Machine Learning?
Machine learning is when large amounts of data are entered into a computer, and the computer then looks at all of that data for patterns. These computers can sort through tons more information than any human ever could, and make pinpoint predictions based on that what they find.
Although you may not notice it directly, machine learning is making its way into all facets of our daily lives. Lots of ads and major online retailers suggest products to you based on your buying history and browsing interests.
You’ll also see the results of machine learning in healthcare and finance, where large amounts of data can be mined to predict outcomes and build future models.
How Machine Learning Could Predict HVAC Maintenance
Let’s say you have a Trane unit in Middle Tennessee that’s 10 years old with a compressor fan that needs maintenance every 6 months. If your technician puts this data into a database, machine learning should be able to tell him when the fan, or the compressor, or the whole system will need replacing.
Preventative maintenance tasks like cleaning coils and checking fans will give technicians predictive information on how to improve the efficiency of HVAC units, and better understand the system’s lifecycle.
Machine learning may well be the future of HVAC maintenance and repair. Your seasoned HVAC technician who has serviced and repaired many types of systems over the years may be able to predict when your HVAC system will need replacing, but this deep industry knowledge can take years to build up.
However, if technicians feed maintenance and repair data into a machine learning system, they should make up for that lack of knowledge by mining the combined knowledge of their peers.
All of this is just forecasting, for now. Until machine learning really takes hold in the HVAC industry, trust your seasoned HVAC technicians at Jewell Mechanical to use their deep understanding of preventative maintenance and HVAC unit repairs to keep your system running longer.
Please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns you might have about your current HVAC unit. One of our friendly HVAC technicians will be happy to help you out.