Every spring, we get calls from property managers who discover their HVAC systems were stuck in winter configuration heating setpoints too high, economizers locked out, cooling schedules that don’t match summer occupancy. By the time the first hot week hits, tenants are uncomfortable and the energy bill is already climbing.

Your Building Automation System (BAS) should be automatically handling seasonal changes in your HVAC. If you don’t have one, learn more about what BAS is, and let’s do a free consultation on how your building will benefit from automated HVAC controls.

If you already have a BAS set up, but you aren’t sure how it’s handling the new season, we can help with that too!

A BAS summer check is one of the highest-value things you can do for your building. Here’s what we look at, and what you should too.

1. Transition Your Seasonal Schedules

Your BAS stores heating and cooling schedules that were set for winter conditions. These need to be updated before summer arrives. Check that:

• Heating setpoints have been lowered or disabled for summer operation.
• Cooling setpoints reflect daytime occupancy. Don’t rely on a 24-hour schedule.
• After-hours setback temperatures are appropriate for summer nights.
• Holiday and weekend schedules are accurate for your tenant mix.

One common mistake: setpoints that worked well in February will make your building uncomfortably cold in July if the cooling system is sized for peak load. Dial them back gradually as outdoor temperatures rise.

2. Test and Enable Your Economizer

Economizers allow rooftop units to use cool outdoor air for free cooling instead of running compressors. In the Golden Horseshoe, morning temperatures from May through September are often ideal for economizer operation.

Check that economizer dampers are opening and closing on command. Inspect linkages and actuators for winter damage. Confirm the outdoor air temperature sensor is reading accurately. A sensor drift of just a few degrees can lock out free cooling entirely.

3. Review Trend Logs and Alarms

Your BAS stores trend data. Pull the last 30 days and look for:

• Simultaneous heating and cooling in any zone.
• Sensors with flat or erratic readings. These often indicate calibration drift or failure.
• Alarms that were acknowledged but not resolved.

This review should be quick and easy in most BAS platforms. Spending just a few minutes of your day can reveal issues that have been, or could be, costing your business money for months.

4. Calibrate Temperature and Humidity Sensors

Sensors drift over time, especially after a long heating season. A thermostat reading one degree high causes your cooling system to work harder than necessary. A humidity sensor reading low will let indoor moisture climb unchecked.

Walk the building with a calibrated reference device and compare readings to your BAS. Flag any sensor that’s off by more than half a degree for recalibration or replacement.

5. Check Dampers and Ventilation Rates

Summer brings higher occupancy, more outdoor air humidity, and greater ventilation demand. Verify that:

• Outdoor air dampers are functional and not stuck from winter
• Exhaust fans are operating at correct speeds
• CO₂ setpoints are configured to trigger additional ventilation in high-occupancy areas

6. Confirm Remote Access is Working

Summer is when you need remote monitoring most. Heat waves can develop quickly and equipment can fail overnight. Make sure your BAS remote access is configured, your alert contacts are current, and your mobile app or web dashboard is functional.

Book a Summer BAS Review with Alpine

Alpine HVAC provides pre-summer BAS audits for commercial and institutional buildings across Hamilton, Burlington, and Niagara. We review your schedules, test your sensors, inspect your economizers, and give you a clear report of what’s ready and what needs attention.

Book a consultation with our team to get things moving. It’s always easier to fix before it’s broken, than to repair under pressure during a heatwave.