Testing, adjusting, and balancing (TAB), also known as air and water balancing is a method of regulating air supply, return, and exhaust, or the flow of water through coils, to achieve a neutrally balanced, comfortably conditioned building.
Too many building owners have been talked into upgrading systems or changing out major equipment at great cost without knowing whether their problems might be due to improper balance. Air and water balance issues, which can result in poor IAQ, occupant discomfort, and system inefficiency, can usually be easily corrected through testing, adjusting, and balancing by a specialist like MSC.
Most recommended fixes are inexpensive, and certainly far less costly than replacing equipment. Air and water balancing should be performed before making decisions on whether to replace or upgrade systems. We also recommend annual air and water balancing for some facilities as part of a preventative maintenance program to ensure that systems stay within design intent and are not drifting out.
Typical inexpensive recommendations based on TAB findings include:
Repair leaks found in supply, return or exhaust ductwork for a more efficient system and to capture wasted energy
Install variable frequency drives (VFDS) on fans and pumps to save energy and have better control
Install dampers to direct air where it needs to go
Clean coils and condensate system, replace filters, and make repairs to filter racks as needed
Change fan sheaves to increase fan speed where needed
Calibrate critical instruments to control temperature, pressure and humidity to setpoint, and replace if necessary
Make repairs to flex duct, existing dampers
Fix or replace diffusers
Properly program economizers for free cooling