Rooftop HVAC Unit Service
Rooftop units fail out of sight, which means they're usually discovered by a tenant rather than by anyone who could have prevented it.
Packaged rooftop units carry a large share of commercial cooling and heating in this city. They sit outdoors year-round, take weather nobody sees, and run on a schedule set by a controller most tenants never touch. That combination means small faults go unnoticed until they become no-cooling calls on the first hot day.
Most of what we find is unremarkable and cheap: clogged filters choking airflow, condenser coils packed with debris from a Midtown roof, failing capacitors, worn belts, blocked condensate drains, and economizer dampers stuck in the wrong position. That last one is worth flagging — a stuck economizer can quietly waste a great deal of energy while the space still feels fine, so nobody reports it.
On refrigerant we'll say what some won't: a sealed system doesn't consume it. If a unit is low, it leaked. We look for the leak and tell you honestly whether repair is worth it on that unit's age and condition, rather than topping it up and letting you pay again next season while venting refrigerant.
When this is likely the issue
What is and isn't included
Included
- Full diagnostic — electrical components, airflow, coil condition, refrigerant pressures
- Filter, belt, and bearing inspection and replacement
- Condenser and evaporator coil cleaning
- Condensate drain and pan clearing
- Economizer and damper operation check
- Refrigerant leak search where pressures indicate a loss
- Written condition report per unit
Quoted separately
- Equipment replacement, quoted as its own project
- Refrigerant recharge without a leak repair, which we won't do as a standalone service
- Crane, rigging, and hoisting for equipment change-out
- Roof, curb, and flashing repair, which is a roofing trade
- Electrical work beyond the unit's own components
- Controls and building management system programming beyond the unit
- Permits and filings for equipment replacement
What drives the number
We quote after diagnosis, not before. These are the factors that move the number most on this service:
- UNITSHow many units and their tonnage.
- ACCESSRoof access arrangements, hatch or elevator constraints, and escort requirements.
- CONDITIONUnits caught up on years of deferred service take longer than maintained ones.
- FAULTA capacitor or belt is minor. A compressor or coil is a different conversation.
- SCHEDULINGAfter-hours or weekend access where roof work during business hours isn't practical.
Scope & compliance
Refrigerant handling is federally regulated and requires appropriate technician certification. Ask us to confirm ours when you book, and ask any provider the same. We won't perform a standalone recharge without addressing the leak.
Related
What the work involves
Get proper access
Roof access, escort, and safety arrangements sorted before the visit, not on arrival.
Diagnose each unit
Electrical, airflow, coils, pressures, and economizer position — measured, not assumed.
Repair what's failed
You're told which component failed and what it costs before anything is replaced.
Report per unit
A written condition report for each unit, so deferred items can actually be budgeted.
Frequently asked
A tenant says their floor isn't cooling. Is that the rooftop unit?
Often, but not always. It can equally be a zone damper, a controls or scheduling issue, a blocked filter at the unit, or a distribution problem in the ductwork. We diagnose the whole path rather than assuming the unit, because replacing equipment that was working is an expensive way to discover a stuck damper.
What's an economizer and why does it matter?
It's the damper assembly that brings in outside air for free cooling when conditions allow. When it sticks — which they commonly do — the unit either brings in outside air when it shouldn't or fails to use it when it should. Either way the space may still feel fine while the unit works far harder than necessary. It's a frequent and easily missed source of wasted energy.
Why won't you just add refrigerant?
Because a sealed system doesn't use it up. If a unit is low, there's a leak, and recharging without repairing it means paying again next season while releasing refrigerant. We'll find the leak and tell you honestly whether repair makes economic sense on that unit's age, which sometimes means recommending replacement instead.
How often should rooftop units be serviced?
Twice a year is the common approach — a cooling check before summer and a heating check before winter — with filter changes more frequently depending on the environment. Units on a Midtown roof load up with debris faster than most people expect. It isn't mandated; it's just cheaper than emergency response during the first heat wave.
Do you handle the roof access arrangements?
We coordinate with building management, but access, escort, and any required safety arrangements are typically the building's to authorise. Tell us your building's requirements at booking so access isn't what delays the visit.
Ready to have this looked at?
Call and describe what's happening. You'll get an honest read before anyone is dispatched.