Avoid Downtime Later with These Five Summer Maintenance Tips
- katherinefuad
- May 22
- 3 min read
Ready to get ahead of the game? As Summer approaches, building and facilities managers often turn their attention to cooling systems – and rightly so. Summer can place serious demands on HVAC and chilled water systems, but it's also the perfect time to carry out proactive maintenance across all your building services pumps – including those not in regular use right now.
Here are five essential summer pump maintenance tips to help you avoid disruption, optimise energy use, and prepare your systems for the seasons ahead.
1. Prioritise Ventilation and Cooling in Plant Rooms
With higher ambient temperatures, plant room conditions can quickly affect pump performance. Good ventilation helps prevent overheating and reduces strain on components.
Check that ventilation systems are working and air intakes are free from dust and debris.
Clean heat exchangers and cooling jackets.
Check air filters – clogged filters can restrict airflow and raise internal temperatures.
2. Carry Out Routine Maintenance
Chilled water pumps often run continuously during the summer months, so don’t wait for a fault to
occur.
Inspect bearings, seals, and gaskets for signs of heat damage or wear.
Lubricate moving parts according to manufacturer guidelines.
Check alignment and wear on components like impellers, diaphragms, or lobes.
Ensure vibration levels are within acceptable thresholds – changes can indicate early-stage faults.
3. Use Summer Downtime for Heating Pump Maintenance & Upgrades
One of the biggest opportunities in summer? Your heating pumps are offline – and that means minimal disruption for inspections, upgrades, and replacements.
Book in now to secure planned maintenance or upgrade works – engineers’ diaries fill up quickly ahead of autumn.
Schedule in upgrades: modernising old pumps or installing VFDs now can lead to long-term savings when the heating kicks back in.
Testing systems now ensures that any issues are caught and fixed without the pressure of cold-weather demand or occupant complaints.
4. Review and Maintain Stormwater Pump Systems While It’s Dry
Stormwater and wastewater systems are easy to overlook when the sun’s shining – but dry weather is the ideal time to carry out inspections, cleaning, and maintenance without risk of disruption.
Schedule maintenance during dry spells to safely access sumps, chambers, and other system components.
Clear blockages, check for signs of wear, and service float switches, control panels, and non-return valves.
Regular servicing now helps avoid pump failure or overflows when heavy rainfall returns – especially in sites vulnerable to flash flooding or surface water issues.
By planning ahead, you’re reducing your exposure to emergency callouts later in the year – and ensuring your stormwater systems are ready for anything the British weather may throw at it.
5. Leverage Smart Monitoring
Summer often brings higher energy loads as cooling systems work harder to maintain comfortable indoor temperatures. Optimising energy efficiency now can help reduce strain on your pumps and lower operational costs during peak periods:
Use variable frequency drives (VFDs) to adjust pump speed based on real-time demand, helping to manage energy use and heat generation.
Review system flow rates and ensure pumps are operating within their most efficient range — especially in chilled water loops.
Take this opportunity to reassess pump sizing and controls for seasonal load changes, avoiding unnecessary energy use when systems are under summer stress.
Don’t Let Downtime Catch You Out
Whether it’s managing chilled water systems at peak demand, preparing heating pumps for autumn, or servicing stormwater pumps during dry spells – summer is the season for building services maintenance.
A bit of forward planning now can save you costly disruptions when the weather turns – and leave your systems running smoother for longer.
Need support or advice on summer maintenance, shutdowns or upgrades? Our engineers are here to help. Contact us today to book a site visit or arrange a maintenance plan tailored to your building.
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