Due to the demand for energy efficiency and a boom in construction, temperature regulation systems are more lucrative and vital for buildings than ever before.
Yet developing and executing HVAC projects is far from simple and comes with unique challenges. Most HVAC problems stem from poorly maintained equipment or performance assumptions, which can be avoided by working with qualified TAB professionals.
But how can engineers, architects, and contractors ensure that they’re hiring qualified firms or professionals to execute their projects? It all starts with tangible proof that your TAB firm is skilled and has the properly calibrated equipment to provide accurate reports.
Read on for a recap of TAB and a list of the six things to look out for when hiring a TAB firm.
Brief Recap: What is TAB?
Testing, Adjusting, and Balancing (TAB) is used in the HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) industry to ensure that HVAC systems work correctly and efficiently.
During the TAB process, HVAC technicians use specialized equipment to measure and adjust various parameters such as airflow, temperature, pressure, and humidity. The goal is to optimize the performance of the HVAC heating or cooling system so that it can maintain a comfortable and healthy indoor environment while using the least amount of energy possible.
TAB is an integral part of HVAC maintenance and is typically performed during the initial installation of an HVAC system and during routine maintenance checks. By ensuring that HVAC systems are properly balanced and adjusted, TAB can help to reduce energy costs, improve indoor air quality, and extend the lifespan of HVAC equipment.
6 Signs of an Effective TAB Firm
Architects, engineers, and contractors hire TAB firms to execute their HVAC building projects using exact specifications. As you search for a TAB firm, look for these six signs of effective, efficient professionals.
1. Trusted Certification
You will want to ensure that your TAB firm is certified with the most exacting gold standard of requirements. Top-notch certification guarantees that you’re working with a firm of trusted quality and optimal performance. Professionals should have solid attention to detail and meet a uniform and systematic set of criteria for quality assurance, coordination and cooperation, standardized procedures, and everything else involved in the TAB process.
Professionals must also periodically pass comprehensive exams to re-certify and solidify that they are on top of industry trends, best practices, and legalities. With the proper certifications, a TAB professional should be able to:
- Develop and plan project work
- Handle report preparation
- Recommend corrective action
- Set an overall safety plan
- Maintain instruments and calibration programs
- Have experience with control strategies, sequence of operation, control systems, equipment, and software
- Review, check, sign, and stamp the final TAB report
2. High-Quality Training
Your TAB firm should employ highly skilled experts who continuously train to meet the most stringent and up-to-date industry requirements. The last thing you want is to hire people not trained in the most recent developments of the ever-evolving HVAC industry. Your TAB experts should seek continuous education in the field and read publications on TAB, HVAC, and relevant industry-specific topics.
3. Quality Assurance on All Levels
Quality assurance is a must when hiring a TAB firm, and it should be present at every level of the project, from specifications through the end of execution. Your firm should also have a swift, single-source method of mediation and resolving issues. They should have practical knowledge, excellent communication, and an ability to adapt and create customized solutions that lower operational costs while increasing occupant comfort. There should be integrity tests at every step of the project journey.
4. Expanding Volunteer Opportunities
TAB firms and professionals should not operate in a vacuum; they should be involved in a community of professionals who guide and teach one another. This can be done through volunteering; professionals and firms can volunteer to join TAB committees and even participate in creating discipline training programs. If your TAB firm expands its volunteer opportunities, you can see that as a sign of trustworthiness and extensive industry knowledge.
5. Multi-Industry Experience
HVAC systems differ among restaurants, retail stores, hotels, and hospitals. Make sure your TAB firm is familiar with the equipment and processes that may be unique to your facility and has proven experience delivering optimally performing projects similar to what you need.
Conclusion
Hiring a qualified TAB firm is the first step towards allowing HVAC systems to meet or exceed the performance levels of their design specifications and providing building owners and tenants with optimal environmental performance while minimizing costs through efficiency.
Including NEBB in your specifications is a surefire way to work with a certified TAB firm that will offer tangible proof of competency and quality and meet all your project needs.
Download the free, ready-to-use NEBB specifications packet today and simply copy and paste to personalize your specs to give you peace of mind.