When Does Cooling Tower Fill Need Replacing?

A lot of building owners and property managers ask the question, “When Does Cooling Tower Fill Need Replacing?”. There are 5 signs that your cooling tower fill media is worn out and needs to be replaced. When the fill isn’t doing its job properly the cooling tower is using much more energy to do its job. Save money, service your cooling tower, and make sure the fill is working properly.

Five Signs To Replace Cooling Tower Fill

There are 5 many signs that your cooling tower fill needs to be replaced. Read through this list to better understand what to watch for, and know when you need to call your local cooling tower maintenance company.

Increased Energy Consumption

When fill isn’t doing its job properly the water flowing through the cooling tower isn’t getting cooled. This means that to do the job the cooling tower is designed to do at your location it will take more electricity to do the same job. While electricity prices to change if you’ve seen a marked increase in your bill you might check the cooling tower and the cooling tower fill.

Calcium Buildup

Makeup water contains a lot of dissolved solids and one of them in calcium. Calcium from hard water will build up in the fill causing blockages. When your fill is clogged the air and water cannot pass through and the cooling tower will not work. In some cases the fill can be cleaned, in others the buildup is severe enough to require cooling tower fill replacement.

Uneven Distribution of Water

All cooling towers are designed to maximize the contact between the water and air running through them. When the water isn’t being distributed properly because the fill is damaged or clogged it dramatically impacts the performance of the cooling tower. Much more energy will need to be used to get the necessary cooling needed for your industrial application or HVAC system.

Warped or Sagging Fill Packs

Poor quality or old fill may warp from heat or sag with age. If this happens you can expect that there is incredibly uneven water distribution. Replacement of fill is a great option in these cases as one of the common reason fill sags or warps is that it simply old or has been damaged.

Damaged Support Grids

Support grids are the structure that holds your fill in place. If water has degraded the structure, or there have been other types of damage your fill will not be performing correctly. This can be a cause for fill packs to sag, warp, or simply fall out of place. If your fill isn’t sitting where it should be, it isn’t doing its job. Invest in your cooling tower maintenance and ensure that your support grids are up to par.

Phoenix Valley Cooling Tower Maintenance

There are a number of important cooling tower maintenance tasks to keep your cooling tower running at optimum efficiency. Fill is one of the most important elements for the performance of the cooling tower. It is where the hot cycle water goes to be cooled by the air flowing through the fill. If your fill has buildup, clogging, or is damaged we can help!