Commercial heating and air conditioning system not working properly? Try this:

• If you are feeling a draft from your ceiling diffuser, try having a perforated diffuser installed. They tend to dissipate the air better, especially in areas with low ceilings. Also, try having the diffuser moved to a different ceiling square.

• Too cold most of the time? Make sure your thermostat is in an area that senses the average room temperature. A thermostat located too close to a copier, diffuser, or coffee maker can drastically affect room temperature.

• Feet cold all the time? This is a common problem with most newer buildings. Because all the diffusers are at the ceiling, warm air never makes it to the floor. Adding some diffusers at floor level definitely helps. Also, some mail order office suppliers sell heated floor mats. Unfortunately, the only way to completely eliminate this problem is with in-floor radiant heat. But, the other methods can be extremely helpful.

• Make sure the disconnect switch or circuit breaker is "on".

• Make sure the thermostat switch is set for "heat" or "cool" and the temperature is set properly.

• Many of the new systems have safety lockouts. You can try to reset them by turning the thermostat to the "off" position for 2 minutes and then turning it back on. Wait at least 5 minutes to see if it comes back on.

• Check your A/C outdoor condenser coil for dirt or cottonwood build-up. Brush off the surface debris before you wash the coil.

• Check the filters if you are able to. A plugged air filter can disable both heating and cooling.

• Call Jim Kobel or Kevin Passman at Tri-R Mechanical at 716-674-0222 for free advice over the phone.