// dominant equipment class · Birmingham commercial

Packaged rooftop unit service for the equipment class that runs every Birmingham commercial building.

RTUs are the dominant commercial HVAC equipment in Birmingham. Office buildings, retail centers, strip malls, light industrial, suburban commercial — RTUs do the heavy lifting. We service them under OSHA-compliant rooftop protocols, with refrigerant recovery on every truck and ECM-fan diagnostic familiarity on modern units.

Schedule rooftop assessment Call (205) 206-6606
3–50Ton range
~4,000hAnnual runtime / BHM
4×/yrQuarterly PM
608EPA cert · every truck
Tonnage chart

Tonnage to application — what we service across Birmingham.

RTU service requires technician training and rooftop-access protocol that scales with tonnage. Below: the application range for each tonnage band, with the relative volume we see across the Birmingham commercial market.

3–6 ton
Small office suite, single retail bay
7.5–12.5 ton
Standard retail, restaurant, small office
15–20 ton
Mid-size office, medical office, mid-retail
25–30 ton
Large office floor, big-box retail anchor
40–50 ton
Big-box retail, large warehouse office, light industrial
50+ ton
Custom-applied · contact for scope
Brand reference

RTU brands and controls platforms we work on regularly.

3–12.5 Ton · Small commercial

Trane Precedent · Carrier WeatherMaker · Lennox · York · Rheem

Scroll compressor, belt-drive or ECM supply fan, single- or two-stage cooling. Common in small office suites, restaurants, retail bays. Most frequently encounter condenser fouling and refrigerant leak in this size range.

12.5–25 Ton · Mid-size

Trane Precedent · Carrier WeatherExpert · Daikin RoofPak · Lennox

Multi-circuit scroll compressors, ECM supply fan with VFD option, integrated economizer per ASHRAE 90.1. Office buildings, medical offices, mid-size retail. Controls complexity increases significantly.

25–50 Ton · Large-format

Trane Precedent · Carrier WeatherExpert · Aaon RN/RL · Daikin Rebel

Screw or multiple-scroll compressors, VFD supply and return fans, integrated economizer, BAS integration. Big-box retail, large office floors, warehouse office portions. Access typically requires mechanical lift or roof hatch.

Controls · BAS

Trane UC500 · Carrier i-Vu · York Metasys · Daikin IntelliPak

Trane (UC500, Tracer CH530), Carrier (CC-PRO, i-Vu integration), York (Microboard, Metasys integration), Daikin (IntelliPak). BAS integration via BACnet or LonWorks on commercial-grade. Diagnostics require platform-specific tools.

RTU annual PM scope

14-task quarterly PM scope for packaged rooftop units.

"Checking filters" is task one. Below: the full ASHRAE 180 task list applied to commercial RTUs in Birmingham. Each task documented in the per-visit report.

PM.01Filter inspection & replacementMERV-8 minimum, MERV-13 healthcare/office
PM.02Evaporator coil cleaningChemical foam, low-pressure rinse
PM.03Condenser coil cleaningDetergent + pressure wash · BHM critical
PM.04Belt tension & conditionReplace if glazed or cracked
PM.05Motor amp drawCompare to nameplate FLA
PM.06Compressor pressuresDischarge / suction vs. design targets
PM.07Refrigerant leak checkElectronic detector, all joints
PM.08Economizer operationDamper, linkage, actuator test
PM.09Drain pan / condensate flushPrevent biological growth, leaks
PM.10Electrical torque checkContactors, terminals, disconnect
PM.11Thermostat / BAS verificationSetpoint and schedule audit
PM.12Heat exchanger inspectionVisual + combustion analysis (gas)
PM.13Refrigerant log updateEPA Section 608 documentation
PM.14Deferred-maintenance flagWritten report, prioritized
!
OSHA 29 CFR 1910 subpart D

Rooftop access protocol — why we don't send a residential truck.

Multi-story commercial roofs require fall protection, roof-edge awareness, and equipment-weight assessment. Rooftop access for service requires OSHA-compliant safety protocols that residential contractors rarely carry. Our technicians arrive with personal fall arrest, anchor systems, and rooftop-rated hoisting for any equipment-weight scenario over 50 lb.

Sources: OSHA 29 CFR 1910 · ASHRAE 90.1.

JD
John [TBD-lastname] OSHA 30 · EPA 608 Universal · Alabama HVAC License #[TBD-license]

"On a Hoover retail anchor, the manager called about a 25-ton RTU running on three of four cylinders. Pre-season coil wash had been skipped for two years. By the time we got there, head pressure was 480 psi and we were 30 minutes from a compressor lockout."

FAQ

Questions we hear from facilities teams.

What RTU brands do you service?

We service Trane (Precedent, YCD, S9X2 Series), Carrier (WeatherExpert, WeatherMaker 48/50 series), York (YHJF, ZH series), Lennox (Landmark, LGH/LCH series), Daikin Applied (RoofPak, Rebel), Aaon (RN, RL series), and Rheem/Ruud commercial packaged units. For tonnage, our scope runs from 3-ton small commercial to 50-ton large-format units.

How often does a commercial RTU need preventive maintenance?

Quarterly PM — four visits per year — is the standard for commercial RTUs in Birmingham. The Birmingham cooling season runs effectively from May through October. An RTU running in marginal condition through pollen season typically fails in late June or July when ambient temperature and cooling load are highest. Pre-season PM in March or April is the most critical visit of the year.

What are the most common RTU failure modes?

Compressor failure from condenser coil fouling is the leading preventable RTU failure in Birmingham. Pollen accumulation raises head pressure; sustained 90°F+ ambient pushes condensing temperature above design limits on fouled equipment. Refrigerant leak is second; belt failure third on belt-drive configurations.

Do you service RTUs on multi-story buildings with difficult rooftop access?

Yes. Rooftop access requires safety protocols under OSHA 29 CFR 1910 — fall protection, roof-edge awareness, equipment weight on roof structure. We carry fall protection equipment and coordinate with building management for elevator/penthouse access.

What is an economizer and why does it matter for commercial RTUs?

An economizer uses outdoor air for free cooling when conditions are favorable. ASHRAE 90.1 requires economizers on RTUs above a specified size. A failed economizer stuck closed wastes energy. Stuck open during humid Alabama weather floods the building with unconditioned outdoor air.
Schedule rooftop assessment

Pre-summer is the right time to assess every RTU on your building.

Walk-through assessment includes equipment inventory by tonnage, refrigerant type, condition rating, and recommended PM frequency. Written report within 5 business days.

Schedule assessment →
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Commercial HVAC only. Submit the form and a dispatch coordinator follows up by email. For active outages, call (205) 206-6606.

  • RTU, chiller, VRF, commercial refrigeration
  • After-hours and weekend dispatch
  • Preventive maintenance contracts
  • Portfolio property management

Commercial dispatch request

We email confirmation within business hours. For active outages, call the line above.