Rheem Rooftop Unit (RTU)

A packaged rooftop unit combines compressor, condenser, evaporator, blower and often a heating section in one weatherproof cabinet mounted on the roof. It is the standard air-conditioning approach for single-storey retail, restaurants, offices and light industrial buildings because it keeps mechanical equipment out of leasable floor area.

Service interval: Coil cleaning annually; semi-annually where kitchen exhaust discharges nearby Commercial HVAC

How this equipment fouls

Rooftop units draw outdoor air continuously, so the condenser coil collects pollen, cottonwood seed, dust and — on a restaurant roof — airborne cooking grease carried by the kitchen exhaust. Grease is the worst case: it is sticky, it traps particulate, and it forms an insulating mat across the coil face that raises condensing temperature and compressor load.

Common failures

Condenser coil blocked by debris, pollen or exhaust grease, raising head pressure
Blower belt slipping, glazed or broken, reducing airflow across the evaporator
Economiser damper stuck or its actuator failed, so outdoor-air control is lost
Condensate drain pan blocked, backing water into the cabinet or the roof curb
Contactor pitted or welded, causing intermittent starting
Dirty or collapsed filters starving airflow and icing the evaporator

Maintenance that prevents them

Clean the condenser coil at least annually; twice yearly on a kitchen-exhaust roof
Inspect and replace filters on a schedule matched to the environment, not the calendar alone
Clear the condensate pan and drain line before the cooling season
Check belt tension and condition where a belt-driven blower is fitted
Keep the clearance zone around the unit free of stored material and vegetation

Operating in Montreal & Quebec

In Montreal a rooftop unit runs a full cooling season and then sits through freeze-thaw cycling. Debris left on the coil over winter holds moisture against the fins and accelerates corrosion, so a post-season clean is worth more here than in a milder climate.

What Climeo does on this equipment. Climeo cleans accessible condenser and evaporator coils, blower assemblies and drain pans, and confirms scope before any work begins. Roof access and fall-protection arrangements are agreed in advance. Compressor, refrigerant, gas-heat and electrical repair are licensed work that Climeo does not perform.

About Rheem

Manufacturer of residential and light-commercial heating and cooling equipment, including packaged and split systems.

Climeo is an independent cleaning specialist and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or an authorised dealer for Rheem. Equipment names are used only to describe the equipment serviced.

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