Peak Season Readiness: A Tech Support Q&A with John McCoy April 30, 2026 What to Review Before Your Cooling System Is Pushed to the Limit By John McCoy, Technical Support Manager | G&D Chillers As summer approaches and production ramps up, cooling systems are often pushed harder than at any other time of year. Longer run times, higher ambient temperatures, and increased thermal loads can expose problems that aren’t visible the rest of the year. We spoke with John McCoy of G&D Chillers’ Technical Support team about what he sees most often during peak season — and what customers can do now to avoid issues when systems are under sustained demand. How Peak Season Impacts Process Cooling Systems Q: From a tech support perspective, what changes when peak season hits? John: The biggest change is duration. Systems aren’t just working harder — they’re working longer. By late spring and early summer, we see extended run times with fewer breaks, combined with higher ambient temperatures. That puts pressure on heat rejection, compressors, and fluid systems all at once. Another factor people sometimes overlook is added load. If a facility has expanded since last summer — added tanks, processes, or equipment — that additional load may not have caused issues during cooler months. But once summer temperatures hit, reduced system capacity plus added load can make it difficult to maintain temperature. Most peak‑season problems don’t start in summer. Peak load is usually what exposes them. What to Review Before Summer Production Ramps Up Q: What are the first things you recommend customers evaluate before peak demand? John: I focus on how the system behaves over time, not just how it performs at one moment. Some key things to review: Can the system hold temperature during long, continuous runs? Do pressures climb as ambient temperatures increase? Does recovery take longer after high‑load periods? Have any loads been added since last summer that the system now has to support? This is also when preventative maintenance really matters. A scheduled maintenance check before peak season can prevent a lot of problems later. Small checks — filters, fluid condition, connections, airflow — can keep small issues from turning into big wrecks when the system is running full out. If something looks different than last year, it’s usually worth digging into. Those trends don’t correct themselves. Common Cooling System Failure Points Under Sustained Load Q: What issues show up most often once systems are under continuous demand? John: Heat rejection is a big one, especially during high ambient conditions. We also see fluid management issues — flow restrictions, fouled heat exchangers, filtration problems — things that reduce efficiency and temperature stability over time. Another common sign is systems running too close to their limits. Higher pressures, more frequent alarms, less margin. That’s usually where small issues start turning into bigger ones. Why Service Accessibility Matters During Peak Season Q: Why does serviceability become more critical in summer months? John: Because when a system is running nonstop, downtime gets expensive fast. If components are hard to access, even minor issues take longer to resolve. During peak season, that lost time adds up quickly. Systems designed with service in mind are simply easier to support when demand is high and schedules are tight. You notice that difference right away when something needs attention in July. The Role of Technical Support in System Performance Q: How does G&D Chillers’ support approach help during peak demand? John: Support is part of system performance. Always has been. At G&D, we stay involved long after startup. When customers call our 24/7 technical support, they’re talking with people who understand the equipment and the application. That familiarity cuts down on guesswork, speeds up troubleshooting, and helps prevent small issues from becoming outages. Practical Advice Before Peak Cooling Demand Hits Q: What’s your biggest recommendation heading into peak season? John: Don’t wait for a failure to confirm there’s a problem. If temperatures take longer to pull down, pressures trend higher than usual, or the system just feels different, it’s worth looking into early. In most cases, issues are manageable if they’re caught early. Emergency calls are harder on everyone. Planning ahead usually isn’t. When to Reach Out for Support If you’re preparing for higher production loads, reviewing added equipment, or want to verify how your cooling system is performing under sustained demand, G&D’s engineering and technical support teams are available. Contact us Committed to Cold More than equipment — long‑term cooling partnerships with 24/7 technical support gdchillers.com | 800.555.0973