Getting Your Office Building Ready for Summer: A 6-Step Equipment Checklist from a Procurement Admin

If you're the person responsible for keeping an office building comfortable during summer—cooling, dehumidification, air movement—you already know it's not just about ordering the biggest AC unit. I manage equipment procurement for a mid-sized company (about 200 people across two locations). When I took over purchasing in 2020, I made some expensive mistakes. By 2024, I had a repeatable checklist. Here it is, in 6 steps.

Who This Checklist is For

This is for the person who gets asked: "The AC isn't working," or "The conference room smells damp," or "Can we get a fan for the warehouse?" If you're in admin, facilities, or office management, you're the one who has to translate complaints into purchase orders—without overspending or backordering the wrong thing.

This checklist covers the most common summer equipment needs for small to mid-size commercial buildings. It's not for chiller plants or massive VRF systems. It's for the practical stuff: split ACs, portable units, dehumidifiers, fans, and the occasional specialty heater (yes, even in summer).

Step 1: Map Your Load—Not Just Square Footage

Most buyers focus on room size and completely miss heat load from equipment, people, and windows. A 300 ft² server room needs different cooling than a 300 ft² conference room with east-facing windows.

What to do:

• Count the number of people who will occupy the space regularly.
• Check for heat-generating equipment—servers, copiers, kitchen appliances.
• Note window orientation and shading. South- and west-facing windows add significant load.

The question everyone asks is "How many BTUs do I need?" The question they should ask is "What's the total heat load?" Because a room that's over-cooled cycles poorly, wastes energy, and doesn't dehumidify properly. Believe me, I've replaced a unit that was too big—$800 down the drain.

Step 2: Test Your Existing AC Before Assuming It's Broken

We see this every season: a complaint comes in about a "new midea ac not cooling." But 9 times out of 10, it's not the unit—it's something else. Before you order replacement parts or a whole new system, run through this quick checklist:

• Is the thermostat set correctly? (Yes, I've had to ask.)
• Is the air filter clean? A dirty filter restricts airflow and can freeze the evaporator coil.
• Are the outdoor condenser coils blocked by debris or vegetation?
• Is the drain line clear? A clogged line can trigger safety shutoffs.

We once replaced a unit that was fine—it just had a $8 filter that hadn't been changed in a year. I should add: we now schedule filter replacements monthly during peak season. Saves headaches.

Step 3: Consider Backup Heating (Yes, Even in Summer)

Summer mornings can be cool, and basements or server rooms can get damp and chilly. A midea infrared quartz heater is a good option for spot-heating a small space without blowing dust around. It's not for primary heating, but for taking the chill off a storage room or reception area.

What to check:

• Does the space need quick heat or consistent low-level warmth? Infrared works fast but is directional.
• Is the room occupied constantly or intermittently? Infrared is ideal for in-and-out spaces.
• Is there a risk of overheating? Make sure it has tip-over and overheat protection.

I keep one in our basement storage room. It's cheaper than running the central heat for a 20-minute task.

Step 4: Plan Air Movement—Not Just Cooling

Air circulation matters more than most people realize. Stagnant air feels warmer than moving air, even at the same temperature. For warehouses, storage rooms, or open-plan offices with high ceilings, good fans reduce the load on your AC system.

For general office use, a shark fan is fine—quiet, oscillating, decent airflow. For a warehouse or large space, you need moving air on a larger scale. A stihl backpack blower isn't for indoor use, but it's a solid choice for cleaning outdoor condenser units, clearing debris from walkways, or drying wet areas after a cleaning. (I use ours for blowing out AC condenser fins in the spring. Makes a difference.)

Checklist for air movers:

• Office areas: quiet, oscillating, adjustable height.
• Warehouse: high-velocity floor fans or industrial pedestal fans.
• Outdoor/cleaning: backpack blower (dedicated to maintenance tasks).

Step 5: Decide on Dehumidification—Before Humidity Becomes a Problem

This is where most people get confused. "Should I order a dehumidifier vs humidifier?" In summer, for most offices, it's dehumidification you need. Humidity makes the space feel warmer and can cause mold, condensation on windows, and that musty smell.

Quick rule of thumb:

If your indoor relative humidity is above 60%, get a dehumidifier. If it's below 30% (rare in summer), you might need a humidifier. Most offices above 40% RH in summer should focus on dehumidification.

Here's what I've learned about dehumidifier pros and cons:

• Pro: Reduces musty odors, prevents mold, makes the space feel cooler.
• Con: Generates heat. A dehumidifier in a small room can raise the temperature noticeably. So you need to balance cooling and dehumidification.
• Pro: Energy-efficient compared to overcooling a space to pull humidity out.

What to order: For a typical office floor (1,500-2,500 sq ft), a 50-pint capacity unit is a safe bet. For a basement or warehouse, go 70 pints or higher. And drain it into a floor drain—you don't want to empty a 5-gallon bucket twice a day. (Should mention: I ordered a 30-pint for our 2,000 sq ft server annex. Mistake. Spent twice as much upgrading within a month.)

Step 6: Audit Your Backup and Specialty Equipment

This is the step most people skip until something breaks. Don't wait until a heat wave to discover you don't have a backup.

Checklist:

• Do you have at least one portable AC unit on hand for emergencies?
• Are you stocking spare filters for all your units? (Different types—some are disposable, some washable.)
• Do you have a maintenance kit? Coil cleaner, drain pan tablets, fin comb, UV leak detector.
• Is your supplier responsive? If your regular vendor can't deliver within 48 hours during summer, have a secondary.

The most frustrating part of equipment management: the same issues recurring despite clear communication. You'd think a written maintenance schedule would prevent condenser coil build-up, but every year someone forgets. What finally helped was creating a visual calendar posted in the janitor's closet with monthly tasks checked off.

Final Note: Quality Matters—Even for Backup Equipment

When I switched from budget portable ACs to a mid-range Midea unit with inverter technology, our repair calls dropped significantly. The cheap ones cycled on and off constantly, never dehumidified properly, and had a third of the lifespan. The $150 difference translated into fewer complaints and less maintenance time. That's the kind of quality perception that matters when your boss walks through a comfortable, dry office and doesn't have to think about it.

Not ideal, but workable: if your budget is tight, buy one good unit for the most-occupied space and supplement with fans. Just don't skimp on the primary cooling for a conference room where clients sit. They'll notice.