Thanksgiving Week Shutdowns: How to Protect Your HVAC/R Systems Before the Holiday

For many businesses across Massachusetts and New England, Thanksgiving week brings reduced staffing, modified schedules, and in some cases, a full facility shutdown. While the break provides much-needed downtime for your team, your HVAC and refrigeration systems don’t get the same luxury —unless you prepare them properly.

Whether you operate an office, manufacturing plant, food storage facility, ice rink, or commercial building, taking the right preventative steps before the holiday can mean the difference between returning to a quiet Monday… or walking into a major system failure.

Here’s how to safeguard your HVAC/R equipment and avoid costly surprises during the Thanksgiving shutdown.

1. Confirm Temperature Setbacks — Without Sacrificing Equipment Health

Adjusting your thermostat or Building Automation System(BAS) for reduced occupancy is smart, but extreme setbacks can cause system strain or freezing risks.

Best practices:

Set heating/cooling to moderate levels, not extremes.
Keep mechanical rooms within safe temperature ranges.
For refrigeration, verify no temperature changes interfere with product integrity.

2. Check Refrigeration Alarms & Remote Monitoring Before You Leave

Holiday weekends are prime time for unnoticed failures —unless you confirm your monitoring systems are operational.

Ensure:

All alarms are functioning and tested.
Remote notifications reach the correct staff.
Sensors are calibrated and communicating properly.
Backup power and UPS devices are charged and tested.

A single missed alarm can become a costly product-loss event.

3. Inspect Critical Components in Advance

A quick pre-shutdown check can identify issues before they escalate.

Recommended inspection areas:

Fan belts
Motors and bearings
Refrigerant levels and signs of leaks
Evaporator and condenser coil condition
Electrical controls and contactors
Drain lines and pans

If anything looks questionable, address it now — not the week after Thanksgiving.

4. Ensure Spare Parts Are On-Site (or Ready for Rapid Delivery)

Unexpected failures happen, and holiday delays in shipping create additional risk.

Having spare parts ready means:

Faster return to service
Avoiding premium shipping costs
Minimizing downtime if something fails over the break

Proactive spare parts planning is one of the most effective ways to prevent long delays — especially for components with known long lead times.

5. Protect Against Freezing Risks

Cold snaps are common during Thanksgiving week in New England.

Before shutting down:

Confirm exposed piping is insulated
Check glycol levels in hydronic systems
Ensure doors to mechanical spaces stay closed
Verify heat tracing is operational

Even one night of unexpected temperature drops can lead to frozen coils or burst piping.

6. Verify Ice Rink & Industrial Refrigeration Systems Are in Safe Operation Mode

For rinks and industrial facilities:

Make sure compressor staging is appropriate for the holiday schedule
Validate defrost cycles
Review pressure controls and safety limits
Confirm pumps and control valves are functioning properly
Check ammonia detection and ventilation systems

If the facility will be vacant, review emergency response protocols and ensure all key personnel are reachable.

7. Schedule Emergency Contacts and Roles

It's important everyone knows who is available during the break.

Set up:

On-call technician contacts
Internal emergency response roles
Vendor escalation plans
Access instructions for after-hours entry

Clarity now prevents confusion later.

How Northstar Refrigeration Can Help Before — and After —the Holiday

Northstar offers:

Pre-holiday PM checkups
Remote monitoring validation
Refrigeration and HVAC system optimization
Spare parts recommendations and ordering
Emergency service 24/7 throughout the holiday week

Whether you want peace of mind before shutting down or support during your reduced-staff operations, our team is here to keep your systems running reliably.

📞 For pre-holiday service or emergency support, call us at (508) 888-3692.

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