State-of-the-art technology detects HVAC leaks in real time • Propmodo

I’m sure we’ve all heard about an unexpected, months-delayed, outrageous electricity bill that results in a time-consuming search for the culprit behind the wasted energy. This guess-based approach is both inefficient and costly, consuming time and resources from on-site teams that could be better spent on proactive, value-added activities to increase efficiency and tenant satisfaction.

Facility management teams are under more pressure than ever to reduce costs, minimize downtime and meet regulatory requirements. Traditionally, HVAC maintenance across industries has relied on manual monitoring, routine inspections and annual “tune-ups” that capture only a brief snapshot of equipment health. These methods often miss gradual problems that arise between check-ins, leaving teams unable to respond until problems escalate into costly emergencies.

It doesn’t have to be that way. Regulated and mission-critical industries such as power generation and heavy industry have been ensuring peak performance and predictive maintenance at extremely high costs for decades. This is changing with the development of cost-effective advanced sensing, on-device computing and early leak detection. By detecting core equipment malfunctions and refrigerant leaks before they become costly inefficiencies, FM teams can stay one step ahead.

Why leak detection is important for facility managers

Nearly 30 percent of commercial electricity energy is wasted due to inefficiencies in heating, ventilation and air conditioning technology – a pattern we confirmed in our data. In our field experience, 70 percent of combustion systems suffer from natural gas leaks, and 50 percent of refrigerant systems are undercharged or leaking – an often silent drain on resources that can be addressed through proactive monitoring.

As we face more stringent EPA regulations for leak repair, automatic leak detection and recovery for certain HVAC systems, these all-too-common refrigerant problems are becoming the focus of property owners and operators.

So what causes a refrigerant leak anyway? This can be caused by normal wear on the connectors, corrosion in the coils, or poor installation and maintenance practices. Over time, minor problems can lead to significant leaks, increasing energy costs and reducing system efficiency.

All too often, the first warning of a problem comes from a tenant’s “hot” or “cold” call – by then you’ve already wasted a lot of energy and money. The stakes are high for FM teams: missed leaks mean inefficient operations, resulting in higher utility bills, unexpected repair costs, and potential compliance issues.

How advanced sensor technology helps with early detection of leaks

At my company, Thalo Labs, we use high-precision sensor technology that I originally developed for aerospace applications at NASA to address this and other inefficiency problems that plague our buildings. Our latest innovation catches refrigerant leaks before they impact your bottom line, so you can reduce costs and maximize performance.

How does it work? Thalo installs advanced, non-invasive sensors into your existing devices – whether they are air conditioning systems, chillers or heat pumps. Installation takes less than an hour and instantly activates real-time data streaming over a secure cellular network. Each sensor captures millions of data points that are processed by proprietary algorithms to identify efficiency trends, measure performance and identify leaks long before they are detectable by chemical sensors. We designed our product to detect leaks as low as 1% in small split units, providing a new level of precision and early detection unparalleled in the industry.

Unlike pure software or traditional BMS solutions, Thalo goes “under the hood” to measure the performance of the core devices. These deeper insights allow us to send actionable alerts only when they matter, so your team can focus on key insights rather than routine noise. We believe this can be crucial for FM teams that already have a lot going on but are striving to achieve their goals and achieve peak performance.

I founded Thalo to help reduce emissions from the built environment. Refrigerant leaks are a key part of this challenge – some are nearly 4,000 times more serious than CO₂. By identifying these leaks early, we can make a real impact. In fact, the NRDC estimates that up to 90 billion tons of CO₂-equivalent emissions could be avoided through better refrigerant management. Furthermore, operating undercharged devices on a dirty network exacerbates the problem – in short, we still have a lot of work to do!

Real-world impact: $60,000. Projected Savings in the NYC Pilot Project

Our team was deployed to a recently remodeled 150,000 square foot green research and manufacturing center to monitor the building’s multi-zone heat pump system. The building is heated and cooled exclusively by more than 30 modular VRF systems (8-16 tons each). Within a week of installation, we quickly identified two units that were malfunctioning but had not yet triggered built-in alarms and directed service to prevent future failures. During a subsequent heat wave, this early warning helped avoid downtime and a costly emergency call. With full implementation, the customer expects annual savings of over $60,000 and significant emissions reductions. The full case study can be found here.

Early leak detection is not just a way to prevent HVAC emergencies; It is a proactive strategy to reduce costs, comply with emissions regulations and ensure a smooth, comfortable stay for tenants. Are you ready to transform your HVAC management? Discover the savings and efficiency gains possible with Thalo Labs’ advanced sensor technology. Try our savings calculator Find out how much you can save and contact the Thalo team for individual advice.