Upgrade or Replace? How to Decide What’s Next for Your Aging Cooling Tower

Cooling towers are long-term assets—but no system lasts forever. As performance declines and costs rise, equipment owners are faced with a tough question: Do we keep repairing this tower, upgrade it, or start over with a new system?

Signs It’s Time to Evaluate Your Options

1.  Increasing energy or water usage. 
2.  Regular unplanned shutdowns or service calls. 
3.  Frequent component failures (motors, gearboxes, fans, heat transfer “fill” media). 
4.  Rising chemical treatment costs. 
5.  Reduced thermal performance during peak demand. 

What are your options?

Option 1: Retrofit and Upgrade
In many cases, retrofitting your existing tower can deliver major improvements: 

• Replace fouled or damaged fill material to restore heat transfer. 
•  Replace old drift eliminators to reduce water loss and mist emissions. 
•  Renew and/or upgrade mechanical components (i.e. gear reducers, motors, fans, etc.) to maintain reliability 
•  Improve controls with VFDs and smart monitoring for improved operating efficiency. 

These upgrades can be done during planned outages and offer fast ROI with lower operating costs and better reliability.

Option 2:  Total Replacement or Rebuild 
If your tower has severe structural degradation, outdated design, or can’t meet new cooling demands, a new tower may be the best choice. Field-erected, modular, and packaged options are available, depending on footprint, logistics, and capacity needs.

 Planning a Smart Transition?

1.  Start with an inspection and detailed report performed by an Engineer. 
2.  Compare cost vs. benefit of repair vs. rebuild/replacement. 
3.  Consider downtime implications and coordinate with plant operations. 

Conclusion 

Your cooling tower is vital infrastructure. Don’t wait until it fails to make a decision. A proactive strategy—whether that’s a part-by-part upgrade or a full rebuild—will help you reduce risk, increase efficiency, and keep your operation running strong.