UPDATED June 10th

HVAC Pump Project 100% Complete

This project represents possibly one of the most important efforts a building and Condo Association such as PTCA can undergo, to maintain critical infrastructure, via the dollars saved in the Reserve Fund.

From the desk of Head Engineer Patrik Janic:

“We are happy to announce that the pump project has been completed. The pumps have been fully tested and have been turned over for full operation with our system.

Some details…Our old pumps ran at 45 hertz with 80% frequency. Our new pumps are running at 39-40 hertz with 70% percent frequency, which means a significant drop in energy use. BUT, the same Heating and AC will be available as always.

We will be monitoring their performance for the next couple of weeks, and it is conceivable some minor adjustments may be made at times.

We thank all of our residents for their patience during this project – we know there was some discomfort at times, but trust us – this was necessary and well worth it! ”

OLD PUMP:

NEW!:

UPDATED June 7th

We are pleased to report the HVAC Pump Replacement Project is nearing completion.

The team has confirmed the pumps are in place and all that remains left is testing and demobilization. The pumps will be put into operation to insure they are functioning property and to troubleshoot any problems. The contractor and our maintenance team will be putting them into operation and observing their function by bringing them online and offline over the next few days – and switching from one pump to another to make sure the transitions go smoothly.

THE GOOD NEWS – that means we are ready to bring the AC service back online, a bit earlier than expected. As the whether dictates, we will be able to begin getting the chillers back up online.

THE PROBLEM – if there are any issues, the team will have to address those and the AC may be taken offline when it is needed. Also, the manufacturer has a specific set of steps for testing, timing and functioning of the pumps, and the pumps will be taken offline periodically as a part of that process. This will be taking place between now and Friday.

UPDATED June 3rd

So far there are no surprises and our team has advised we are on schedule with our original expectations.

SOME FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS –

Q: Is it ok to run the fans on the convector?

A: Yes – you can run the fan, and that will certainly provide you with some additional circulation.

Q: It seems really cool in the hallway, mall and other common areas – why?

A: We are still bringing fresh air into the building, so depending on the temperature and humidity outside, the air in the hallways could be relatively comfortable. Especially overnight and in the mornings. The same with other common areas like the mall and lobby. There are fan units which bring fresh air in.

UPDATED June 1st

This is just a reminder, the project to replace the main pumps serving our Heating and Cooling lines begins Wednesday June 1st.

The crew hired to do the work is on site and already beginning the prep work to get started, while Park Tower’s maintenance team is draining the main lines. Their primary focus will be to get the lines back in place as quickly as possible so that some measure of cooling, if necessary, will be available. As of right now, their best guess is June 9^th. As they dig into the work though, that could change – actually for the better or the worse if unknown conditions are identified.

Cooling units have been rented and set up in the party room so if things do become uncomfortable, we do have a space set up for a breather if you need one. Of course, keep in mind the Party Room is about the size of a 2 bedroom unit.

This project is representative of the Association and Board’s commitment to be proactive when it comes to critical infrastructure. These pumps have exceeded their useful lives and were identified by the Reserve Study as fixtures approaching the need for replacement. We hope most residents and Owners can appreciate it is better for the building to plan to replace such fixtures, rather than to wait for them to fail – which as you can imagin in the middle of August or January could be catastrophic.

We appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding while this important work is completed.

ORIGINAL POST May 27th

NO HEAT OR AC!

Cooling Units Will Be Set Up In The Party Room

Pumps Scheduled For Replacement

Wednesday June 1st – Friday June 10th

Heating And Cooling Will Be Offline

Between these dates, the main HVAC Risers will be drained, and neither heating nor cooling will be available. The purpose is to accommodate the replacement of the main house pumps which serve the Heating and Air Conditioning system.

This project was actually approved in Spring 2021 but could not be done – first because of how long the manufacturing and delivery process took, and second because the materials arrived right in the middle of the heating season. As we are mandated to provide heat and maintain minimum temperatures within the halls and residences by City Ordinance, that had to be the priority. We’ve watched the weather closely but the relatively cool late Spring we’ve had has not presented us with a good opportunity to begin this work.

All the materials we expect will be needed are in place and the contractor is now ready to proceed. So our team is intending to begin June 1st and we hope to get the system back up and running by Thursday June 9th.

NO TIME OF YEAR WOULD BE A GOOD TIME OF YEAR TO DO THIS. We sympathize with any discomfort residents experience during this timeframe, when we have weather where AC would typically be needed. We greatly appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding as we work to complete this improvement project, which is important to maintain the health of our HVAC system.

If you have any questions, write to parktowercondo-mgmt@habitat.com, or call us at 773-769-3250.