BULLETIN FROM....

Fall 1992

ARE YOU PREPARED?

As you know, during periods of extremely low temperatures and high winds, damage from freezing can result to both heating and air conditioning systems.

HEATING SYSTEMS

During the Christmas break of 1990, at a rural high school, a hot water heating radiator pipe froze, bulged and split in a small storage room off the gym when the cold penetrated the poorly insulated wall. The subsequent melting caused leakage and extensive water damage to the gym equipment and hardwood floor. While this $10,000 loss would be covered by insurance, the school had to pay the deductible and, in addition, gym activity was disrupted while repairs were made.

This serves as a reminder that:

(1) heating systems in schools must be checked daily including weekends and longer holidays especially during periods of extreme conditions and/or high windchill.

Heating System Checks

Boilers	Fan Units	Hot Water Coils
Make-up devices	General operation	Flow/flow switches
Feed pumps	Vibration	Pumps/Circulators
Gauge glass	Bearings/lubrication	Damper condition
Burner controls	Belts	Damper closing
Low water cut-offs	Damper operation
	Damper linkage

 

(2) Equipment maintenance and testing of controls and alarms should be carried out diligently to preclude shutdowns.

(3) Visuals checks of buildings should be carried out including windows, doors and dampers and any other possible areas where ingress of cold air could cause freezing. Deficiencies should be addressed immediately.

(4) Water piping and equipment in the area of combustion air inlets in mechanical/boiler rooms should be protected against freezing.

AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS

Since most systems are not used during the cold months, do not neglect parts of systems that use or contain water!

i) Drain all coils exposed to cold temperatures and where necessary, fill with antifreeze.

ii)Any water cooling components including condensers, cooling towers and water jackets on compressors should be drained.

iii) Heat pump loop fluid coolers should be automatically drainable in a very short period if they can be bypassed or if minimum circulation requirements cannot be guaranteed during freezing weather. The preferable method of freeze protection for these is the use of antifreeze.

This is the first bulletin presented to you jointly by the Winnipeg District Office of the Royal Insurance Engineering and Technical Services and Risk Management of MAST.

The purpose of the bulletins (several per year are planned) is to briefly outline areas of concern and possible solutions in the prevention of failures, costly repairs and school shut-downs.

The points presented are not all-inclusive and may not all necessarily pertain to your equipment, however, we sincerely hope that they will be helpful and add to your current preventative maintenance program. Your comments and ideas would be most welcome.

At this time of the year we should all be concerned that there are no leaks or spillage of combustion flue gases into the rooms or buildings. It is imperative that chimneys be clear and that there is adequate venting.

CO (carbon monoxide) is DEADLY

LET US KEEP THE CHILDREN SAFE!!!

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