FANCOIL UNITS (HVAC) REPLACEMENT
Background
Every ECA owner is responsible for replacing the heating and
cooling units (HVAC) within their apartments.
The original units are still in most of the Elizabeth condo
apartments and have outlived their life expectancy.
Here are some links that discuss HVAC life expectancy which
seems to be 15 years, though with luck and proper maintenance most last much
longer than 15 years. Our general manager has said our old McQuay units had a
life expectancy of 30 years but now these units are 40 years old.
Old HVAC systems can fail without the owners realizing it.
The individual fancoil (HVAC system) may continue to provide modest amounts of heat or a/c even when your thermostat says
the system is off. This happens since the heated or chilled water from the building's central plant is still circulating through the "coil" of the individual HVAC devices in your condominium. The valves controlling the flow of heated or chilled water must be in working condidtion or the different temperature waters will mix and the fancoil unit will not perform as designed. Manual manipulation of the valves, by the in-house staff, has been the past method of extending the life and performance of the fancoil units. But this procedure defeats the purpose of the thermostat and is usually inconvenient to the occupants
of the apartment.
Issues with HVAC
Systems
HVAC systems can be noisy depending on how much insulation
surround the unit and how the unit operates in general. There is the sound of
the fan blowing, and the sound when the unit turns on.
HVAC may be free standing or installed inside a wall.
Vertical units are large and are typically installed inside a wall while the freestanding
horizontal units are hopefully installed in an out of the way spot against a
wall. Installation of the vertical units requires opening up a wall and usually
removing an old unit. This is the time to ensure that the pipes are properly
insulated and that all is well with your unit hooking into the overall
heating-cooling system that operates throughout the condo building.
The Daikin-McQuay units that have been recommended by our ECA
Boards with assistance from our Legum & Norman managers have been vetted as
quality units. Most HVAC systems are made by one manufacturer and then
customized for various vendors. Quality Air Services, the company coordinating
our HVAC replacements, does not promote one vendor over another.
Two other options that have come to the attention of some
ECA members are units by a vendor known as International. They are offering a
comparable unit to the Daikin-McQuay unit and something called a cartridge
unit. Both of these units have a larger metallic facing than the Daikin-McQuay
unit, particularly in regard to the height of the air return grill.
The cartridge unit uses the old casing that exists with the
old HVAC. Using the old casing can cause
problems in the future because there is no opportunity to examine the pipes
that hook into the overall heating-cooling system. Also there is no opportunity
to examine the casing itself to see if it is corroded from past leaks. While
the installation costs may be lower for cartridge units, future problems with
the pipes behind the casing would obviate any saving realized. There is a free-standing
but unhooked up cartridge unit in the ECA management office.
The International unit most like the Daikin-McQuay unit could
possibly be quieter than the Daikin-McQuay unit but it is likely to cost more
since quantity pricing has not been organized for this option. The Quality Air
Representative says that this International unit is comparable in quality to
the Daikin-McQuay unit. Anyone interested in this option should contact Quality
Air to learn how to see and experience this unit.
About the Unit
Installed in the Management Office
The Daikin-McQuay unit is installed in the wall in the ECA
Management Office. When this unit was originally installed the front cover was
not properly secured and this caused more noise in the operation of the HVAC
unit. That problem was fixed.
Things to Know about
Group Purchase Versus Single Owner Purchase
Purchasing new HVAC units is up to each unit owner. Unit
owners are not required to purchase replacement HVACs. The decision to do so is
entirely up to the owners.
Group purchase brings down the price of the selected units.
The target number of HVAC units that need to be purchased is 250 (HVAC) units to
achieve the price break. (Note that some apartments have more than one fancoil units.) The Quality Air representative feels certain that this
goal will be met based on the current level of contracts received (7/16/14).
Installation requires that an entire vertical tier must be interrupted for heat and cooling service during installation of HVAC units. This means that single
purchases that are installed at a time not compatible with installation of the
group buy of Daikin-McQuay units will cause additional inconvenience to
other residents of the tier.
The target date for signing up for group purchase (July 31)
is coordinated with an October-November installation schedule to minimize the
inconvenience of heat-cooling shutdowns as well as give the manufacturer ample
time to produce the units. (Installation of HVACs during the coldest or hottest
months may be a hardship depending on the weather.)
Financing
Credit cards may be used for the initial deposit and
subsequent completion of payment. However, you must contact the Quality Air
Service representative (Vicky Liderman) at 301-495-9500 x100 to request and
arrange credit card payment. Your card will not be charged until Quality Air
has received your signed and dated contract, which shows how much the units for
your apartment will cost. Send your signed and dated contract to:
Quality Air Services
12288-I Wilkins Avenue
Rockville, MD 20852
The deadline is July 31, 2014.
