Tuesday, March 28, 2017

Heating and cooling at MSU

This time of year goes from hot to cold in a matter of hours. 

With the significant changes in weather conditions that occur during Kentucky springs, the staff at Facilities Management puts extensive thought, planning, and research into when it is best to transition from heating to cooling.

Today, March 28 is warm but last week at this time it was cold. We watch weather trends and have monitored that temperatures begin to remain consistent in the first two weeks of April.

This year the transition process will begin on April 10 through April 14. 

The process is much different than changing the thermostat in your home. Many of the buildings have a two-pipe system which means it either heats or cools but does not do both. 

Our staff will begin cleaning and filling the towers, cleaning the outside of the air conditioning condensers, and doing inspections. This is a lengthy process that requires man power and the proper equipment. It can take an entire work day to complete one building. 

We also must ensure that the weather is warm because cold temperatures could cause the systems to fail. And once these two-pipe systems are switched to cooling they cannot be switched back to heat until the fall due to the coolant used.

The transition coincides with the process our Heating and Water Treatment facility manages. A steam tunnel runs through part of campus and the steam is used for heat during the fall/ winter and chilled water cools buildings in the spring/summer.

Facilities Management works diligently to provide the most comfortable conditions possible for students and employees at Morehead State University. We appreciate your patience and hope that having the information gives better understanding to the reasoning and process.

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