If timing and weather allow, we will switch to AC as we are able. However, keep in mind that heating will be a priority, and it’s not just a flip of a switch. The temperature of the water in the pipes has to properly modify before we can switch from either heating to cooling or cooling to heating. To explain, we can’t put cold water into the boiler system and we can’t put hot water in the chillers. The transition process can take 6 to 8 hours. Otherwise, we risk damaging pipes and mechanicals.
This makes it awkward if we expect to have to switch back to heat, for example, overnight. Read more about this process in our Original Post below.
We expect to finish the main cooling tower prep work this week. We may be filling it in the next several days, in final preparation for cooling season.
Once that step is complete, our team will be working with our HVAC maintenance crew to pick a day to get the system tested. That may be as soon as this upcoming week. Weather needs to be good enough that we know heat can go off most of the day. That is extraordinarily difficult this time of year, when we know heating service will need to be on at night.
Assuming testing goes well we would be able to start providing cooling on days it is expected to be warm enough and we are able to coordinate a transition.
We will update this post as we know more.
Spring is arriving and our team is beginning seasonal preparations to ready our cooling system.
We will continue providing heating as weather requires, and considering the present weather outlook we are looking at early to mid-April for cooling availability. The biggest obstacle right now is the overnight cold temperatures. We can’t fill our cooling tower, until we have a very low chance for freezing temperatures.
Once cooling is available, our team will balance any day to day change over as best we can until the heating system goes offline for the season. In general, our team is aiming to maintain hallway temperatures in the low 70s which tends to support unit temperatures in the low 70s as well. Many variables influence this process.
Given the time of year, heating remains our priority until June, consistent with the Chicago Heating Ordinance. Typically we need to default to heating service and only switch to cooling if conditions are expected to result in discomfort. At times in the Spring, this can be very difficult to navigate, particularly when we have relatively cool outdoor temps but full sunlight during the day.
It’s not just a flip of a switch. The temperature of the water in the pipes has to properly modify before we can switch from either heating to cooling or cooling to heating. To explain, we can’t put cold water into the boiler system and we can’t put hot water in the chillers. The transition process can take 6 to 8 hours. Otherwise, we risk damaging pipes and mechanicals.
Typically we expect the need for heating with outdoor temps in the mid to low 50s or colder. For cooling we aim for AC availability when the sun is out and temps are around 60 degrees or higher. When the weather changes quickly, switchovers can be challenging. When it’s 40 degrees in the morning, and climbs into the 70s in the early afternoon, the transition will be slow, if it happens at all. Our staff has to consider whether heating will be needed again that night, and the time it takes to switch back over to heat. We realize full sun during the day heats some units very quickly, but there will be times we may not switchover because of the timing.
There are other variables. We have sensors throughout the interior and exterior of the building, which help us analyze conditions. Also, feedback from residents can help trigger manual adjustments which may improve comfort. It will not be 100% comfortable for 100% of our residents, 100% of the time this time of year, but resident comments and observations can help us make adjustments and improve conditions as much as possible. Contact us at parktowercondo-mgmt@habitat.com, or call the office 773-769-3250.