Sometimes – it’s not the cost of the item you bought that surprises you. It’s all the extra costs you didn’t see coming.
Maybe it’s the used car you didn’t realize was close to needing a new transmission. Or that house that, surprise, had bats in the attic. The same holds true for energy recovery wheels. While you’ll research and spec right option for your system, you may not be thinking about install costs. The thing is, you should.
The reason to think about it: energy recovery wheels can get big. We’re talking wheels up to 60,000 CFM in many commercial applications. They can become cumbersome to handle, really fast. And in a replacement situation, or even new construction, that size can affect installation time. However, using a polymer energy recovery wheel that’s truly segmented can significantly reduce that time – and the costs associated with it.
No need for a crane.
When you’re installing a metal energy recovery wheel in a large facility or tight urban area, you’re almost always going to need a crane. Metal wheels are heavier and bulkier than their polymer counterparts.
Also, they’re not segmented like a polymer wheel, you can’t carry it up one piece at a time using a service elevator. Why’s this matter? Well, if you’ve ever needed a crane you know the costs and time associated with it. It’s far from cheap. Not to mention, it’s disruptive to operations.
Less labor. Less money.
Along with a crane operator, you’ll likely need additional labor to help with the installation of a large metal wheel. This can quickly get costly – especially if you use unionized laborers, which often is required.
Because moving and installing a metal wheel is a slow process, you may be on the book for a couple days of additional labor costs. Additionally, you’ll take your own people away from other jobs.
Polymer wheels – even the largest ones – can be handled by a couple workers with relative ease. Because you can move the wheel in pieces – think about it like a large pizza – it’s manageable and efficient.
All this, from not needing a crane to using less labor, means savings for you. It also means less downtime for your HVAC system, which is critical in today’s world, given the importance of ventilation during a pandemic.
If you want to learn more about segmented polymer energy recovery wheels, send us a note or give us a call anytime.