Lead based paint and asbestos control
As your plumbing and hvac contractor, we are always cutting into floors, walls and ceilings to make repairs to water piping, drain piping and heating lines. New legislation about lead based paint and asbestos may add a layer of cost to the consumer which will be very significant if not outrageous.
Many people (contractors, subcontractors, owners, renters, buyers or sellers) are interested or upset about dealing with lead based paint or asbestos in your Colorado residential or commercial property. This blog will not address the laws or regulations for handling the product or the paperwork that is required. Believe me, it is very confusing when dealing with lead paint or asbestos because it seems that many governing bodies have a say in how to handle, dispose-of, certify or document these hazardous materials. Let me set down what should happen when handling these two highly hazardous products.
Colorado Homeowners’ point of view
If you suspect that your home or commercial property has any type of materials containing lead or asbestos, you are encouraged to have your property tested by a LICENSED company who can verify the type of asbestos and the level of potency you may have in the product(s) on your property. If the lead is present in the paint, they will also test for that. Starting with a QUALIFIED and licensed tester is the first step. You will know what you are dealing with and what must be done if you start a remodel on your property. As I said earlier there are many regulations handed down by multiple authorities (OSHA, EPA, HUD, state regulations, etc.) but until you know the degree of problem you have, you cannot layout a plan of attack. Even if you want to make the repair yourself, you as the owner MUST have your property checked by a licensed and insured company. If you hire a subcontractor, he must also have the property checked (if you have not recently done so yourself) and then he will probably make recommendations for licensed individuals who can handle and process the lead paint or asbestos. He cannot tell you that it is not a problem, if there is ANY lead paint on your interior wood, metal or plastic surfaces or if there asbestos present.
Get your property checked because it may affect the sale of the property in the future or any refinance or any future remodel projects. You should protect yourself and get any suspicious product checked because a clean bill of health on your property is what will make the renovation, remodel or expansion project go smoother.
Contractors’ point of view
Most licensed contractors who have been around these past thirty years know that there are rules and regulations for handling, removal, disposal and testing of lead based paints or asbestos. They should not try to ignore this potential hazard because it could contaminate the entire jobsite and also put them out of business. The stories are true. The enforcement of the new rules and regulations are for real and they are substantial. Every contractor and subcontractor should be aware of the potential hazards caused by improper removal of lead based paint and asbestos. They should also know that strict testing is required. If they do not know this, then our suggestion is that you find another contractor. Subcontractors are also held to the same standards and cannot sweep this under the rug with regards to the testing and proper paperwork regarding lead paint and asbestos. There is not excuse for not testing the jobsite for these dangerous products because they are all over both old and new homes today. Import products are not regulated and asbestos can be found on some of the flooring products sold at your local box stores. BE CAREFUL and test first.
Colorado Renter point of view
If you suspect that your rental property contains asbestos or lead based paint, then ask your landlord to have the property tested before you or anyone starts a remodel project, of any size. Ask for a copy of the test results. This is a reasonable request. You are not trying to make it difficult on anyone but you are living in this property and a remodel project could stir up lead in the space your live or allow asbestos to become airborne. So, remember that testing is the first step in the process.
If you have any other comments or concerns, please feel free to ask me. My number is 303-952-8668. I may not have all the answers, but I know people who do. We have used Bill Schaefer of Chief Home Inspections (email Bill@chiefinspection.com or cell# 303-668-7072) when we have any questions or concerns regarding lead paint or asbestos in any property we work in.
Tom D’Agostino, Service Manager
Kimmel Mechanical, Inc.
Complete the HVAC work on time and keep the customer’s business in normal operation
On Tuesday, 1-26-2010, we called for an inspection of the HVAC upgrades that were completed at the Howard Johnsons located at 12100 West 44th Ave., Wheat Ridge, Colorado, 80033. The General Contractor was BDR Construction and we have really enjoyed working for them on various projects this past year.
The reason for the HVAC upgrades was due to damage sustained by the dangerous and damaging hail storm that blew through Wheat Ridge and Lakewood last July. (We live in Wheat Ridge and it took out our Roof, Windows, Siding, deck and garden.) The damage to Howard Johnson’s from this powerful storm was not just limited to the exposed HVAC equipment on the roof, but to the siding, stucco, roof and P-tac units.
There was a Roof Top Unit (RTU) which heated part of the lobby and the restaurant inside the facility and it was badly damaged. Since the equipment was old, the replacement equipment needed to be adapted to the existing roof curb. That took a few tries by the outsourced fabricator, but we were able to hoist up to the roof the curb adaptor which took the weight of the new RTU and kept the water proof seal. (See the attached pictures of our installation in progress.)
There were two up blast kitchen exhaust fans from the hood that were made of aluminum which were also badly damaged by the hail. This change out was easier that the RTU replacement because we used the same manufacturer and the new units sat on the same curbs that existed without any modifications. We only had to adapt the new electrical connections and grease basins to the new fan to complete this replacement.
The real challenge was replacing the refrigeration equipment. The old manufacturer of the three compressor unit was in no hurry to give exact pricing or delivery dates for the single condenser coil which cooled all three compressors or the actual compressors themselves. Refrigerant and technology has changed a great deal since the early 80's, and one immediate challenge was to keep the beer cooler working throughout the entire process for the restaurant. In addition, the holidays had arrived and this work was started around New Years and the restaurant and bar were in full swing, so down time during the busiest week was not going to be tolerated and would result in loss of income for the bar and restaurant .
In order to expedite the process and prevent any down time for the bar and restaurant, we opted to buy three separate new compressor and condenser units, build a custom rack and install them on the same rooftop pad that existed for the custom refrigeration unit that has existed since 1983.
Our HVAC foreman, Mike Bryant, is extremely talented and came up with some great solutions. He created his own stands and welded them at home for this project. Also, much of this work was performed outside in the elements, so the weather conditions added more constraints.
Once the new units were mounted, we were faced with at least four direct shorts to ground for the power to the units. Previously the wiring to these units, coming from inside the facility was faulty and caused some serious electrical hazards. We had to pull new wire from the interior each time.
Eventually we relocated some the equipment from the roof to the various evaporators inside the kitchen and bars. Ultimately our efforts paid off. The walk-in cooler, walk-in freezer and beer cooler were working like a charm with some of the latest equipment, refrigerant and wiring. If it was not for the skill and talent of Mike Bryant and his team members, this job would have never been completed on time.
Our crane service subcontractor, Bill Boom Company, was very skilled and performed perfectly, as they always have in the past. HVAC Supply Company provided us with the RTU and curb and their delivery of the Goodman/Amana equipment was very timely.
This was a great product after all is said and done, but there was some high drama from beginning to end in order to complete the work on time and keep the customer’s business in normal operation. It took skill and talent to complete these unusual situations and I am very proud of our team’s efforts to get the job done.
If you have any questions about this installation or this type of work, please feel free to give us a call. We are always happy to talk to the customers and offer our suggestions and knowledge at no charge. The direct phone number to Kimmel Service is 303-952-8668.
Tom D'Agostino, Kimmel Service Manager