We now provide a complimentary engineering and layout service for our contractors.
Please contact a sales representative for more information.

Date: November 2, 2009

SpacePak is pleased to announce two new product line enhancements which will be available for shipment January 31, 2010.

The new G Series ESP horizontal air handler features a proprietary MTI control board to accommodate a wide range of control options including:

• System diagnostic flash codes
  • Fan prove
  • Float Switch
  • Freeze-stat
• Plug-in ACM Connection
• Simplified thermostat wiring

The new Air Control Module (ACM) brings the control of ECM technology to small duct high velocity (SDHV) applications. The ACM enables the perfect matching of the SpacePak air distribution system with the widest range of energy efficient outdoor units. Precision air volume control allows for maximum energy savings and home owner comfort. Even greater efficiencies can be achieved when coupled with our new 93% efficient ThermaPak combi boiler.

ACM technology provides the means to accurately and efficiently control air flow volume for:

• Zoning
• Air Circulation
• Indoor air quality filtration
• Night Set-Back
• Soft Start - Soft Stop

Now Available! SpacePak is offering a 30-160mbh boiler unit for heating applications. This boiler unit is over 93% efficient, and therefore may qualify for government rebate. To find our more, check your state's incentives/policies for renewables & efficiency or contact a SpacePak sales representative.

Download the ThermaPak Brochure for more information.

SmartPak^® - A smart solution to environmental awareness

The average duct system loses between 25% and 40% of the energy generated by the air handler, an issue caused by leaks in the system or because of the material used. More energy is then necessary to achieve the desired temperature.

These same flaws can also contribute to poor indoor air quality, drawing in harmful particles or fostering mold growth that can be delivered throughout the home. SmartPak System Duct is specially designed to prevent the loss of energy, reducing overall energy consumption, and also to deliver clean, healthy air throughout the home. These special seals are also simple to install, reducing the contractor's time on the job.

• 100% leak resistant
• Reduced thermal conductivity
• Resistant to mold and mildew growth
• Contains up to 40% recycled materials
• 100% recyclable

For more information, download the SmartPak brochure

hidingductwork.pdf

Turn-of-the-Century and pre-war houses have their charm, but lack of central cooling and heating systems. SpacePak systems can be installed without injuring the aesthetics (and decorative-plaster surfaces) of a period interior.

See the attached PDF for the full story.

geothermal.pdf

This three-story home features cathedral ceilings, an open floor plan, challenging angles, and a walkout basement with sunroom. The steady heat delivered by the ground-source heat pump and the location of the high-velocity air outlets in the ceiling, walls, and floors, is designed to deliver comfort to all levels of the home.

Read the attached PDF for the whole story.

indoorcomfort.pdf

The EnergyWise home is a showcase for energy-efficient design ideas, high performance building materials, and environmentally sound products that outperform traditional building products in any building or remodeling project.
"SpacePak was chosen because no other system can provide such superior comfort, efficiency and ease of installation"

Read the attached PDF for the full story

ZonePak^® - Delivering the right level of warmth and cooling to the spaces you choose, saving energy and money

ZonePak is the smart solution for delivering controlled comfort throughout your environment. Its unique, air-driven damper system is guided by multiple independent, pre-programmed thermostats, creating up to three separate zones of unparalleled comfort while utilizing a single air handler. The select delivery of conditioned air satisfies thermostat needs quickly, allowing the air handler to run more efficiently and reducing overall energy consumption and costs.

A good fit for any structure

ZonePak's applications extend to almost any structure: multi-family or multi-floor dwellings, commercial or retail developments, retrofits or new constructions can all benefit from its unique, energy-efficient technology.

Download the ZonePak brochure for more information

ThermaPak^® - 93% efficient condensing boiler and domestic hot water package

SpacePak presents the ThermaPak boiler. This space saving wall hung compact boiler unit provides high efficient heating for all hydronic baseboard and radiant systems ranging from 30 to 160 MBH. It also boasts a domestic hot water production of over 4 gallons per minute.

• More information about the ThermaPak Boiler
• ThermaPak Literature

When it comes to conserving energy and controlling costs, high velocity air conditioning systems can be a highly economical alternative to traditional air conditioning systems. One charter school in the city of Pomona, California recently learned that lesson.

The city of Pomona California, which was first incorporated in the late 1800s, has gone through a revitalization of sorts in the past several years, transforming part of the city into the Pomona Arts Colony, one of Southern California’s leading community arts clusters.

The colony features many public and private art galleries representing some 1,500 artists, numerous arts-related businesses such as graphic arts firms, as well as architecture and entertainment companies, and is home to nearly 200 individual artists – many of whom live and work in lofts developed in originally commercial buildings.

The Pomona Arts Colony is also home to the School of Arts & Enterprise, a state-certified, public, charter high school that combines a traditional college preparatory curriculum with a focus on the arts and arts businesses. The school is located in the heart of the Arts Colony, and housed in a recently renovated 15,000 sq. ft., two story, concrete and glass building originally built in 1962. The building was originally administration offices for a local university, and features many open areas, drop ceilings, a ground-to-roof glass wall on one side of the building, and is home to classrooms, a 99 seat theatre, conference rooms, a computer laboratory, an art gallery, and administration offices for the school.

“When the School of Arts & Enterprise was being renovated,” said Kevin Bock, president of AmeriAir Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc., of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., a residential and commercial HVAC company that serves Southern California, “we were hired to address the air conditioning situation. The building posed some challenges because the roof was structural concrete so we could not penetrate the roof with duct work, and therefore we could not use package units for the installation.”

In Southern California the need for air conditioning is simply a matter of fact, and given today’s rapidly increasing energy costs, particularly in California, many building owners want the most energy efficient systems available, as well as a system that offers zone cooling.

“When we were hired, the building was being served by a single aging 50 ton air-conditioning unit that was housed on the roof of the building. The air was either on or off in the entire building, so there was no zone control, and due to the building’s open architecture design and the inefficiencies of the original air conditioning system, some areas just would not cool down sufficiently. In addition there were constant mechanical problems with the AC unit, and the owner was spending more money than necessary to air condition the facility,” said Bock.

Bock’s first recommendation was to eliminate the old central air conditioning system and replace it with a more efficient high velocity air conditioning system manufactured by SpacePak of Westfield, Mass.

“We replaced 50 tons of conventional air-conditioning, with several small SpacePak units totaling 36 tons,” said Bock. “It was a reduction of 168,000 Btu/hr. of air-conditioning capacity and not only where we able to accomplish the goal of efficiently cooling the space, but we saved the school about $35,000 in installation cost, and in the process provided added efficiency, and the ability to cool specific spaces in the facility without having to cool the entire building. In addition, because the SpacePak system removes about 30 percent more humidity than conventional air-conditioning, the system can be set at a higher temperature and still keep the students and teachers comfortable.”

Bock first learned about SpacePak from ACH Supply, a distributor located in Irwindale, Calif. ACH had worked with Bock and his crew by providing comprehensive product training and support services. “Our goal is to provide all the technical and product information that we can to ensure that the contractors are both knowledgeable and confident when it comes to installing SpacePak systems,” said Craig Heald, sales manager for ACH Supply. “And we are very confident in AmeriAir’s installation abilities.” In addition to providing training, ACH Supply also provided Bock with installation materials to support the SpacePak sale.

As with many of the buildings in the Arts Center, the School of Arts & Enterprise has an open floor plan. As such, the installation required that the vast majority of the new air conditioning duct work would be exposed. To make matters more complicated, the project had to be completed quickly and it could not be disruptive to the students. It took Bock and his crew of four three weeks to remove the old system and most of the existing duct work, and install the new system.

“We had to work some odd hours to accommodate the school’s schedule,” said Bock. “Lots of the installation was had to be done before school or after hours. We also tried to be as economical as possible, by leaving some of the existing duct work which we converted into returns for the new SpacePak system,” he said. “One of the nice things about this type of high velocity system is that the installation is very flexible and does not involve lots of construction or mess and does not disrupt the existing walls, floors or ceilings.”

The new system includes nine individual fan-coil units -- three 5-ton units, three 4-ton units and three 3-ton units -- all of which are housed in the building’s attic. Each fan coil is relatively small in size, the largest of which is approximately 14-in. (h) x 43-in. (w) x 30-in. (l) so there was ample space to install multiple units. From the individual fan coil units, the system includes a nine-inch wide insulated plenum duct which was installed throughout the building, mostly at ceiling height. Because the building only has drop ceilings on the first level, much of the space did not require use of the standard two-inch air supply lines, Bock and his crew cut holes strategically in the plenum duct lines. Each unit is also attached to a Trane condensing unit installed on the building’s roof.

This air distribution system is based on a principle known as aspiration, where the air is injected into the room at a much higher velocity (i.e. 1600 – 2000 ft./min.) than with conventional air conditioning systems (i.e. 300 – 400 ft./min.). As a result, the system provides complete air circulation throughout the space, eliminating the typical 2-3 degree temperature stratification between the floor and ceiling.

“The plenum lines, rather than a series of individual supply lines, provide a good percentage of the cooled air throughout the school,” said Bock. “We designed and cut a series of holes in the plenum lines to direct the cooled air where we needed it to go. The result is an efficient air conditioning system that can cool the usable parts of the entire building. In addition, the School can now monitor different areas throughout the building and each classroom is on its own system for maximum flexibility and comfort.”

Take the computer laboratory as an example. The large room required nearly 175-feet of nine-round plenum trunk line just to reach the room on the first floor. The space, which is warmer than many other areas due to all the computer equipment, is cooled by one of the 3-ton SpacePak units.

“The first floor rooms have suspended ceilings. In those rooms, we ran the standard insulated two-inch flexible tubing from the plenum line directly to ceiling outlet terminations in those rooms. In the end, the system is very easy to install and did not require any significant renovation in the building.”

“Overall we are very happy with the SpacePak system,” said Cathy Tessier, the building owner. “We used to get constant complaints about the air conditioning system, but we have not had any complaints, which I attribute to the new system and our ability now to cool specific rooms.”

When all was said and done, Bock and his crew installed nearly 1,000 feet of trunk line plenum throughout the facility. “We completed the project on time and on budget,” said Bock, assuring his team an A+ in the installation.

H_&_CT_Vol_1_-_Tuscon.pdf

Providing an efficient cooling system for a home in the desert is difficult under most circumstances, however, when the home is 4,200 square feet, and full of wide open spaces, 15- and 25-foot high ceilings, lots of windows, and virtually no room for traditional ductwork, the project is especially difficult.

That’s exactly what the Michael Hollywood Company faced in a remodeling job in the Catalina Foothills of Tucson, Arizona.

“It was a challenge from the beginning,” said Mike Hollywood, owner of the HVAC contracting firm hired to condition the renovated space. “The architect and home owner chose a beautiful, open and very airy design that had high ceilings, as well as a second floor bedroom and sitting room. The problem was that there is no space for traditional ductwork and no dropped ceilings.”

As a result of the design, Hollywood began searching for a solution. He needed a system that would deliver the conditioning demand that the home required, and at the same time address the issue of not having space for ductwork.

The High Velocity Epiphany

While Hollywood had read about high velocity systems, he had never installed one. He knew that if ever there was a building custom built for such a system, it was surely this home.

After researching the various high velocity systems on the market and going to see several jobs in Arizona and in Pomona, California, Hollywood decided that the SpacePak system had the most promise for the project. After all, it was the original high velocity air-conditioning system, and it had a great track record.

“I liked the SpacePak system for a number of reasons, but what really sold me was seeing some of the interesting installations. Due to SpacePak’s unique “kwik connect” air distribution components, the SpacePak system installations were significantly cleaner and neater than others that we saw.” said Hollywood. “I actually flew to Southern California with the homeowner to see some SpacePak projects, and we really liked what we saw.”

Beyond the aesthetics, obviously an important consideration, Hollywood determined that SpacePak’s mini-duct system was ideally suited for the allocated space in the home, and that the right combination of equipment had ample conditioning capacity. He also determined that the high velocity system was acoustically acceptable for the homeowner and the project.

“Providing the proper amount of conditioning was one of my primary concerns,” said Hollywood. “The size and load required that two separate systems be installed, which at first was a bit of a concern.”

Hollywood’s concerns were alleviated, however, when he realized that with a traditional central air-conditioning system the project would have required 10 tons, but with the SpacePak system, only eight tons of AC was required. This was also welcome news to the homeowner, as the equipment costs – particularly for the condensing units -- were less expensive, and they would save energy on an on-gong basis.

It’s Hot Up There

“Another concern was the difference in heat-load between the upstairs and the downstairs during the extreme summer temperatures in Tucson,” said Hollywood. “The upstairs system would be required to run more than the downstairs system due to the rising hot air and the building’s design.”

During the rough stages of construction, Hollywood installed two SpacePak systems. The system includes insulated two-inch tubing or ductwork that easily fits inside walls and ceilings. All you see of the finished product are the small round air outlets – each about the diameter of a CD – which can be located on walls, ceilings or in floors. An air-handler unit is installed in the attic, basement or crawlspace. For the project, the air handlers were installed in the equipment room which is located in the attached garage.

When the project was complete, Hollywood and the homeowner found that the SpacePak system was as quiet and efficient as they had originally thought, and that there was no issue of temperature differential.

The True Test: 75 Guests and 100º Temperatures

It was not until August that the SpacePak system was put to the test, as the homeowners held a party for 75 guests in 100 degree weather. The air flow and conditioning provided by the SpacePak system proved to be more than up to the challenge.

“The homeowner told me that it was very hot when they had the party, but that the entire home stayed nice and cool despite all the people,” said Hollywood. “It is a great system for this area, and a wonderful solution for homes without space for ductwork.”

As for The Michael Hollywood Company? Well, they’ve become one of the premiere SpacePak installers in the Tucson area.

For additional information, please contact SpacePak at 413/564-5530 or visit www.spacepak.com. The Michael Hollywood Company, which specializes in HVAC work, can be reached at 520/290-0617.

H_&_CT_Vol_3_-_St_Rose2.pdf

The St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, a stunning gothic structure completed and consecrated more than 115 years ago, had awed and inspired generations of its members. Yet to churchgoers, the historic landmark in Perrysburg, Ohio, had one major drawback – it had no air conditioning system to relieve parishioners from the hot, humid and uncomfortable Ohio summer temperatures.

Nick Getzinger of Northwest Mechanical, Inc. was tasked with servicing the various mechanical systems of the church. In the spring of 2003, as temperatures began to rise and parishioner attendance began the annual summer decline due to the uncomfortably warm services, Getzinger contacted his wholesale HVAC distributor, TTI Maumee Equipment of Perrysburg in search of an air-conditioning option that would provide a more comfortable environment in the church.

Preserve the Beauty

“The greatest concern was to preserve the integrity of the beautiful structure,” said Mark Evans, president of TTI Maumee Equipment. “We were all concerned about the impact that adding ductwork for a central air conditioning system would have on the elaborate, decorative finishes of St. Rose’s, so we immediately ruled out a conventional air conditioning system,” he said.

The alternative was a state-of-the-art mini-duct or high-velocity air conditioning system that does not require the typical ductwork, or the related construction.

“SpacePak was the perfect solution for the job because it doesn’t require the major remodeling you would need to install traditional air conditioning equipment,” Evans said. “Plus, we wanted the AC outlets to blend in seamlessly with the artwork and beauty of the church,” he said.

SpacePak, a high velocity air conditioning system, uses flexible tubing that easily threads through existing spaces in walls, ceilings, and floors, making the remodeling usually required to install metal ductwork framing, obsolete. SpacePak provides draft-free AC through a network of inconspicuous two-inch round outlets that are available in a wide variety of designs and colors to blend in with virtually any décor – including that at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church.

The Plot Thickens

Unfortunately, Evans soon discovered that a conventional SpacePak installation with one air handler and one return would not be sufficient for this project due to the massive size of the facility. The St. Rose’s space covered approximately 34,000 square feet, and the floor to ceiling height inside the nave was 45 feet tall at the peak. Determined not to give up on the SpacePak system, Evans contacted John Mottinger of Mottinger Associates, the local SpacePak representative, to review the job.

“We all estimated that to adequately cool the entire structure would require 25 tons of air conditioning,” said Mottinger, “and that was the initial problem since the largest SpacePak unit is only five tons.”

In addition, because the church would only be cooled for the services and not run full time, the SpacePak system would have to effectively condition the large space in a relatively short period of time, and without disrupting church services.

Mottinger was convinced that a custom SpacePak configuration would be well-suited for the application, and after an initial walkthrough, a plan and equipment list was developed that included nine air handlers, 400 feet of plenum, 3,500 feet of two-inch supply tubing, and all the related accessories.

The plan was to attack the problem from both the ground-level and from ceiling height in order to efficiently cool the massive space. The locations for the air outlets were determined by the availability of existing structures to be used as mounting points. As such, these outlets were installed in high ceiling areas as well as in the four-foot-high radiator enclosures that ran along both sides of the sanctuary.

The ceiling-mounted terminations were grouped into pairs and mounted in black 10-inch round lighting fixtures that do not actually contain any lighting.

“These faux lighting outlets blended seamlessly into the ceiling, and based on their mounting height, the supply air now falls onto parishioners in the pews below, without creating a draft,” said Mottinger.

Terminations mounted on the floor in the radiator covers involved four outlets grouped together per cover with air directed straight upwards. The radiator grill covers were used to mask the terminals.

“This system sends the conditioned air upwards which, in concert with the ceiling diffusers blowing down, creates a rotation of air in the entire space,” said Mottinger. “It works very efficiently, and most importantly, is whisper-quiet.”

This process SpacePak employs is called aspiration. In this and all SpacePak applications, outlets are engineered in such a way as to gently mix cool air with room air. Temperatures remain the same from floor to ceiling while also ensuring a draft-free environment.

“The result was that we were able to install a stealth AC system that was virtually unnoticeable to church members,” said Mottinger. “Plus, the beautiful artwork and decorations in the sanctuary are protected against the effects of high humidity and condensation when the system is in operation,” he added. SpacePak uses a six row cooling coil, three times deeper than conventional air conditioning, which results in colder, drier air. Lower humidity levels create a more comfortable environment, even at higher temperatures, which saves operating costs.

“We were able to achieve the results we wanted, while preserving the historical beauty of the church – and without causing any disruptive noises or breezes while the system is in use,” said Evans.

H_&_CT_Vol_5_-_Greenbriar.pdf

In a commercial setting, how can you reduce your cooling equipment size and cost, while still providing sufficient AC to all of the tenants in your building? That was the question that Oasis Mechanical of Lanham, Maryland had to answer when addressing the needs of the Greenbriar Community Building in Greenbelt, Maryland.

The Greenbriar Community Building is a small commercial office building (approximately 6,000 square feet in size) that was undergoing a renovation. Originally, the building was occupied by a single tenant, however, when that tenant moved to a new location, the building owner decided to partition the building into four separate business offices. As a result, the renovated, single-story facility required four separate HVAC systems to allow each tenant to control their individual heating and cooling requirements.

The Original Plan

“The original plan called for four separate heat pump systems. Two 7.5-ton and two 5-ton systems, for a total of 25 tons of heating and cooling. At 12,000 Btu/ton, that was a considerable load. In addition, each zone required approximately 260 CFM untempered fresh air, per the ASHRAE 62.1 ventilation code,” said Dennis Bean of Oasis Mechanical.

Several contractors bid the project as originally specified – including Oasis Mechanical. With the four separate systems – two of which required their own mechanical room in the office space – the cost in terms of equipment dollars and lost billable space was significant. “We sensed from the beginning that the scope of the project might be an issue,” said Oasis’ Rick Cummings, “so we brought in Ken Herne, a SpacePak representative with Harry Eklof Associates.”

SpacePak is a high velocity air-conditioning system originally designed for installation in residential applications where traditional AC ductwork is not an option. The SpacePak system is also used in commercial applications, and in the case of the Greenbriar facility, SpacePak was the ideal choice.

SpacePak pioneered flexible central air conditioning nearly 40 years ago. The SpacePak system distributes conditioned air through a network of flexible, insulated two-inch in diameter tubing. This flexible duct work can be installed inside existing 2 x 4 wall structures and around obstructions without requiring extensive construction or renovation to the property. A small air-handler is typically installed in the attic, basement, mechanical space, or recessed in the existing ceiling space.

Oasis Mechanical had installed several SpacePak systems in condominium buildings, and Oasis partners Dennis Bean and Rick Cummings thought that the Greenbriar facility might also benefit from a SpacePak system. They were concerned however, that the largest SpacePak system at 5 tons, would not be large enough for the application.

Thinking Outside of the Box

Herne was brought in to evaluate the project and see if a SpacePak system could work. The need to meet ASHRAE 62.1 made the project complex. Herne, an outside-of-the-box thinker, confirmed that the 5-ton SpacePak system would not be sufficient, but suggested an unusual solution – marry the SpacePak system to an energy recovery system.

Herne and his team soon found the Lifebreath TRV energy recovery equipment. By adding this equipment to the design, they could reduce the load of the untempered fresh air by 65 percent and still meet the ASHRAE 62.1 requirement.

The unique TRV system is a compact dual core system designed to move stale, contaminated air from inside to the outside. At the same time, the system draws clean fresh air in from the outside. The two air streams pass through the TRV without mixing. Instead, they pass on either side of an HRV style heat exchanger core first (sensible load) which transfers heat from the outgoing to the incoming air, and then an ERV style core, which reduces the latent load of the untempered air in the summer, and helps maintain humidity levels of the space in the winter by providing fresh but tempered air into the facility.

SpacePak systems are ultra quiet and nearly invisible once installed. All you see in each room is a small round air-outlet about the diameter of a CD. The outlets can be installed through floors, walls or ceilings, and can be painted or covered with wallpaper. There are not any large ductwork systems that consume large amounts of space or the unsightly appearance of space air conditioners inside or outside of the building. Most important, with a SpacePak unit, there is no noisy, drafty operation, and no need to install, remove and store air conditioner units at the end of the season.

“With the combined system and ventilation recovery equipment, we reduced the total system tonnage requirement from 25 tons to 18 tons. The new system would include two 5-ton units and two 4-ton units, which had offered several benefits,” said Herne.

Huge Savings

First, the newly configured system reduced the overall cost of the equipment for the owner, the need for conventional AC ductwork, and also the labor by one-third for installing the system. This shaved approximately $80,000 from the original project estimate.

Second, the SpacePak equipment was small enough that it did not require a separate mechanical room in the office space, which provided the building owner with more billable space.

Third, due to the flexibility of the system and the two-inch flexible ductwork, the system can be easily re-arranged down the road if or when the space requires further reconfiguration.

Last but not least, the downsized equipment is seven tons smaller and will provide a significant energy operating cost savings to the owner on an on-going basis.

“The owner is very happy with the solution,” said Cummings. “Oasis Mechanical provided a unique solution to his problem by working closely with the local sales representative and design engineering firm. It’s a great showcase project for Oasis as well as for SpacePak.”

For nearly 30 years it stood vacant, an empty reminder of times passed. The old Victorian style home located in Weehawken, N.J. on the banks of the Hudson River, with all its splendor, opulent scroll work, horse-hair plaster, and gorgeous wood floors, was built in the mid 1800s, undoubtedly the home of a wealthy New York businessman.

After remaining vacant for 30 years, the property was purchased and underwent a major renovation from stem to stern. As part of the renovation, SpacePak high velocity air conditioning was installed.

According to Martin Masters, of Martin Masters Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc., of Midland Park, N.J., the SpacePak system is ideally suited for this type of home and this type of renovation, because unlike with traditional central air conditioning, the mini-duct systems do not require the use of large ducting systems, and therefore the installation does not involve major construction or renovation.

SpacePak pioneered flexible central air conditioning nearly 30 years ago. The SpacePak system distributes conditioned air through a network of flexible, insulated 2-inch in diameter tubing. This flexible duct work can be installed inside existing 2 x 4 wall structures and around obstructions without requiring extensive construction or renovation to the property. A small air-handler is typically installed in the attic, although it can also be installed in the basement.

For the New Jersey home, two SpacePak units were used to cool the approximately 3,500 square foot home. A 2.5 ton air handling unit was installed in the attic to handle the second and third floors of the home. A smaller, 2 ton unit was installed in the basement to handle the first floor.

SpacePak systems are ultra quite and nearly invisible once installed. All you see in each room is a small round air-outlet about the diameter of a CD. The outlets can be installed through floors, walls or ceilings, and can be painted or covered with wallpaper. There are not any large ductwork systems that consume large amounts of space or the unsightly appearance of space air conditioners inside or outside of the home. Most important, with a SpacePak unit, there is no noisy, drafty operation, and no need to install, remove and store air conditioner units at the end of the season.

One of the really great features of the SpacePak system is a deep coil design that can remove about 30% more moisture from the air than a conventional air conditioner, says Masters. With a lower humidity level, the home will feel more comfortable even at slightly higher thermostat settings.

For the New Jersey installation, Masters and his crew of three men had to be extra careful due to the age of the home. Great care was taken with the horse-hair plaster walls and ceilings, and ornate plaster scrollwork.

It took a bit longer than usual to complete the installation due to the difficulty of working with antique building components. But the home is a showcase property and he wanted to make sure that the installation was flawless. In addition, working with the aged construction materials in the home added a degree of difficulty for the project.

The SpacePak system cools through aspiration, not diffusion and therefore uses less air volume than conventional AC systems. A high velocity air stream gently mixes with the air in the room to provide uniform, draft-free cooling.

In addition, SpacePak offers ElectriPak, an innovative electric heat module that can be added to the standard SpacePak air distribution system. The New Jersey home included this heating option.

The ElectriPak uses the existing SpacePak mini duct system to provide electric heat to the building. While it can be used as the primary heat source, the ElectriPak is often installed as a supplemental heating source. In the case of the New Jersey home, the heating element was installed as a secondary heat source for use before the really cold weather sets in.

When all was said and done, the installation went very well and the crew from Martin Masters did a wonderful job.

Country_Creek_(Vol_7).pdf

Log homes are not built like most other types of homes or buildings. In fact, by definition log homes have solid exterior walls with some solid interior walls, too. So when it comes to installing central air conditioning, there is often very limited space for ductwork, returns, and other mechanical necessities. The problem gets more complicated when the home design has an open floor plan and even fewer walls.

This was the case that K+K Builders faced when installing a central air conditioning system at the County Creek Log Home development in Chesterton, Indiana.

Country Creek Log Homes (www.countrycreeklh.com) is a residential development on a 40 acre parcel of land located in Northwest Indiana on the Southern shore of Lake Michigan. The log home community is divided into 17 lots ranging in size from 1¼ to 4¾ acres, and each of the elevated lots has a view of one of the property’s two ponds. Rust and tan colored stone outcroppings, stone hedges, and graceful pines adorn the rustic country setting where deer, waterfowl, and other wildlife roam freely.

As any developer will tell you, the model home can be a critical element in the sales process. As such, nothing can be left to chance when it comes to the model home’s amenities and mechanical systems.

In the Country Creek development, the model is a two story 2,300 square foot show home with a lager, 2,600 square foot walk-out basement that also serves as the office for the development. All 4,900 square feet of space in the home and office is heated and air-conditioned.

“It was clear from the beginning that a conventional air-conditioning system would not be ideal for these properties,” said Robert Grant, the developer. “I had known about SpacePak for some time and it was clear that this installation would require skills to make it work. It is not a plug and play environment, and SpacePak worked with us to make it successful.”

SpacePak pioneered flexible central air conditioning nearly 40 years ago. The SpacePak system distributes conditioned air through a network of flexible, insulated two-inch diameter tubing. This flexible duct work can be installed inside existing 2 x 4 wall structures and around obstructions without requiring extensive construction or renovation to the property. A small air-handler is typically installed in the attic, basement, mechanical space, or recessed in the existing ceiling space.

Paul Knowles, owner of K+K Builders, was familiar with the SpacePak system and had some history with the product.

“One of the critical issues was where to hide the mini-duct work and the return since the log home does not have the ceiling heights or wall structure that a traditional home provides,” said Knowles. “In addition, the home does not have an attic for the plenum.”

The log home was designed with a chase that went from the basement through the second floor. Besides housing the chimney, the chase would become home for the main SpacePak plenum as well as for some of the flexible tube ductwork that branched out to individual spaces, and the return.

“One of the problems we encountered,” said Grant “was that the original design called for placing a second section of plenum – installed horizontally -- under the first floor in the truss system, where we would feed the flexible tubing through the truss. However, the truss chase opening was not in the right location, so we had to turn the system perpendicular to what was originally planned. In the end, it did not make any difference to the system’s performance.”

The two-inch diameter insulated flexible tubing that distributes the high velocity air, was brought to the first floor from the basement. Outlets were strategically placed in the floors throughout the first level of the structure.

SpacePak systems are ultra quiet and nearly invisible once installed. All you see in each room is a small round air-outlet about the diameter of a CD. The outlets can be installed in floors, walls or ceilings, and can be painted or covered with wallpaper. Decorative wood, brass and other finishes are also available. The system does not require large ductwork systems that consume valuable space or the unsightly appearance of space air conditioners inside or outside of the building. Most important, with a SpacePak unit, there is no noisy, drafty operation, and no need to install, remove and store air conditioner units at the end of the season.

The home’s second floor posed more installation challenges. Because the second floor of the home was constructed with solid 6 x 8-inch beams, there are no joists or space between the floors to house the flexible tubing. Instead, the air distribution tubing was provided to the second floor through the central chase, and into individual rooms through the 2 x 4 interior walls.

“Placing the vents throughout the home was a challenge,” said Knowles. “The home features several different types of wood including hickory, cherry, walnut and maple, so each area had to have the matching wood-type outlet cover to keep them as inconspicuous as possible. In fact, one of the outlets was hidden in the stonework in the home’s kitchen.”

The 2.5 ton system consists of the air handler, condenser and duct work. The condenser is located outside of the building on a concrete pad. It took a two-man crew about one week to complete the project.

“The entire SpacePak team did a great job on this project,” said Grant. “They really wanted to work with us, and now have a beautiful showcase project that we can both be proud of.”