Break Thru was contracted to demolish and remove outdated boilers, chillers, and associated piping and valves. This project required a significant amount of preplanning, engineering, patience, and finesse to be completed properly while maintain the adjacent active mechanical systems that remained. Many components of this system were as high as 20 feet above the finished floor (on the 4th and 29th floors of the building) and needed to be carefully lowered to prevent damage of the adjacent active mechanical systems as well as the floor slabs. This project was completed on time and without incident.
Challenges and Fun Facts:
- Numerous valves weighed more than 2 tons and were located 20 feet in the air
- The building was built with a waffle slab construction. This posed a challenge because there are points of the slab that are thinner and weaker than a standard cast in place construction. This was extremely important to consider while lowering, handling, and storing heavy pipes and valves.
- The tool of choice throughout this project was the torch. While utilizing ensuring there was more than adequate air ventilation was of extreme importance for the health of the crew and the building occupants. This was accompanied with a combination of fans, negative air machines with carbon filters, and smoke eaters ensured there was clean air inside and outside of the workspace.
- Also utilized to assist with this project were some of our skid-steers. All our skid-steers have clean Tier-4 engines. This maintained clean air for crews and building occupants working inside the building. Tier-4 engines also eliminates the lingering smell of diesel exhaust fumes during operation and after work was complete.
