University Club – Boiler Replacement

Project Description

The University Club Boiler Replacement project was a complex renovation in an existing 1921 building in Washington, DC. The project consisted of installing:

• 2 Fulton high efficiency boilers
• 1 Fuel Oil Pump
• 1 Kitchen Make-up Air Unit
• 4 Domestic Water Heat Exchangers
• 1 Pool Heat Exchanger
• Pumps and Fan Coil Units

A summary of the scope of work was to replace 2 existing steam boilers with 2 new high efficiency boilers from September through January while maintaining heat and domestic hot water in the occupied building. The work started with a comprehensive coordination drawing showing the new piping being installed with the existing piping in place.

Mallick Mechanical rented a temporary boiler and due to access and space limitations in the alley, the boiler had to be removed from the trailer and placed underneath the existing cooling tower. Mallick then constructed a weatherproof enclosure around the temporary boiler. Once the temporary boiler piping was complete the heat supply was transferred from the existing steam boilers to the temporary boiler.

Coakley & Williams Construction had their demo contractor cut the existing steam boilers into pieces and carry it up the narrow stairwell to be disposed of outside. The concrete poured steps leading down to the basement level then needed to be removed and excavated an additional 2 feet deeper to allow enough height to rig the new boilers in place. After the boilers were rigged down this steep slope, they were maneuvered around the basement level to a hole that was cut into an interior wall. The boilers were then rigged through the hole and lowered onto the slab in the lower level boiler room. By this time in the project, the majority of the mechanical piping and other subsidiary equipment had already been installed. All that was remaining was the final connections to the boilers and the installation of the boiler flue.

The existing brick surrounding the 7 story chimney didn’t have the structural integrity to allow attachment of devices to safely allow a man to install the flue from the top of the chimney. The alley was not wide enough to allow us to use a crane to assist in installing the flue from the top. Mallick Mechanical was able to develop a plan to allow the flue to be installed from the bottom of the chimney and raise it using rigging apparatuses. Each time the flue was raised, we would add an additional piece to the bottom and continue to raise it until it was at the top of the chimney.

Mallick Mechanical installed additional shut off valves in the piping system so that once the new boilers were started up and producing the necessary hot water, we were able to isolate the temporary boiler from the system. Last but not least, the temporary boiler and associated piping was removed. This project was performed with minimal shut downs and the building remained occupied 24 hours a day / 7 days a week during the entire construction phase.

How do you deliver a new boiler? View our pictorial guide.