Sometimes – it’s not the cost of the item they bought that surprises them. It’s all the extra costs they didn’t see coming.
Maybe it’s the used car they 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 they’ll research and spec the right option for the system, they may not be thinking about install costs. The thing is, they should.
Polymer energy recovery wheel
The reason to think about it: energy recovery wheels can get big. They’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 they’re installing a metal energy recovery wheel in a large facility or a tight urban area, they’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; they can’t carry it up one piece at a time using a service elevator. Why’s this matter? Well, if they’ve ever needed a crane, they 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, they’ll likely need additional labor to help with the installation of a large metal wheel. This can quickly get costly – especially if they use unionized laborers, which often is required.
Because moving and installing a metal wheel is a slow process, they may be on the book for a couple days of additional labor costs. Additionally, they’ll take their own people away from other jobs.
Less downtime for the HVAC system
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 them. It also means less downtime for the HVAC system, which is critical in the world, given the importance of ventilation during a pandemic. If they want to learn more about segmented polymer energy recovery wheels, send them a note or give them a call anytime.