School’s HVAC Maintenance Vendor Comments About the School’s Heating Problems
Why did the school install a boiler system that did not meet its RFP?
Documents recently released by the School Board in response to my right-to-know request include a letter to the school from the school’s HVAC maintenance vendor, Palmer & Sicard, dated January 17, 2025.
The letter has a lengthy section discussing the 2023 boiler replacement. It says:
The award was based on price and the school board was told that the quotes were the same for same.
The letter doesn’t say who told the board this. It compares the request for proposal with the accepted proposal from EMC and finds a large number of items in the RFP that were not in the accepted quote and were not part of the new boiler system.
Two boilers were instead of three.
The piping was not reworked.
The pumps were not relocated.
New pumps were not installed.
A magnetic filter was not installed. (In December the board voted to have two magnetic filters installed at the recommendation of EEI.)
The air system for the boilers’ combustion chambers were not as specified in the RFP.
The new boilers were not tied into the existing emergency call-out system. The system was unplugged and disabled.
The comparison concludes with red, bold text:
There were no contracts or agreements between the Installers and Palmer and Sicard to cover any deficiencies, warranties, or maintenance issues with the new installation.
Other key points from the letter include:
The condition of the heating pipes is in a critical state.
Palmer & Sicard have been telling the school since 2016 that the boiler water was acidic.
On several occasions, Palmer & Sicard suggested to the school that the boiler water be treated to lower the acidity.
The first glycol change was in November 2018.
Palmer & Sicard say they test the water for acidity. This corroborates what the school’s maintenance plan says, but it contradicts what Palmer & Sicard told the School Board on February 15, 2023. Palmer & Sicard say they report the findings to the school; however, the school has told me that they have no reports of the boiler water being tested prior to November 2024.
Palmer & Sicard say they do not treat the boiler water to correct deficiencies. This is done by companies that specialize in it. On several occasions, Palmer & Sicard told the school to have the water treated. There is no mention of whether the water was treated.
The main heating lines have been corroded so badly they must be replaced. Estimated cost: $300k to $315k. Copper piping would be superior to steel, at a cost of $15k more.
The letter calls for a discussion on many issues about the heating system, including:
Should the system continue to use anti-freeze? It can be eliminated at a cost of $25k.
The coils in the air handlers could still fail. These can be replaced at a cost of $20k each. (There are 12 of them).
Thank you for this write up
School board and the Superintendent have failed in their responsibilities!