Vance Godwin, Supervisor

Matt Smith, Shop Leader

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Effective January 2004 as part of reorganization, the School Board approved combining the Heating & Ventilating and Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Shops to form the Heating & Air Shop. The new shop consists of one Construction/Maintenance Supervisor, one Shop Leader, one Maintenance Mechanic II (Welder), three Maintenance Mechanic I, ten HVAC/R Technician, seven Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Mechanic, and two Heating & Ventilation Mechanic positions. Each Technician and Mechanic is assigned a specific area to maintain.

This Shop is responsible for maintaining and repairing all gas-fired equipment; and maintaining and repairing, with some installation, of all pressurized vessels such as hot water heaters, pressurized steam cookers, water storage vessels, etc. This Shop is also responsible for installing and maintaining all kitchen equipment such as stoves, soup kettles, mixers, hot carts, hand carts, dishwashers, and ventilating systems, not only in the kitchens, but also the entire school facility. This shop is also responsible for maintaining all hot water or steam heating systems, pumps, piping, boilers. This shop is also responsible for maintaining, and sometimes installing equipment that uses the refrigeration principles. This includes any size refrigerators and freezers from small domestic models to large walk-in models; air conditioners, i.e., window units to large reciprocating and centrifugal chillers; heat pumps of all sizes; air handling equipment from small room units to very large units with water coils and direct expansion types. The Heating & Air Shop maintains all the solid state electronic, mechanical, electrical and pneumatic control systems associated with all equipment within its area of responsibility. The Heating & Air Shop is responsible for removing and installing the window unit itself. There are sixteen centrifugal chillers on maintenance contract. These contracts cover the basic machine and its starter panel only. All auxiliary equipment such as pumps, motors, cooling towers, fans, blowers, and all piping and controls are maintained by the Air Conditioning Shop. In those schools having hydronic systems, the Heating & Air Shop maintains both heating and cooling systems. In some all electric schools, the Heating & Air Shop maintains large multistage electric boilers.

The Heating & Air Shop is responsible for changing filters on all heat pumps and air handlers. This shop maintains in excess of 3,500 filters, with a total tonnage of over 10,000 tons. It is the school Principal's responsibility to have Custodians change window air conditioning filters.

This shop receives written work orders from the Heating & Air Shop Supervisor and Shop Leader. Emergency calls are dispatched by the Maintenance Dispatcher.

Sometimes it is necessary to work with other Shops when work overlaps and a team effort must prevail. The welder will sometimes work closely with the Grounds Crew, Locksmith Shop, or may even lend services to the Transportation Garage.

It is a requirement that the Heating & Ventilation Mechanics maintain constant preventative maintenance on boilers. All gas and electric pressurized vessels (boilers) must carry a current certificate of operation from the State Fire Marshal's office with yearly inspections performed by the Hartford Insurance Company.

This shop maintains all natural gas lines plus the gas metering devices that are run on the school campuses. This Shop is responsible for bolting down all equipment in the vocational shops to maintain a safe environment. These employees are responsible for maintaining a large majority of the air compressors throughout the District. All of the welding and metal fabrication is also done in this shop, i.e., welding of all large gas lines, welding and retubing on boilers, and building and installing handrails. This shop also fabricates steel guards for security purposes where needed. The Shop manufactures metal stands for the basketball goals and maintains all metal P.E. equipment in the District.

All work is done in compliance with National, State and local codes and the State Requirements for Educational Facilities (SREF) when referenced.

Work is received on a daily basis or emergency requests from the Maintenance Dispatcher. This shop is completing approximately 200 work requests per month.