Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

New Vents Solve Old Problems

  • 01/01/15
Spirovents

Spirovents helped solve many of the heating problems experienced by Carman Hall, the “problem child” of facilities at Eastern Illinois University.

After having tried numerous other methods, the first Spirovent was installed in Carman Hall at Eastern Illinois University (EIU) in Charleston, to deal with a long history of no heat calls and clogging valves. The very next season resulted in almost no calls or valve issues in this two-pipe high-rise residence hall. Since then, almost all residence halls have Spirovents installed as well as academic buildings and the central loop.

Carman Hall was considered the “problem child” by the campus maintenance staff. The students residing in the 30-year-old twin-tower high rise in the far southeast corner of the campus averaged two to three calls per day complaining about the lack of heat. The record, though, was more than 25 calls in one weekend. Carman Hall is heated using a two-pipe system that takes steam from the central plant and converts it to hot water.

The Spirovent, made by Spirotherm, Inc. employs the patented Spirotube® coalescing/barrier medium to scrub air and dirt from hot and chilled water systems with unprecedented efficiency. The air is released from the top of the unit via a patented air release mechanism, while the dirt falls to the bottom and collects in the dirt chamber where it can be blown down through a manual or automatic blow-down valve.

Because Spirovent units are so simple to install, there was no reason to hire a contractor, and the maintenance staff did the installation. EIU states that there has been a definite improvement in system performance since the Spirovent was installed.

The valve clogging problems have been virtually eliminated and the no-heat calls have all but disappeared. Rick Bagwell, the environmental control foreman at the time, remarks, “I’m very happy with the Spirovents and what they can do. I was skeptical at first because we’ve tried many things and none of them worked. Spirovents are the first that did.”

www.spirotherm.com

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • Campus Safety Requires Using Every Resource Available

    Across the U.S., school and campus leaders are facing a security landscape that has changed dramatically over the past decade. Incidents on school property have increased in recent years, with several consecutive years setting record totals. According to analysis of data by CNN, dozens of shootings now occur on school grounds annually across K-12 and higher education environments.

  • Higher Ed is Betting on New Buildings While Quietly Undermining Their Campuses — Here’s Why

    In this climate, the owner’s representative has changed from a delivery-focused advisor to a strategic campus partner. Institutions are increasingly relying on owner’s reps not just to manage, cope, schedule, and budget, but also help evaluate whether a project should proceed at all.

  • Wold Architects & Engineers Announces Acquisition of JJCA

    Wold Architects & Engineers, based in Minneapolis, Minn., recently announced that it has acquired JJCA, an architecture firm based in Nashville, Tenn., according to a press release. JJCA specializes in healthcare and education design; the partnership allows both firms to expand their presence across the country while building on existing strengths.

  • Health & Science Building

    Health & Science Building

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. The College of Western Idaho's Health & Science Building has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Project of Distinction award in the category of New Construction.