A health clinic helping individuals from underserved communities near Santa Cruz, California was recently in desperate need of updated HVAC and boiler system. The client was seeking a contractor who could complete the work in three phases, one for each floor of the building, without interrupting the staff’s ability to care for their patients. To complicate things further, the contractor would have to be cautious of the highly flammable and hazardous materials that are often present in medical facilities. It was clear the job would be no small feat.
Ian Barcelos, owner of ICR Industries, and his five employees stepped up to the challenge. Over the course of a week, the team had used approximately 6,000 feet of pipe, 48 can coils and 120 tons of coolant throughout the lengthy and tedious brazing process. The project was going smoothly until Barcelos noticed there was a simple miscalculation in the design. What should have been 100 feet had been mistaken for only 10 feet, leaving the team no choice but to reverse a week’s worth of work and start over.
With a shrinking budget and fast-approaching deadline, the team knew that brazing would cost too much in time, labor and supplies. Fortunately for Barcelos and his client, he trained with Rapid Locking System (RLS) on the benefits of press fittings and how to install them properly. He knew the tool would be the ideal solution to correct the mistake in a thorough yet efficient manner.
RLS is a patented press fitting specifically developed for the high pressures of HVAC and refrigeration systems. The press fittings are installed through a press-to-connect process and can be applied in a matter of just seconds, offering contractors a comparable and permanent mechanical connection up to 60% faster than brazing.
The ICR Industries team was granted permission from the client, and the project’s lead engineer, to adjust the piping using press fittings and got back to work. They were able to accomplish a few days of work in just a matter of hours and saved thousands of dollars in the process. By providing an alternative solution to the conventional process of brazing that is fast, safe and reliable, Barcelos was able to complete the project on-time and on-budget, and even secured an ongoing maintenance contract.
“We completed the updates in about six hours with press fittings that would’ve taken four or five days to braze and saved $2,500 in out-of-pocket costs. RLS saved the day,” Barcelos said.
As a veteran of the HVAC industry, Barcelos realizes the importance of implementing new tools and techniques that can help grow his business in terms of productivity and profit. Additionally, including press fittings in his install arsenal allows him to train his employees from other trade backgrounds both safely and efficiently.
“Press fittings are at the point now where they’re just as dependable as any other techniques available to contractors today, but don’t require the expensive, labor-intensive training like brazing does. Once you get going with the tool, pressing becomes second nature,” Barcelos explained.
To learn more about RLS press fittings, please visit press-fits.com or reach out to [email protected] to schedule a training.