School Facility Water Treatment Services

K12 Water Treatment for Elementary, Middle and High Schools

Chemical water treatment is important for K12 public school districts and vocational/private schools. Safety is paramount for primary, junior high and high schools, especially when running a facility with children. The school is liable for providing these services safely, so it is important to work with an experienced and trustworthy company. Chardon Labs performs chemical water treatment at hundreds of school buildings. Let our skilled service technicians help you.

Efficient University Campus Water Treatment

University campuses require heating and cooling for all their buildings, which can be expensive. Monitoring problems for all of these is difficult without remote monitoring.

Thankfully, Chardon Labs offers remote monitoring, automated feeding and electronic service reporting. Campus buildings can vary substantially in size, and appropriate heating and cooling systems are necessary. For example, a large lecture hall would have different needs from a small staff office. Universities are especially susceptible to spreading Legionella due to the high foot traffic in many areas on campus. Quick testing and treating is especially important in combating Legionella, especially for vulnerable staff and students.

Chardon’s Scale-Free Guarantee for Closed Loops, Cooling Towers and Boilers

Scaling causes calcium carbonate to build up in cooling towers, loops and boilers over time. The thicker the scale on heat transfer surfaces, the less efficient it will be. Your energy bill will go up as the scale prevents conduction.

Our scale-free guarantee is possible through our highly successful treatment, monitoring, automation and testing. Our approach differs depending on the system type, and we can help set up the right equipment and procedures to guarantee this. If your school’s cooling tower, loop or boiler starts scaling again, the cost to remove the scale will be on us — provided our minimum equipment requirements are met.

Closed & Semi-Closed Loop Treatment

We utilize corrosion inhibitors, scale inhibitors and anti-foaming chemicals to help prevent common loop issues for your educational institution’s building. Here is a breakdown of each item in our treatment process:

• Corrosion inhibitor: Corrosion in your closed loop is accompanied by deposition. This deposition amplifies the corrosion process by creating ideal locations for further corrosion. Semi-closed loops have more oxygen dissolving into them. Both can benefit from corrosion inhibitors, which passivate metal surfaces.
• Anti-foaming agent: Our anti-foaming agent displaces surface molecules in the foam, which disperse and burst the bubbles.
• Scale inhibitor: Scale inhibitors are a blend of phosphates and polymers used to soften the water enough to prevent scale formation.

Boiler Water Treatment

A steam boiler or hot water boiler is a highly effective heating system for educational facilities. Frequently used chemicals for boilers include alkalinity builders, amines, anti-scalers and oxygen scavengers. These maintain ideal water properties and help prevent common boiler issues like scaling, fouling, corrosion, priming and leaking.

Cooling Tower Water Treatment

School cooling towers are in consistent operation and require regular water treatment to operate effectively. The chemicals used in water treatment keep the water’s composition within the correct levels. Furthermore, the cycles of concentration — the number of times the water can be cycled before being flushed out — can be increased with the right chemicals. One of the most important functions of chemical water treatment is protecting the heat transfer surfaces the water flows through. Common cooling tower surface water treatment issues in schools include:

• Scale buildup: Layers of calcium carbonate buildup
• Corrosion: Rust and pitting
• Bacteria: Which often creates biofilm that can promote Legionella
• Algae deposits: Can be caused by airborne debris and grow well in sunlight

These issues impair heat transfer efficiency, evaporate unsafe contaminants and cause mechanical issues. Our school water treatment services are specifically tailored to mitigate these issues — we have seen it all. Utilizing remote monitoring is crucial to stay ahead of potential problems and ensure proper cooling tower operation.

Should my School Invest in a Cooling Tower?

Your educational facility may utilize a cooling tower with its HVAC system. The cooling tower removes heat and increases the HVAC system’s load. If you are considering a cooling tower vs just keeping your HVAC system as is, factor in the following:

• Building size: Cooling towers are recommended for medium to large educational facilities such as universities, high schools, middle schools, elementary schools, boarding schools and charter schools. A small daycare, preschool or standardized test prep school usually is not large enough to benefit from a cooling tower investment.
• Cooling system load: If the HVAC system is overworked and struggling to cool the whole facility, it may be time to consider a cooling tower. A cooling tower will increase the HVAC system’s life span and prevent functional and maintenance issues.
• Efficiency: Cooling towers are highly efficient in dissipating heat and utilize less energy in medium to large facilities. Newer cooling tower models offer energy-efficient upgrades like modern fan motors. Additionally, the type of cooling tower specifically suited for your application can significantly increase efficiency. Educational centers often use a standard such as Energy Star Certification, which considers cooling systems a cost-effective investment.
• Environmentally friendly: Public and private educational institutions will likely be eco-conscious about the energy efficiency of their buildings. A cooling tower system will likely provide significant energy efficiency, reducing unnecessary energy consumption and future cost savings.
• Investment: Consider cooling towers as an investment. If your school is undergoing a new construction project, factor in the long-term benefits of a cooling tower. An HVAC system is cheaper upfront, but for most educational facilities, a cooling tower is likely to provide energy cost-savings that pay for itself.