The Hawks team works on supporting a new unit nearly twice the weight.

At Hawks & Company, we always take the time to understand the needs of our customers.  We strive to learn the sequence of operations and individual personalities of the facilities we serve which allows us to offer solutions that best fit the site.

When one of our customers recently started a conversation surrounding their aging heat only make-up air unit, we spent some time discussing employee comfort and the current higher demand for exhaust.

We decided that the best solution would be to upgrade to a larger unit.  Our aim- to deliver neutral air into the kitchen areas.  To achieve this, we are installing a larger unit that has both a gas heating capacity for the winter and the capability to deliver cool neutral air in the summer.

This plan, of course, came with a set of unique challenges.  The current unit had a weight of 1,800 lbs, whereas the proposed system weighs 3,500 lbs.  We contracted the help of a structural engineer and worked closely with both them and our customer to develop a plan for supporting the new equipment on the building.

The design called for Hawks to install three W12/#22 beams that are 32’ long, to span the existing parapet walls.  We then fabricated intermediate connector steel between them.  Our intermediates will consist of four W10/#15 beams at 68” long with welded angle clips at the connection locations.

After seeing the construction plans, our team made the decision to fabricate this supporting structure in-house.  By doing so, we save countless hours on-site during the install day and can work in a much safer environment at our shop.

Once the raw materials had been set, welded, and assembled to confirm measurements, the metal was cleaned and primed ready to be coated with rust protecting paint.

When dried and signed off as ready, the entire structure was broken down and prepared for transportation to our customer facility.  There it will be crane lifted into place, reassembled, and affixed to the roof as per the engineer’s plans.

The Hawks team have many years of experience with this kind of project and have the mindset which truly caters to our partners and customers, offering the best solutions, even when they go beyond the norm.