Tech. Sgt. Clement Cheung, 8th Civil Engineer Squadron heating, ventilation and air conditioning technician, installs a new chiller at a dormitory at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, July 30, 2012. To install the new 2.5-ton unit, the HVAC shop coordinated with CES electricians and heavy equipment operators to get the job done. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Brigitte N. Brantley)
Members from the 8th Civil Engineer Squadron heating, ventilation and air conditioning shop position a new AC July 30, 2012, at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea. The HVAC shop is responsible for maintaining cooling and heating units at nearly 300 Kunsan facilities. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Brigitte N. Brantley)
heating, ventilation and air conditioning technician from the 8th Civil Engineer Squadron removes bolts from a water pipe while installing a new AC unit for a dormitory at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, July 30, 2012. The daylong project required three shops from the squadron to coordinate to provide air conditioning for the 100 Airmen who live in the dorm. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Brigitte N. Brantley)
Staff Sgt. Angel Alexander, left, helps fellow 8th Civil Engineer Squadron heating, ventilation and air conditioning technician Staff Sgt. Ronnie Armstrong figure out the best way to create a gasket for a pipe on a new AC unit July 30, 2012, at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea. The HVAC shop averages about 150 calls a month during the summer to fix AC problems. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Brigitte N. Brantley)
Members from the 8th Civil Engineer Squadron pavements and equipment shop prepare to move a new air conditioner into place near a dormitory at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, July 30, 2012. The daylong project required coordination from three shops in the squadron to provide air conditioning for 100 Airmen. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Brigitte N. Brantley)
Tech. Sgt. Clement Cheung, 8th Civil Engineer Squadron heating, ventilation and air conditioning technician, lines up a pipe on a new AC unit at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, July 30, 2012. Replacing old chillers requires all water and power to be disconnected before removing the unit. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Brigitte N. Brantley)
Tech. Sgt. Andrew Wallace, 8th Civil Engineer Squadron pavements and equipment NCO in charge, attaches straps to a new air conditioner July 30, 2012, at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea. Replacing the unit was a coordinated effort between multiple CES shops. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Brigitte N. Brantley)
heating, ventilation and air conditioning technician from the 8th Civil Engineer Squadron removes bolts from a water pipe while installing a new AC unit for a dormitory at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, July 30, 2012. The daylong project required coordination from three shops in the squadron to provide air conditioning for 100 Airmen. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Brigitte N. Brantley)
by Senior Airman Brigitte N. Brantley
8th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
8/3/2012 - KUNSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea -- "It's too hot, it's too cold."
This is what the 8th Civil Engineer Squadron heating, ventilation and air conditioning shop hears on a daily basis.
To keep up with customers' demands, these "HVAC guys" work in extreme weather around the clock to make the Wolf Pack as comfortable as possible.
Often, they pool resources with other CE shops to get the job done. Their recent project replacing the chiller unit in a 100-man dormitory required them to work with heavy equipment operators and electricians.
"In our squadron, it's not an attitude of 'You go do this, I'll go do that,'" said Senior Airman Timothy Atwater, 8th CES HVAC technician. "It's always a team effort -- everyone has their part. In a project like this where we are replacing a key piece of equipment, that mentality is even more important."
Replacing a chiller starts with disconnecting and removing the old one. This includes a timely process of disassembling pipes, removing screws and planning for the new unit.
"The hardest part is removing the old water lines," said Atwater. "Then we disconnect all power and get the crane operators out here to lift the entire unit out."
The "Dirt Boys," who are called when cranes, front loaders or steamrollers are needed, helped lift the nearly 2.5-ton unit from its resting place. Once the old unit was removed, they used the crane again to lower in the new unit.
"We've worked with HVAC so many times, it happens like clockwork," said Tech. Sgt. Andrew Wallace, 8th CES pavements and equipment NCO in charge. "They just tell us what they need, and we'll get it done. No matter how hard the job is or how difficult the conditions are, we get it done."
The HVAC guys on the ground helped navigate the new unit into position, making sure all power and water supplies lined up with the new configuration. They scraped paint from the pipes to make sure the new seals would fit.
However, while hooking everything back up, they ran into a problem: The new unit didn't have a place for the electrical wires to run through. They called out electricians from the shop and after an eight-hour day in the sun, the project was finally wrapped up.
"It took three shops to complete this job, which has a big impact on the comfort of the dorm residents," said Atwater. "When the job is done and the equipment is running, it feels good to know I did something for the Wolf Pack."
Comments
8/6/2012 4:18:52 AM ET Way to go HVAC. Keep kocking out those WOs.CE Red Devils...S.H.H. Wooo
Capt Delorit, Red Devil Country Kunsan
8/4/2012 3:36:45 PM ET How about we stop building family housing schools chow halls and dorms at Osan until Kunsan can get a quality of life above a third world country.
