As County Waits For New AC Chiller, The Heat Is Felt Inside The Justice Building
July 8, 2020 at 9:44 p.m.
By Amanda Bridgman-
The justice building, at 121 N. Lake St., Warsaw, houses all four Kosciusko County courts, the clerk’s office, the prosecuting attorney’s office and expands to cover the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office and jail. On Tuesday, the front doors to the building were propped open and large industrial fans were “strategically placed throughout the building,”?according to County Administrator Marsha McSherry.
McSherry said in February the county ordered a second chiller and a new compressor for the building. There are two chillers on the roof of the building. But, due to COVID-19, the chiller order and work to install got it pushed back.
“If it wouldn’t have been for COVID, it would’ve been done the first of May,” McSherry said. “The problem is, with this extreme heat, the existing chiller cannot handle the whole building on its own, so we’re doing everything we can to do what we can.”
McSherry said crews have been working on the new chiller since it was installed on the roof last week.
“I just received word that (Thursday) the technician’s coming to perform the start up, and we’ll have cool air running through there by the end of the day (Thursday),” she said. “The whole building has air conditioning with that one chiller, but all that one chiller can provide, it’s just difficult in this extreme weather.”
The National Weather Service in North Webster issued a heat advisory for the week, citing temperatures and humidity levels in the 90s and in some places into the 100s. Meteorologists also warned people of staying outside for extended periods of time and checking vehicles for children and pets before exiting the car, as extreme heat is the No. 1 weather-related killer.
The justice building, at 121 N. Lake St., Warsaw, houses all four Kosciusko County courts, the clerk’s office, the prosecuting attorney’s office and expands to cover the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office and jail. On Tuesday, the front doors to the building were propped open and large industrial fans were “strategically placed throughout the building,”?according to County Administrator Marsha McSherry.
McSherry said in February the county ordered a second chiller and a new compressor for the building. There are two chillers on the roof of the building. But, due to COVID-19, the chiller order and work to install got it pushed back.
“If it wouldn’t have been for COVID, it would’ve been done the first of May,” McSherry said. “The problem is, with this extreme heat, the existing chiller cannot handle the whole building on its own, so we’re doing everything we can to do what we can.”
McSherry said crews have been working on the new chiller since it was installed on the roof last week.
“I just received word that (Thursday) the technician’s coming to perform the start up, and we’ll have cool air running through there by the end of the day (Thursday),” she said. “The whole building has air conditioning with that one chiller, but all that one chiller can provide, it’s just difficult in this extreme weather.”
The National Weather Service in North Webster issued a heat advisory for the week, citing temperatures and humidity levels in the 90s and in some places into the 100s. Meteorologists also warned people of staying outside for extended periods of time and checking vehicles for children and pets before exiting the car, as extreme heat is the No. 1 weather-related killer.
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