Prairie Heating Products offers the best in-slab duct products for high-rise buildings and condominiums. The Prairie Heating In-slab duct is used to exhaust air from bathroom fans, range hoods, and clothes dryers but can also be used for fresh air intake and supply air. When it comes to in-slab ductwork, there are many advantages to why an engineer would design a tall building with an in-slab duct vs. the conventional HVAC system. When it comes to design and preparations for a new building, things like convenience, fire safety, and efficiency are at the top of the mind of the engineer. When it comes to the eyes of the building owner, maximizing the profitability of a new building and optimizing the amount of space required is top of mind. In this article, we wanted to emphasize the advantages of using an in-slab duct.
Exceptional Fire Safety Ratings and Building Efficiencies
Our in-slab duct has a great advantage when it comes to safety for buildings. Our exceptional fire safety ratings provided by Warnock Hersey demonstrate the high priority safety that engineers would be looking for when designing a building. When the slab duct is exposed to increased levels of heat, the intumescent fireproofing expands to seal off the oxygen supply to prevent the fire from growing. When it comes to efficiency, an in-slab duct is great for reducing the amount of space required for the HVAC system.
When you look at the efficiencies from the perspective of the contractor building the building, great benefits come from the ability to piece together runs of the in-slab duct. When building floors on a high-rise, efficiency is key. When building each floor, optimization comes from piecing together the in-slab duct into runs so that when the in-slab duct is hoisted to the next level, it requires less work by piecing together the runs. Our in-slab duct is easy to put together and provides a much quicker way to get the in-slab duct in, followed by the other industries like electricians and plumbers to quickly get their part in before the next level is added. When things like in-slab ducts and plumbing run through the concrete floors, you won’t hear as much noise throughout each condo, which creates a much quieter living environment.
Reducing HVAC Required Space Allows for More Floor Opportunities
When the in-slab duct is installed into a new building, as the floors progress upwards, the in-slab duct is laid within the concrete slab on each floor. Due to the typical size of HVAC system bulkheads, usually, a portion of the space in the ceiling has to hold the bulkhead. This bulkhead typically leads out to the balcony to exhaust the dryer, range hood, and bathroom fans. The in-slab duct inside the concrete eliminates the need for the bulkhead and results in a flat ceiling because the runs of the slab duct can exhaust outside at any exit point on the floor.
To give you an idea of how much space is saved, if the in-slab duct is run on each floor, you save about 1 foot per story. This equates to about 1 additional floor per 10 floors. That means more spaces for more homes, which can make the building more profitable by increasing the resale value of each property in the building. The overall look of the high-rise building also looks much better and more modern.
If you have any questions about our in-slab duct or any of our other slab fittings, reach out to us by our contact form or by calling Prairie Heating Products at 587-425-6426.
