2015 July - replacement of ducted heating unit for main hall

Friday 10 July 2015 saw the completion of the main hall heating project.

Phase 1 of this project was finished in August 2012 when we replaced the ugly soft ceiling ducting with much neater hard ducting. The soft ducting we replaced is commonly used in ceiling spaces and was strung with straps from the passageway ceiling. We also raised the height of the unit and ducting about 1.5 feet taking it out of the line of sight when you walk in the hallway. At that time, we decided to only attend to the ascetics of the area and, as the Vulcan heater was still working with occasional emergency maintenance, to leave the old unit in place. There is a page on those works here.

Image before phase 1 below:

The straps and general configuration shown above made cleaning the ceiling and ducting impossible without risking damage. And they were an eyesore.

Before Phase 1

After Phase 1

Later in February 2013, the area was one of several we had professionally painted.

Phase 3 was finished in July 2015. Since May we'd been having problems with the old Vulcan unit where it often would not start. Thanks to Bernard Henry who would drop down on short notice and get it going. Obviously the unit had reached its end life, and thanks to Comfort Heat and Cooling we had a new unit installed in about 72 hours ready for the next external hire.

This completes this project well managed according to our cash flow.

The end result is a much neater area easier to keep clean and the unit and it's ducting being raised from the line of sight as much as possible. We also now have a more efficient unit with an update control unit - the old being a common source of problems.

Special thanks to our external hirers - without the income you help generate such projects would not be possible. Together, we are preserving and improving an important building in the history of Freemasonry and Victoria.


Below are photos taken on completion of phase 3.

Raising the ducted heating unit and its ducting has taken it out of the line of sight.


A gif of what you now see as you walk into the building.