Slipping It Under The Door

After contacting Mark McMillan, principal of McMillan Choate & Associates, Mousavi decided that Munters would be the best HVAC choice because the equipment met all the Hilton requirements and offered many more features with their own benefits. The 12-ton HCU installed at the Hampton Inn in Katy, conditions 2,350 cfm of makeup air which is delivered throughout the lobby and corridors and is distributed to each room through the slits under the doors.

With the low dewpoint conditions supplied by the unit, the chance of mold and mildew forming can be greatly reduced. Surfaces that get wet from water events such as spills, shower and bath splashes, roof leaks, window leaks, etc., will dry much quicker. The accelerated drying time greatly reduces the ability of mold to form.

The conditions will be dry enough to minimize or eliminate condensate from forming on the PTAC cooling coils that are used to cool the guest rooms. Having dry PTAC coils not only improves their performance but also eliminates the mold smell and keeps them from overflowing down the exterior or interior of the building.

"With a Munters HCU, we can avoid moisture problems and save energy dollars at the same time," Mousavi said.

Since people are more comfortable at higher temperatures when the air is drier, the hotel guests will tend to maintain the rooms warmer, which can add up to significant energy savings. The Munters system design provided by McMillan Choate & Associates was approved by Hilton for providing the appropriate cooling capacity, and far exceeding their dehumidification requirements.

Drier Is Better

"The consultant for Hilton was impressed with the Munters system and even commented on whether Mousavi could afford it, but even with a slightly higher initial cost, the energy savings and moisture prevention are incomparable," McMillan said.

With the HCU units installed and no humidity problems evident, Mousavi is extremely pleased with the advantages he gained by choosing selecting them.

"You get what you pay for," Mousavi said. "The HCU has been working very well at keeping the hotel dry - no moisture on windows or walls, and the hotel is full of comfortable customers."

The enhanced features offered are greatly appreciated by franchisees, especially the 24-hour support and service which, if not offered by the manufacturer, can make or break a hotel's operation. "Even if the design does not require humidity control, I would still install a humidity control system because I know the benefits it supplies to the hotel," said Mousavi.ES