MPEC Dehumidifiers
By: Eddie Randle
Updated: January 23, 2013
A project that's been in the works for the past 4-years is finally coming together.
Huge dehumidifiers are being installed on top of the Kay Yeager coliseum that officials say will solve lots of problems.
City leaders and administrators at the MPEC say when they first built the event center they didn't anticipate an ice skating rink.
Now that we have one that's up and running its caused some humidity issues.
"So what we're doing is putting in a De-humidification system that draws the moisture out of the air", says Bob Sullivan, Director of the Multi-Purpose Even Center.
Sullivan says on a warm day when the air temperature outside hits the air temperature inside it causes excessive moisture in the air and that moisture increases on the ice floor.
"What happens id their is a fog that develops over the glass and there's a water layer that develops on the floor its self", says Sullivan.
And fixing this problem isn't going to be cheap.
Officials say it will cost a little over $600,000.
Workers are readying the new dehumidifiers for installation although some say its a costly project, officials with the city says its a win win for Wichita Falls.
"We're going to recoup some of those funds and it will actually save us some money on the cost of this De-humidification project", said Wichita Falls Mayor Glenn Barham.
Barham says last year the city had an audit the city's energy use and now that conservation measures have decreased consumption, it's starting to pay off.
"As a result of the electrical savings that we will see those savings will in-turn be payed back to fund some of these projects", added Mayor Barham.
And officials at the MPEC say those who visit the center will also benefit.
"The air quality will be much better it wont be as cold so I think the only change people will notice is there's less moisture in the air and its a much more comfortable environment", says Sullivan.
Eddie Randle KFDX, 3NEWS.
There are two dehumidifiers being installed.
The 2nd should be installed tomorrow.
They also say the renovations will not effect any of the scheduled events.
Huge dehumidifiers are being installed on top of the Kay Yeager coliseum that officials say will solve lots of problems.
City leaders and administrators at the MPEC say when they first built the event center they didn't anticipate an ice skating rink.
Now that we have one that's up and running its caused some humidity issues.
"So what we're doing is putting in a De-humidification system that draws the moisture out of the air", says Bob Sullivan, Director of the Multi-Purpose Even Center.
Sullivan says on a warm day when the air temperature outside hits the air temperature inside it causes excessive moisture in the air and that moisture increases on the ice floor.
"What happens id their is a fog that develops over the glass and there's a water layer that develops on the floor its self", says Sullivan.
And fixing this problem isn't going to be cheap.
Officials say it will cost a little over $600,000.
Workers are readying the new dehumidifiers for installation although some say its a costly project, officials with the city says its a win win for Wichita Falls.
"We're going to recoup some of those funds and it will actually save us some money on the cost of this De-humidification project", said Wichita Falls Mayor Glenn Barham.
Barham says last year the city had an audit the city's energy use and now that conservation measures have decreased consumption, it's starting to pay off.
"As a result of the electrical savings that we will see those savings will in-turn be payed back to fund some of these projects", added Mayor Barham.
And officials at the MPEC say those who visit the center will also benefit.
"The air quality will be much better it wont be as cold so I think the only change people will notice is there's less moisture in the air and its a much more comfortable environment", says Sullivan.
Eddie Randle KFDX, 3NEWS.
There are two dehumidifiers being installed.
The 2nd should be installed tomorrow.
They also say the renovations will not effect any of the scheduled events.
