Chapel-en-le-Frith High School is a mixed gender comprehensive school in Derbyshire, serving pupils aged 11 to 16 from the town and surrounding areas.
Project Summary:
- Replacement of above ground pipework to sinks in kitchen areas
- Reinforcement of replacement pipework to guard against further damage
- Associated flooring and screeding works
- Completed December 2020
- Project value £6,500
The Challenge: Repair and long term protection for vulnerable above ground pipework
A history of damage to above-ground plastic waste pipework to sinks in the kitchen areas caused by assiduous mopping and cleaning procedures necessitated a long term solution to protect the drainage infrastructure into the future.
One section of the pipework is hot steam so the issue was one of safety as well as operational security and hygiene.
The Process
Following a site assessment by a Cool & Heat engineer, the Cool & Heat team proposed a solution designed around safe and durable replacement of the above ground drainage system.
Initial works involved cutting a 600mm x 600mm hole around the area where the existing drainage pipes for the sinks entered the floor. The condition of existing pipe work found under the floor was assessed and deemed to be suitable for continued use.
The damaged above ground drainage plastic pipes were removed and reinstated using 42mm copper pipework. New uPVC couplers were used to connect the new drainage, and compression fittings selected and installed to facilitate any unblocking requirements into the future.
To reinforce the work, all the new pipework was suspended from G-clamps and reinforced using Unistrut channel support systems, providing robust protection in the most vulnerable areas. The floor was then re-screeded in the affected zones, working with our appointed building contractors S&H Group, and new vinyl coverings installed to provide a durable, long-term solution.
All works were completed on time and to budget, outside term time to match the operational requirements of the site, when the kitchen facilities were not in use.
Preferred supplier status
Cool & Heat is a preferred supplier to the facilities management company responsible for school maintenance and is contracted to carry out all necessary works to boilers, water heaters, and air conditioning.
All Cool & Heat personnel are ECITB ‘Passport to Safety’ trained, CSCS trained and carry CSCS cards. For this project in a school environment, although work was completed outside term time, all personnel were fully DBS vetted prior to commencement.
