WHAT’S THE CONFIGURATION of the heating/cooling system in our sanctuary?
This post gives you a basic picture, through verbal description and photos.…
Controls
The controls for both the heating and cooling systems are combined. Each of the two mechanical units has its own smart/digital thermostat. These thermostats are located on the Bimah, to each side, hidden from the view of the congregation. (The older thermostat that is visible from the theater seats is no longer operational.)
The executive director can adjust the thermostat settings remotely, via smart phone.
Each day of the week can be pre-assigned up to four periods, each with its own temperature and fan settings (occupied or unoccupied), and a temporary override option is always available, as well.
Heating System
Initially, the sanctuary was served by a heating ventilation system that consisted of a gas furnace, a supply air fan, and related ductwork. (Source: Historic Structure Report, 2003)
The furnace was located on the roof in a dedicated room, along with an enormous supply fan.
The heated air was introduced into the sanctuary through large supply air grilles located on the east wall. When the heat was on, the light fixtures nearest to those grilles would sway as the air blew past them. (That’s why those front lamps are still lashed in place, to dampen the swaying motion.)
Air from the sanctuary would return to the furnace through 5 air grilles. One was located in the ceiling of each of the eastern exit corridors, which meant that the door to those corridors needed to be open whenever the heater was on.
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| Return grill in the ceiling of the southeast exit corridor |
When inspected in 2003, these white grilles in the ceiling appeared to be new and in good condition. Their life expectancy was said to match the life of the building.
The third and fourth return grilles were located on the eastern wall, on either side of the central decalogue frieze. A fifth grille was located at the base of the Bimah’s south wall, where it is largely hidden by one of the overstuffed red chairs. The original grille, which appears to be made of brass (painted over with brown lacquer), still seems to be in place.
In January 2017, the system was transformed — a project spearheaded by Brett Barenholtz. The gas furnace was replaced with 2 smaller, 140K-BTU, 80% upflow American Standard gas furnaces, installed side by side.
Supply fans were now internal to these new units. The massive old supply fan was left in place but no longer used.
The large supply air grilles were disconnected, reportedly because the ductwork was worn out, although they were left in place. Meanwhile, the two upper return grilles in the same wall were repurposed to serve as supply grilles.
And it appears that two new return grilles were installed at the base of the steps leading up to the Bimah.
[August 2025: See now a revised picture and description here.]
When the heater is running, the warmed air of course tends to rise toward the sanctuary’s high barrel-vaulted ceiling. The temperature of air in that upper part of the room, above the supply grilles, quickly reaches 85°, even while the air at the seat level is only 65°. I noticed this stratification when I happened to go into the mezzanine while the sanctuary heat was on. That room was stiflingly hot — which is not good for the archival materials that are stashed up there, and of course it’s a waste of heat energy. That is why in early February I covered the window openings between the mezzanine and the sanctuary proper with plastic sheeting, for the time being.
Cooling System
The sanctuary got air conditioning for the first time in Summer 2018, again with Brett’s involvement. A crane was used to lift two 5-ton, R22, 230V/3-phase American Standard condensers onto the roof, seating them on newly built platforms outside the furnace room. Refrigeration lines were run to newly installed ADP evaporator coils and associated ductwork, and new electrical circuits were run for that equipment, as well.
So far, I haven’t been personally involved with the A/C aspect of the system.
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