TAMCO DAMPERS AT TRAVELERS TOWER

Case Study
TAMCO DAMPERS AT TRAVELERS TOWER
MAINTAINING QUALITY CONTROLLED AIRFLOW
THE CHALLENGE
COST-EFFECTIVELY UPDATING OLD CONTROL DAMPERS
With more than 30,000 employees, 13,000 independent agents and multiple market
segments, Travelers remains one of the nation’s largest property casualty companies.
One hundred and fifty years after its founding, it has operations in over five countries,
three continents, and is known for minimizing risk, preventing loss and helping prepare
for the unknown.
Travelers has significant operations in downtown Hartford, CT. Its Hartford campus
accommodates 6,000 employees between 5 interconnected buildings and 3 additional
buildings in the heart of downtown. The main building on Hartford’s campus is the
Travelers Tower. Built in 1960, the tower has been a major part of Hartford’s skyline for
55 years. Although adding beauty to the cityscape, it was in need of some facility updates
due to normal wear and tear throughout the years.
Travelers’ Tower is a prominent sight in
Hartford’s skyline.
The tower is used for office space, and with any office building, it’s vital to provide a
comfortable and safe work environment for the occupants. Providing a sufficient amount
of outside air via the HVAC system is an important factor in providing a comfortable
environment for the building’s occupants. Properly working dampers within the HVAC
system are key components which allow the HVAC system to provide the required and
proper amount of outside air. Dampers that don’t work correctly can perpetuate the
problem of either providing too much outside air, resulting in an energy inefficient
system, and/or providing too little outside air (fresh air), resulting in low levels of oxygen,
or poor air quality for the occupants. An energy inefficient system wastes money, and
poor air quality causes headaches and fatigue among the occupants; more commonly
known as occupant Sick Building Syndrome.
The existing dampers were installed in 1960. As with most mechanical devices from that
vintage that have lasted until 2014, these dampers were well beyond their useful life. The
existing dampers had corroded beyond repair and the seals were almost non-existent.
The existing dampers were “stuck” closed and were not allowing enough outside air into
the building. The occupants were experiencing Sick Building Syndrome symptoms. If
Travelers wanted to ensure proper airflow and good occupant health they had to do
something about their outdated dampers, and quick.
THE SOLUTION
TAMCO SERIES 1500 DAMPERS
Having worked with Travelers in the past, Flow Tech’s Mike Davis was aware of their
outdated dampers and knew he could provide an efficient, cost-effective solution to fix
the dampers. After Davis requested a meeting with Travelers, Davis and Frank Picchione,
Regional Sales Manager for TAMCO, met with Al Muratori, Travelers’ chief engineer, and
discussed the energy savings TAMCO Series control dampers provide, as well as how they
stack up against the competition. CONTINUE ON NEXT PAGE...
One of the 2 new TAMCO Series 1500 dampers
10 Bidwell Road ǀ South Windsor, CT 06074 ǀ T: 860-291-8886 ǀ F: 860-291-9908 ǀ FlowTechInc@FlowTechInc.com
@FlowTechInc
www.FlowTechInc.com
Flow Tech Inc
Case Study
TAMCO DAMPERS AT TRAVELERS TOWER
MAINTAINING QUALITY CONTROLLED AIRFLOW
CONTINUATION FROM PREVIOUS PAGE…
From their conversation Muratori learned that TAMCO’s dampers utilize smooth aluminum end caps installed on hollow air-foil
blades, improving sealing where damper blades meet the side frames. This feature reduces leakage rates significantly. The
unbroken surface of the end caps creates nearly frictionless wear on the frame seals. This enhances damper longevity and
ensures that the damper retains consistent sealing ability over time.
After his meeting with Davis and Picchione, Muratori was convinced that TAMCO offered the damper solution he was looking for.
When asked what made him decide to choose Flow Tech’s products over other companies’ Muratori had this to say, “They
brought a sample TAMCO damper with them. Just by looking at it I could see how much better quality it was compared to
dampers in our other facilities - far superior.”
THE RESULTS
CONTROLLED TEMPERATURE AND QUALITY
Muratori and his staff decided to start small with two TAMCO Series 1500 dampers. The idea was to test the dampers, and if they
were satisfied with their performance they would begin ordering more, with a long-term goal to eventually replace all of them.
The first two dampers were installed in December, and by January Travelers had scheduled Flow Tech to measure dampers for
replacement in nine more air handling systems.
“Flow Tech was great to work with, no complaints here. They offer very good service. The dampers are working just fine. They
close tight and control a steady air temperature and airflow- so far so good.” says Muratori. TAMCO’s Series 1500 dampers are
AMCA Class 1A certified for leakage and come with a 25-year design life and maintenance-free operation. Muratori concludes,
“When it comes to dampers, I recommend TAMCO above any dampers I’ve seen or used before.” The TAMCO dampers are a
vital element allowing Travelers to provide proper airflow to the occupants with the correct amount of fresh air that promotes a
healthy work environment.
Left: Original damper.
Overtime rust and wear
will cause a damper to not
open or seal properly,
costing a facility more
money by wasting energy.
Right: TAMCO 1500 Series
replacement damper. The
shiny, bright Aluminum
will not rust or wear for
the life of the damper.
Travelers will save greatly
on energy costs, and most
importantly, can provide a
safe, healthy work
environment to its
occupants.
10 Bidwell Road ǀ South Windsor, CT 06074 ǀ T: 860-291-8886 ǀ F: 860-291-9908 ǀ FlowTechInc@FlowTechInc.com
@FlowTechInc
www.FlowTechInc.com
Flow Tech Inc