In the bustling heart of New York City, where businesses thrive, keeping commercial buildings (often skyscrapers) running smoothly is paramount. Recently, Palone Bros., a leading HVAC contractor with deep roots in Brooklyn, took on an ambitious project in one of the world’s busiest neighborhoods: 5th Avenue, New York.
The Challenge: A Complex Retrofit Project
Palone Bros. was tasked with installing three 14-ton LG Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) condensing units on top of a 12-story commercial building. The project was no ordinary retrofit. In addition to the sheer scale of the job, it involved intricate refrigerant piping, branch boxes, and multiple indoor units installed throughout the building.
Project Details:
- Location: 5th Ave., New York, NY
- Building Type: Commercial
- Project Type: Existing building, retrofit
- VRF Manufacturer: LG
- Mechanical Contractor: Palone Bros. Air Conditioning Corp
The most critical challenge was managing the installation of vertical riser piping that extended 150 feet up through a shaftway, a space that would be completely sealed after the installation. This made future access for maintenance or repairs impossible. Any refrigerant leaks in the vertical piping could cause serious, costly issues down the road.
The vertical piping posed an additional challenge: it was highly susceptible to thermal expansion, which, if not properly managed, could damage the system and affect the long-term reliability of the entire HVAC installation.
Why Long Vertical VRF Risers Need Extra Attention
Vertical refrigerant piping behaves differently from a typical horizontal lineset. Along with thermal expansion and contraction, the support system has to account for the weight of the piping across the full vertical run.
HVAC vertical line support becomes especially important on long VRF risers. Inaba Denko’s LineBrace product family is made specifically for vertical VRF/VRV linesets, where gravity and temperature-related movement can place added stress on the piping and fittings.
A central support point helps carry the riser weight while allowing thermal movement to be directed above and below the support. Inaba Denko states that LineBrace reduces thermal expansion stress on the lowest elbow by 50%.
Retrofit projects can make support planning more demanding because existing piping layouts and mounting conditions are already established. In this project, the 150-foot vertical riser also ran through a shaftway scheduled to be sealed after installation.
The support strategy had to be finalized before future access became difficult.
The Innovative Solution: TKL LineBrace Vertical Pipe Support Brackets
After extensive research and consultation, Palone Bros. Vice President and Service Manager, Steven Palone, identified the perfect solution to this tricky problem: the TKL LineBrace pipe support system from MarketAir. The innovative product provided an intelligent, cost-effective way to mitigate the challenges posed by pipe expansion without the need for additional brazing or other complex installation.
What made LineBrace TKL the perfect choice?
- No “hot work” (brazing) required: TKL LineBrace vertical pipe support brackets eliminated the need for time-consuming and labor-intensive brazing, streamlining the installation process.
- Expansion control: The unique design allowed the team to break the 150-foot vertical riser piping into two 75-foot sections. This division ensured that any thermal expansion would be absorbed by the horizontal sections of piping, alleviating stress on the vertical riser.
- Ease of Installation: The brackets were easily anchored to the building walls, securing the piping without requiring extensive modifications. Each bracket featured molded insulation sleeves to ensure thermal efficiency and protect against temperature fluctuations.
- Durability and reliability: By reducing thermal expansion in the vertical piping by 50%, LineBrace provided long-term peace of mind, ensuring the system’s reliability for years to come.
“We were happy to find a product that didn’t require any additional brazing and was able to help us separate the vertical riser piping into 75’ up and 75’ down, so the expansion can be dispersed on the horizontal sections of piping directly connected above and below the vertical riser,” said Steven Palone.
Planning Pipe Support Before the Shaft Is Closed
A sealed shaft changes how you need to plan a VRF installation. Exposed piping can usually be inspected or adjusted later, while refrigerant lines behind permanent construction may be much harder to reach once the project is complete.
Support locations, pipe alignment, insulation, and mounting surfaces should be reviewed before access becomes limited. Choosing the right vertical pipe support brackets at this stage can help contractors account for the piping load, insulation, and available mounting structure before the shaft is closed.
LineBrace is made for vertical VRF/VRV piping and can also be installed on existing linesets to give contractors another option for retrofit projects.
Insulation around the support point also needs careful consideration. A secure bracket should carry the piping load without excessively compressing the surrounding insulation. Inaba Denko offers TKL-H Insulation as part of the LineBrace vertical support range. The molded insulation is made for vertical linesets and resists compression around the supported section.
The LineBrace family also includes base, top-mounting, and wall-mounting bracket options. These choices give contractors more flexibility when matching the HVAC vertical pipe support system to the available structure inside a shaft.
What This Project Shows for Similar VRF Retrofits
The 5th Avenue project shows why vertical pipe support should be considered early in the planning stage of a VRF retrofit, especially when long risers will eventually become difficult to access.
Support selection needs to account for more than holding the pipe in place. Riser height, piping weight, thermal movement, insulation, mounting conditions, and the transition into horizontal piping can all influence how the system should be supported.
The project also shows the value of choosing a support method suited to the actual riser configuration. In this case, LineBrace gave Palone Bros. a way to support the long vertical run and manage thermal movement without adding more brazed connections.
For contractors working on similar commercial retrofits, addressing these details before installation is complete can help reduce the risk of support or alignment problems becoming harder to correct after access is limited.
The Outcome: A Seamless Installation and Reliable System
Thanks to the intelligent design of the LineBrace TKL system, Palone Bros. successfully addressed the challenges posed by vertical riser piping. Not only was the installation process significantly simplified, but the risks associated with refrigerant leaks and thermal expansion were effectively mitigated.
The installation of the VRF condensing units, refrigerant piping, and indoor units was completed with precision and efficiency. The entire project demonstrated Palone Bros.’ commitment to excellence and innovation, leveraging cutting-edge solutions to ensure the long-term success of their clients’ HVAC systems.
