No matter where you live in North America, buildings are frequently being built and maintained for a variety of different uses and reasons. If you’ve ever seen a building being made, there’s a chance that you were wondering what went into it and who did what.
From what everyone knows, there must be different types of construction workers, much like how various people work in all sorts of different departments in an office. When a grocery store gets renovated into a restaurant, who converts all the mechanical systems into ones that the restaurant can use?
Many people may have heard about mechanical contractors, but aren’t sure of what it is that they do on a day to day basis.
What are the types of work that they do — a little known fact to those that haven’t personally experienced or taken a part of construction is that a mechanical contractor is often deeply involved throughout the process. Most of what makes a building livable is the work of mechanical contractors.
If you’re curious about what a mechanical contractor does in the construction industry, this article covers everything you need to know. Before diving into the topic at hand, you should note that if you need HVAC maintenance for your home or office, you can contact Clover Contracting today.
What is a Mechanical Contractor?
Simply put, a mechanical contractor is anyone that deals with the mechanical projects an organization needs.
Typically, these types of projects are construction related and involve the installation of any systems a building will need, along with making sure that they all run as they should when the building’s owners occupy the residence. It doesn’t matter if the system being installed is plumbing or refrigeration, if it involves the more mechanical aspects of a building, it’s the work of mechanical contractors.
Some contractors prefer to do their best work in the earlier stages of a construction project, when their organization is planning and installing the needed systems. Others prefer to work much later on, when the building is getting its regular maintenance and getting parts repaired.
Regardless of what each individual mechanical contractor specializes in or when they work in the process of constructing a building, they are one of the most helpful and even important members in the construction field.
What is Mechanical Construction?
If you’re wondering, “what exactly is mechanical construction?” and “what do mechanical contractors do?”, the main ideas can be narrowed down rather easily.
Mechanical construction is itself a surprisingly large industry, with each project and piece of work being unique.
As a result, it can lead to the work of mechanical contractors being just as widely ranged. Typically, their work can be narrowed down into four categories, each a part of a necessary system for every building. These categories include:
HVAC Systems
When it comes to making sure that people can comfortably stay in a building for however long they need, the building itself needs heating and cooling. More often than not, these HVAC systems need to be run throughout the entire building and be carefully hidden behind walls.
In addition to that, the systems also need a source of ventilation, either to make sure that any extra heat from the system itself is released outside or to get bad smells out of the building. Most of the installation and planning is one part of what a mechanical contractor does.
Refrigeration Systems
Though far more commonly used for restaurants or other buildings with a large area for refrigeration, mechanical construction also involves working with the systems that bring that cool air in and move it around.
If it’s for a larger area, piping will likely be needed to increase the artificial cooling there, especially when heating needs to be used during the winter. Smaller buildings or locations that don’t require larger refrigeration systems – like homes or offices – simply need a few connections for a fridge.
Plumbing
Plumbing, in its core, is a relatively simple yet complex thing to understand. Any piping needed to connect tankless or tank water heaters, water and drain lines to their respective drains and faucets are done much like a HVAC system.
The piping needs to be tucked away and hidden throughout the house but also properly secure to ensure that no leaks threaten mold growth or other issues.
Electrical Systems
Making sure that all the needed electrical components and power is properly running and distributed throughout the building is another part of mechanical construction that can go unnoticed.
Like with the other parts, electrical systems need to be carefully wired throughout the house or commercial building in such a way that it doesn’t cause malfunctions or shortages, all while being connected to a breaker box and any other light fixtures.
The Duties of a Mechanical Contractor
What tasks a mechanical contractor does can often vary from project to project.
Many contractors frequently work with narrow deadlines and tight budgets when a building is being constructed, and as such, also need to know where to get certain parts of a reliable HVAC or other system at a reasonable price.
In order to make sure that their organization – and occasionally, clients – is successful, mechanical contractors do all their installation efficiently and within a set amount of time.
What does a mechanical contractor do in their day to day work?
Their work can also include some managerial tasks. On occasion, a contractor might have a team to work with, giving the head of the team the responsibility to assign tasks to members. They’ll also plan out the entire maintenance of any key mechanical systems and keep track of any resources they have.
Takeaway
The work of mechanical contractors often involves quite a bit of vital tasks that can mean a great success for their entire organization if done well.
The work needed to ensure that homes have constant access to water, electricity and heating or cooling throughout the year is incredibly important in a society often run through the Internet.
We rely on these resources to live comfortably and mechanical contractors are some of those people that make sure we do so.
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