LARNED — Michael Bartz said he enjoys working with a local project that will benefit the Larned community.
Bartz Plumbing, Heating and Air LLC is doing interior plumbing, heating and air conditioning work at the Pawnee County Humane Society building. The 3,850-sq. ft. building is near the entrance of the Larned State Hospital off W. 8th. It will provide room for dogs and cats with separate rooms for food preparation, laundry and grooming and education.
“I enjoy doing local work that benefit the community,” Michael Bartz said. “We also did the piping work on the Larned Splash Pad.  We’ve got three boys who will take advantage of the Splash Pad. We enjoy helping out on a project like this.”
Although his sons don’t directly benefit from the Pawnee County Humane Society, they have helped their father.
“When this is done, they can say they helped with the building,” he said.
Michael Bartz is being assisted by his brother Randy Bartz and Jason Hammeke. So far, the Bartz crew has installed a septic system and water service is completed. Their work scheduled allowed about 20 working days.
Bartz employees will continue work over the next two weeks to install the heating and air conditioning units. He’ll wait to finish the air conditioning until all the insulation material is installed. One interesting aspect is the hydronic heating system that will keep the concrete floors warm in the dog area.
Hydronic radiant floor heating systems use a boiler to heat up hot water and a pump to circulate the hot water in plastic pipes installed in a concrete slab. The pipes, embedded in the floor, carry heated water that conduct warmth to the surface of the floor where it broadcasts energy to the room.
“It’s a very efficient way to keep the floors warm. The nice thing is the floors will stay warm, which helps the animals,” Bartz said. “You can keep the temperature regulated no matter what time of year it is.”
Another unique aspect is exhaust fans, which help regulate the temperature as well as keep the air moving, which minimizes stagnant air. The exhaust fans are installed with louvers, a shutter with horizontal slats that are angled to admit light and air, but keep out rain, direct sunshine, and noise.
Pawnee County Humane Society officials want the work completed by July 1, the deadline for licensing as an animal shelter for the next fiscal year.
The Larned city council approved a $109,000 loan earlier this year that will help pay Tim Schaller as construction manager and provide for interior work. Schaller completed design work as a donation and inspection work for cost. He hired sub-contractors for specific jobs.
The city of Larned has been without a local animal pound for several years after space was needed for a wastewater treatment facility. Animals are currently held for five days at the Larned Veterinary Clinic and Frick Veterinary Services.