It's going be a hot spring for 2 Algonquin schools

Students at two Algonquin schools are feeling the heat this spring after the chillers used to cool both schools broke, school district officials said Thursday.

The chillers at Conley and Mackeben elementary schools ruptured when water in the machines froze, according to Dave Jenkins, Huntley Unit District 158's interim operations chief.

After obtaining estimates for repairing the machines, operations staff have determined both machines need to be replaced.

Officials estimated it would cost $156,000 to replace each chiller -- although the district will probably have to pay only a small portion of that.

District 158 has filed a claim with its insurer, Gallagher Basset Services, and must pay a $1,000 deductible for each chiller.

Officials said it could take six to eight weeks to replace the chillers, meaning students at Conley and Mackeben will have to go without air-conditioned classrooms for the rest of the school year.

It is not clear how the damage occurred. Both chillers were winterized in November. Sometime after then and before April, the valves that allow water into the machines were opened at both schools.

District officials said several employees and contractors had access to the boiler rooms where the chillers are located during that period.

"I'm sure it was done accidentally, and it was done by someone who shouldn't have had complete access and really didn't know what they were doing," board Vice President Tony Quagliano said.

Because of the incidents, Jenkins said the valves will now be locked and tagged every winter to prevent unauthorized persons from opening them.

He added that the operations staff is also looking at other measures to enhance the security of the locked boiler rooms.