Officials weigh $28,000‑per‑floor drain‑down retrofit at county jail after freeze incidents

County facilities staff described repeated freeze incidents at the Oklahoma County detention center and presented a retrofit option to prevent chilled‑water coils from freezing during certain life‑safety modes.

Keith (staff member) and a mechanical contractor explained that when the HVAC system reverses to remove smoke from pods, outside air can be drawn in; if outside‑air dampers stick open or the system brings in sub‑20‑degree air, chilled‑water coils can freeze and burst. To reduce that risk, staff proposed installing drain‑down valves that would empty coils during cold events.…