Page 13 - School Planning & Management, April/May 2019

FACILITIES { LEARNING SPACES }
My Roof’s Got a Hole In it ...
Each roof leak is an opportunity to fail. As always, planning for all possible alternatives in advance will pay dividends in the future.
By Mike Raible and Andrew LaRowe
THE ONLY SLAM-DUNK reroofing projects are those in which the leaks have gotten so bad that even a light drizzle fills the buckets in the rooms beneath. In those cases, the decision to reroof is a no-brainer, and the occupants are so glad to have someone finally paying attention to their chronic roof leaks that they buy doughnuts for the roofing crew every morning. So why is reroofing so difficult?
Because few, if any, reroofing projects in your career as a facili- ties professional or school administrator will be that easy.
Collect the Data
Build the case for the roof work by accumulating data. The
age of the roof is certainly one point to consider, but not the only one. Gather the maintenance logs that demonstrate situations that require attention every time it rains and don’t dismiss a physical inspection of the roof being considered. To the extent possible document the problems with photos. When it is not possible to access the roof and see the problems, use technology to document
the issues. Bluefin LLC roofing consultant used a drone to inspect and identify potential failures on a steeply pitched slate roof in the Washington, D.C. Public Schools. When in doubt about the mois- ture content of the substrate, most roofing consultants recommend taking samples and/or doing an infrared scan.
Make the Critical Decisions
Schedule is important for keeping staff, parents, and students happy and safe. Among the many decisions you must make are whether or not to reroof while the building is occupied. Almost nobody goes swimming outdoors in the dead of winter and only a handful of districts schedule major roof work outside of the summer hiatus. Noise, noxious odors, and the many distractions that come with staging substantial supplies one, two, or sometimes three stories in the air make for work during the seemingly less expensive times of the year still prohibitive. Several years ago, an elementary school in Anne Arundel County, Md., was evacuated for a week after staff and students complained of the odors. This is not uncommon
APRIL/MAY 2019 / SCHOOL PLANNING & MANAGEMENT 13
PHOTO COURTESY OF WESTERN SPECIALTY CONTRACTORS