As everyone in the Southwest knows, this summer's drought and heat wave have left us all exhausted. Just imagine how your buildings must feel. Most facilities can withstand severe weather conditions, but over an extended period of time, some building systems begin to fatigue more quickly. Severe drought can cause the soil to dry out under the edges of buildings and can force tree root systems to reach further under buildings, causing damage as clay soils shrink. Extreme temperatures can produce additional stresses to roofs, causing them to expand even further than normal possibly tearing the roof membrane. Then when it does rain again, you may experience leaks in a building that has previously been fine.
This year your maintenance and facility staff may need to more diligent in looking for hints that something might be wrong in and around your buildings. Here are a few steps that I recommend:
Review your parking lot and sidewalks- Look for sidewalks that have settled or cracked. Sidewalks shifting away from buildings and curbs can cause sealant joints to be torn, leaving a gap for water to flow in when it rains. Uneven sidewalks may create trip hazards and possibly impede handicap accessibility.
Review your irrigation system- I realize that maintenance budgets are tight, but please remember that proper irrigation around the building is important to keep the soil moisture stable. Changes in soil moisture can lead to problems with foundations and underground utilities. Don't forget to review your watering schedule to make adjustments if needed.
Review your walls- Look for sealant joints that are split which may allow water to enter the building. Look for cracks in the walls. Small hairline cracks are normal, but any crack larger than 1/8" should be evaluated by an engineer.
Review your roof- Look for tears in the roof surface or where the roof membrane turns up at an angle. Look at metal wall caps and roof flashings, especially at the inside or outside corner conditions of parapets.
Preventive maintenance- Don't forget to do it. These additional checks alongside your normal maintenance inspections will help you spot a potential condition before it worsens.
It seems that in Texas our buildings may cost more to construct because the materials needed are similar to those located in Michigan on down to Arizona. The last couple years have been years of extreme temperatures. Would you recommend building for these extremes? Does Texas building codes typically acknowledge the crazy weather?
ReplyDeleteAlso, is there a more in depth checklist that can be used in preventative maintenance?
I am a teacher at St. Frances de Chantal Catholic school in the Bronx, New York. Our structural problems stem from the wrath of hurricane Irene. Thanks to Irene we have lost half of our roof and have had to move classes all around to keep everyone dry.
ReplyDeleteOne thing is for sure. We didn't have a disaster plan really in place. Hurricane Irene truly made us realize how unprepared we were as a school for such natural disasters (did I mention we had an earthquake the week before!).
We are meeting next week and have formed a committee to explore options of natural disasters.
I hope to share some innovations with you next week.....
Thanks,
Joseph Muscente
Manhattan College
Riverdale,NY
Because I am a home owner, I realize that the same issues relate to my house. The foundation, in particular, is possibly my biggest expense if not cared for. I have watered twice a week throughout the summer; I'm now glad I did. Not only has my foundation been kept less effected, but my trees haven't needed to reach farther under the house to find water. This was helpful information. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteEMoore (TSU)
Eric is doing what most people do in Texas to keep their foundation from shifting. I guess you could do the same thing for a school building. It sure would make for a large water bill if you have a very big building. Just an idea.
ReplyDeleteCGibbs(TSU)
There are many micro-climates in Texas, the coastal region, the arid desert area in west Texas, the high plains, central rolling hills, and the regions in south Texas. Each has their own parameters to design for regarding the temperature range. Engineers have those records available and should be able to design specifically for your region. They do design for the extremes, but sometimes you get blindsided by mother nature and have these anomolies. Over 90 days of 100 degree weather is not predictable.
ReplyDeleteI don't really have a more in depth check list at this time.
This summer I was in charge of stripping and waxing the tile floors and painting the major hallways and classrooms. We had the usually hairline cracks above windows and doors one might see in the settling process, and I took care of those before paining. Now, two months later there are new and "improved" cracks in these locations. The foundation was was not kept moist, which I am attributing to all of the new cracks. The tile also has new humps and bumps. These harsh extreme temperatures need to be taken into consideration during the planning process.
ReplyDeleteB. Irick (TSU)
These last few summers in Texas have made me realize how important it is to maintain irrigation around my house to keep my foundation in check. I hate running up my water bill to keep our foundation from cracking so I can't imagine what it must be like to keep that of a school district's in check. There are some budgets you do have to trim in these economic times, but I believe good maintenance in your school district will definitely save the school some money in the long run.
ReplyDeleteThe blackland soil around our school is creating havoc on our track, sidewalks and just the walking areas on and around the grass. There are cracks large enough to swallow small dogs...it is difficult to stay on top of the maintenance so as to avoid any unnecessary accidents as people trek to school events on our property.
ReplyDeleteMistie Dakroub (TSU)
Well the drought continues, I guess i will walk around the school building to see if there are any new crack in the walls.
ReplyDeleteCGibbs(TSU)
The effects of the drought this summer are still showing up. The tile is now cracking with the movement of the foundation. Since the building is only 10 years old, the tiles are still in fairly good shape. Should the tiles be replaced now or later? More money will be invested in the process of repairs before it is all said and done. The cracks in the walls will still be there for next summer's painting. The list goes on and on.
ReplyDeleteWe are a small 1A school district. I can't imagine the costs that would accrue for a large district with so many campus sites to maintain.
B. Irick (TSU)