How the front columns are constructed (Background Report)

IT TOOK A WHILE to make sense of what I was seeing, but after having peered today at the front corner column from the opened roof above, I can now explain how the front columns are constructed.… 

1. An 8"x8" wooden post stands at the core.
2. At each of 4 or 5 levels, a set of (8) 2"x4" struts extends outward from the core to hold (8) upright 2"x4"s in place.
3. The uprights form an octagonal armature.
4. Tarpaper vapor barrier and stucco wire are attached around the armature.
5. Plaster is built up around the stucco wire. 

The first three items listed are new discoveries. Below the jump, this post presents photographic documentation of the first three of those claims.

A surprise in the corner front column: damp in mid-June (Condition Report)

“MAN, THIS IS CRAZY!” I said to Ruben, as I showed him the moisture-meter’s readouts on the corner front column. For years, I have been hunting the source of the moisture that keeps ruining the paint on this column—as discussed most recently HERE. 

Illustration from the Home Depot product page

The column was wet!

And we have no idea where the moisture is coming from!

Below the jump, I recount the situation in more detail.…

Proposed HVAC system for Social Hall (Speculation)

AN EXPERIENCED H.V.A.C. CONTRACTOR submitted today a proposal for a two-stage HVAC system for the Social Hall. The installed cost of a ventilation system would be $28,000. Later, we could add heating and A/C for another $21,600, plus the cost of electrical work. Subtotal: roughly $50K. 

I asked for this bid because the Ad-Hoc Committee on Capital Priorities recently named such ventilation one of its top five items:

“The Social Hall should once again become an integral part of Mishkon’s life. [It] needs new ventilation and heating.”

Below the jump, I describe the elements of the vendor’s proposal and discuss them, including related options.…

Characteristics of the forthcoming silicone roof overlay (Background Report)

THE MATERIAL SELECTED to cover the roof of our historic sanctuary (later this summer) is silicone with the brand name Type S, manufactured by American Standard Coatings (ASC), based in Chatsworth (Los Angeles). It will be applied by roller according to manufacturer’s instructions at a coverage rate (thickness) that the ASC will then warranty for 15 years. Our roofer calls this “a 15-year specification.”

Below the jump, this post discusses the coating’s benefits and features, why it was chosen for our roof, and its future maintenance needs.…

A fitting challenge for awning in play yard (Condition Report)

FITTING THE AWNING’S SUPPORT POSTS is proving to be extremely challenging. 

If it is true that the sukkah must fit entirely within both the awning’s posts and its overhead frame, then here are the results after laying out the sukkah frame in the yard today:

[Update added 6/9/25] Various stakeholders consulted about this blog post have replied that the proposed arrangement, while it would obviously compromise the sukkah to some extent, is nonetheless tolerable. This consensus has now been reported to the awning vendor.

Below the jump, I provide links to photos, and more discussion.…