Fumigation: After-action review (Activity Report)

THIS IS A report on the tenting and fumigation project that took place during the last week of December (2025).

Below the jump, this post discusses three main aspects: the biggest challenges, what went well, and room for improvement.

Sanctuary sewage pathway: schematic sketches (Background Report)

WHAT IS THE ROLE of the sewage pit and its vestigial plumbing? I’m glad you asked! Until this past month, I had only the vaguest idea. But now I can clue you in.

The covered sewage ejection pit

Below the jump are three schematic diagrams, along with brief annotations, that quickly explain the basics of our sanctuary building’s sewage system. Finally, it shows a detail from a revealing City diagram—as interpreted by the late Phil Raider (z"l) some 20 years ago—that provides a key clue.

Effusive effluent: adventures in sewage management (Activity Report)

DURING ONE INTENSE WEEK last month, Fleming and I narrowly managed to avoid two near-catastrophes—namely a flood of sewage in the basement, not only during our main Hanukkah party, but also two days later during the big Hanukkah Happy Hour & Young Professionals Mingle. 

On 12/11, a normally empty 600-gallon sewage pit
in the basement was found to be nearly full.

If things had gone just a little differently, the results would not have been pretty! 😬 Below the jump, I outline the harrowing story, day by day.…

School water heater: Unfinished business? (Background Report)

WE WERE FORTUNATE to find a plumber who made sure to tell us what would need to be done in order to meet the current building code requirements, when our water heater recently failed. That prompted us to consider measures that we were not previously aware of. Out of the four items that he informed us about, we agreed to implement two of them, as described HERE. 

However, we opted to defer the other two items, for three reasons: they would be very costly; they would be needed only in very extreme circumstances that were unlikely in a brand-new system; and we could have them done later for the same price. 

On his written estimate, the plumber then noted the two deferred items explicitly:

Customer understands and agrees that the following items are not included in this estimate and will be completed at a later date under a separate quote/authorization:
• Run T&P (temperature & pressure relief) discharge line to the exterior
• Run drain pan discharge line to the exterior

What I have since learned, however, seems to support our decision not to pay for those two recommended changes.

Below the jump, this post describes those lingering items and their status, in more detail.…

Capital improvements accompany new water heater (Background Report)

TODAY’S REPLACEMENT of our school building’s water heater includes the installation of two new items that are required by the current building code—and for good reason. Both of them are designed not only to improve safety, but also to lengthen the life of the plumbing and of the water heater. Namely, a sediment trap (commonly called a “drip leg”) in the gas supply line, and an expansion tank in the water line. 

The rooftop vents for our school’s water heater
(Two square inlets on the left;
one round exhaust on the right.

You see that rusting cap that’s visible atop the exhaust vent? It is being replaced today, to prevent rust flakes from harming the burners down below them. Yet important as that is, it is mere maintenance. Metaphorically speaking, it’s the new capital improvements that will truly “cap off” today’s changes!

Because these small capital improvements are new to Mishkon, let me introduce them to you. Below the jump, I describe their respective functions and maintenance needs.…

New water heater in school building (Activity Report)

WHEN THE GAS COMPANY technicians came to restore service immediately after the termite fumigation, they noticed that the water heater in the school building was not working properly: its burner jets were producing luminous yellow flames. They said that for them to relight the water heater’s pilot light would be unsafe, and therefore against company policy. So they slapped on red tags instead.

Red “danger” tags at our old water heater

Happily, on the next work day a plumber came to diagnose the problem. The prognosis: after 24 years of faithful service, our water heater had reached the end of its useful life. Repairing it would cost almost as much as replacing it.

As I write this, the water heater is being replaced with a far more efficient unit. According to my previous calculations, the new unit should use almost half as much energy to heat the water that our building needs. (By law, new units are more energy efficient than they were 24 years ago; and the new 30-gal tank better fits our limited hot water use than the previous 50-gal tank.) Which means that it will mostly pay for itself if it lasts for its predicted lifetime. 

Below the jump are before-and-after photos.…

InTENTional action: fumigation completed (Activity Report)

MORE THAN 7 HOURS were needed for a 6-man crew to erect and seal up the tent that enveloped Mishkon’s premises on Monday, December 29. 

Four years ago, we had been told that it was not even possible to tent our facility unless our neighbor’s attached building were tented, as well. Yet after the fumigation company’s rep made several site visits and gave much thought to the matter, he came up with a plan to wrap Mishkon’s buildings while minimally involving our neighbor’s. This year, both our board and our neighbor assented to the plan.

Below the jump, you can enjoy 8 varied views of the enormous completed tent.…

FAQ: Tenting & fumigation at end of December (Background Report)

WE ARE ALMOST READY for the tenting and fumigation of our premises at the very end of this month. 

Although this was discussed and previously approved by the board in 2022, it turned out not to be feasible at the time. Many interlocking pieces needed to fall into place, but a few of them did not do so then. Same thing in 2024. However, this time around, it just might work—given the cooperation of our neighbors, the promised participation of many volunteers, and the preparations by our staff that I have already seen.

Below the jump, this post offers an FAQ about what is happening.…

Rain drip guard installed above door (Activity Report)

WE HAVE FOUR DOORWAYS that have been unprotected from above. During rainfall, water runs down the upper wall to the doorway, where it enters between the frame and the top of the door. There, it has caused damage to doors or to the materials below doorways. 

How to keep rainwater out of the building and/or from damaging the (top of the) doors? Putting our heads together, Andrew Roth (a new member of this committee), Fleming, and I figured out a relatively simple, cost-effective, and hopefully long-lasting solution: install an overhead rain drip guard. Andrew tested out this approach a week ago on one of the doors. 

Below the jump, this post documents the need and describes our preventive maintenance approach.…

L.A.’s potential funds for shade-tree root pruning and hardscape repair (Background)

THE CITY OF L.A. runs a rebate program for sidewalk repairs that sounds great in principle. In practice, taking advantage of the offer is somewhat challenging. 

Sidewalk damage caused by “our” street tree

Below the jump, I outline how the program would work in our case, if we applied for a rebate.…

Shiny brass (Condition Report)

IN HONOR OF the High Holy Days, most of the brass fixtures in the sanctuary have now been professionally polished. This includes the door pulls and push plates between the lobby and the sanctuary, and on restroom doors. The difference will be immediately evident when you walk in.

And in a nod to the value of preventive maintenance, a protective clear coat has been added to those items, so as to preserve their shine.

Some other brass fixtures in the sanctuary, such as the banisters leading to the bimah, were manually polished. They will continue to need repolishing each year (but see below).

NOMENCLATURE:   The Historic Structure Report (2003), in its cataloging of our sanctuary building’s architectural features, most often employs the term copper alloy rather than “brass.” The more general term is preferred in preservation and museum circles as a matter of accuracy. That is, the term “brass” is seen as possibly misleading because of the widely varying proportions of its ingredients (usually copper and zinc, but sometimes also other elements), which can shade into bronze, which is likewise a copper alloy. But in this blog I will continue to use the more common and informal term.

PRESERVATION TIP:   The salty air in our ocean-adjacent location means that our brass tarnishes relatively quickly. Yet for brass items that are not meant to be touched (such as the chandeliers in the Social Hall), there is a relatively easy hack: After polishing such items, rub them with a cloth that has been sprayed with WD-40. The resulting thin layer of that lubricant will help to protect the brass over time. 

(Indeed, it is said that WD-40 can also be used as brass polish, by spraying it on the metal and letting it sit for 15 minutes or so, and then rubbing it off.)

CONTACT INFO:   The vendor that polished and coated our brass items was: V&M Metal Polishing (Chatsworth), vmmetalpolishing@gmail.com 818-632-0603, "ask for Vidal.”

APPRECIATION:   Thank you to Carole Stein and Ginni Rosenfeld for this round of brass polishing! Long may it shine!

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.…

Neighbor asked to treat our south wall with care (Activity Report)

LAST FRIDAY, I noticed that a pallet was leaning against Mishkon’s south wall. 

(As usual, click/tap on an image to enlarge it.)

Anything that touches our wall is a matter of concern—admittedly minor, yet still significant. That green, 20-mil-thick silicone coating is the only thing that is keeping rainwater out of our building. And it is not easy to patch up that coating after it has been scratched or chipped.

So I wrote to the office of our neighbor, with the following request:

Can you perhaps ask your staff to avoid doing anything that risks marring the waterproof coating on that wall? 

I note this simple act here, because in future years—given possible staff turnover—the request will probably need to be repeated on occasion. 

 

West wall of school building receives maintenance (Activity Report)

AS A FOLLOW-UP to my having noted in October the maintenance need HERE, I am pleased to record that our Director of Operations has arranged to have this wall painted, as part of a larger project in November. 

(As usual, click/tap on an image to enlarge it.)

The quick turnaround is heartening. (Sometimes things do come together nicely!)

Below the jump, this short post documents the wall’s current condition via photos. They are meant to be compared directly with those in the previous post.

Completion and maintenance of south wall waterproofing project (Activity Report)

ON OCTOBER 29, our waterproofing contractor for the sanctuary’s south wall tied up the last remaining loose end, in the project it had begun the previous summer. It did so in conjunction with its annual maintenance visit. At least, the south wall project is complete!

(As usual, click/tap on an image to enlarge it.)

Below the jump, this post documents both aspects: the waterproofing installation, and the maintenance.…

West wall of school building needs maintenance (Condition Record)

LAST PAINTED IN 2007, which was 17 years ago, the west wall of our school building is in need of a little lovin’. In retrospect, it should have been repainted a decade ago. 

(As usual, click/tap on an image to enlarge it.)

This wall has been neglected because almost nobody except the staff ever sees it. Meanwhile, the afternoon sun and sea breezes have taken their toll.

Below the jump, this short post documents the wall’s current condition, with three annotated photos.

Sanctuary exterior-wall maintenance: a cooperative endeavor

TWO NEIGHBORS WITH SHARED WALLS have been cooperating on maintenance and repair issues. I’m referring to Mishkon Tephilo and the owner of the corner building to its north, Soheil Darvish. A couple of years ago, we worked together on the walls and foundation of the flagstone patio on Main Street. 

Now it’s time to work together on the maintenance of our shared stucco wall, on the north side of Mishkon’s sanctuary building.

(As usual, click/tap on an image to enlarge it.)

Below the jump, this post discusses the main considerations involved. It literally fills in the above drawing.

Maintenance needs of the new front gates/fence

NEARLY ALL of the newly installed iron gates/fence on Main Street is double powder-coated. Its fabricated sections were all carted to an industrial-sized oven, where they were coated with a dry powdered plastic (much like toner in a laser printer) that was then baked on, for a durable finish. 

That’s the best way to coat ferrous metal that sits near the ocean. Tougher than paint, it should last for a dozen years before rust starts to show through. 

(As usual, click/tap on an image to enlarge it.)

That being said, there are a few iron pieces that needed to be welded on site, and therefore could not be powder coated. Those pieces have been primed and painted. I.e., they are likely to start showing rust first, before the rest of the gates/fence does. 

Below the jump, I provide documentation for those pieces, so that our maintenance staff can keep on eye on them. (I’ll also note the moving parts that will need periodic lubrication.)

Maintenance needs for the south wall

AFTER I ASKED our waterproofing contractor for guidance regarding proper maintenance for the newly waterproofed south wall (completion expected tomorrow), I received the following response on October 24.

• The company head will come out soon to inspect the job, to see if there is anything that needs to be touched up, which will be done within the first three months.
• Based upon the conditions that he finds, he will then propose a maintenance schedule.
• The first maintenance pass will occur 9–12 months after completion of the job. 
• Maintenance costs are covered for the first year, as part of the waterproofing contract. (However, any physical damage from cars, trash cans, or otherwise is not covered. Nor is building movement, cracking, or any settling of the newly replaced post.)

Tree pruning completed on schedule (restorative maintenance)

YESTERDAY, our arborist, Al Gwilliam of Al’s Landscaping, pruned the street tree on Main Street that shades our front steps. 

Almost done!
(As usual, click/tap on an image to enlarge it.)

Below the jump, this post displays the two “before” and “after” photos that Al was kind enough to take.