Twists and turns of the stairway chairlift (Activity Report)

Easy at first glance

Several factors have made the inclined stairway chairlift project seem like it would be easy. They include:

1. Two experienced vendors recommended the same make/model for our particular needs (Bruno Elite Curved), which they selected from among their broader (and fortunately overlapping) product lines.
2. As I have noted, that particular model is well established and well regarded. It is available with a commercial-grade package of safety features and controls.
3. Installation of that model is normally completed in a single day. The installer fits together the pieces of track, and then bolts the track’s footings to the stair treads. Done!

Below the jump, this post enumerates the much longer list of factors that have made the project difficult.…

Wire mesh glass may not be worth retaining (Speculation)

THIS AFTERNOON, I was describing our windows to someone, which induced me to look up wire mesh glass, which I knew very little about. Mishkon now has such glass installed not only as an exterior layer for many of its stained-glass windows, but also as the glazing for windows on the west side of the school building. 

For various reasons, we plan to replace all of those panels within the next few years. The question is: should we replace them with the same type of glass—or something else?

Below the jump, I share the surprising answer that arose from my initial research.…

Improving the safety of the furnace in our school building (Activity Report)

WHEN THE TECHNICIANS from the Gas Company came to restore service after the fumigation was completed, they red-tagged our school building’s furnace as having a safety issue, due to the closet that houses it. Namely, they perceived two ways that post-combustion exhaust gases from the furnace just might get sucked by the blower into the air that is circulated through the building, rather than being vented up above the roof.  

A gas company technician explains the problems.

Honestly, the hazard did seem pretty unlikely to me, given the configuration of equipment. Yet Fleming and I took the recommendations seriously, especially for the sake of our preschool. The resolution seemed simple if we could find the right person to handle it. So we made some inquiries—and within 6 working days the problems were fixed, for about $150. 

Below the jump, this post documents the two suspected problems, as well as their resolution. I created this post because given normal wear-and-tear, these apparent hazards will eventually appear again—and will need attention in the future. 

A flow alarm in our fire sprinkler system (Background Report)

OUR FIRE SPRINKLER SYSTEM includes an alarm to alert us in the event of unexpected water release. Normally we would not know that it even existed, let alone that it is always looking out for us. I still don’t know where exactly is located. Its measuring probe is just above the hatch in the ceiling of the fire sprinkler room (downstairs). 

The water flow sensor in our sprinkler system

Presumably the associated alarm is nearby—i.e., not far from the doorbell that is above the door to that same room.

The basic operation of such a flow detector is helpfully described on a vendor’s blog, which explains:

“[Such an alarm] signifies an activated fire sprinkler head or a leak in the system.”

The Fire Department requires that this alarm be inspected and tested every 5 years, as part of a regular overall check of our sprinkler system. Our most recent “Fire Protection Equipment Performance Report” (8/16/21) indeed noted that our water flow alarm device consists of a water-flow switch of the vane/paddle type, and that it produces a local alarm sound (as opposed to activating the building’s fire alarm, or being monitored by a supervising station). 

Our switch is meant to activate its alarm if a water flow of 4–10 gallons/minute continues to occur for 20 to 60 seconds anywhere within the downstream dedicated sprinkler lines. 

Nameplate on the water flow sensor

During the next test, which is slated to be conducted later this year, it would be prudent to find out where the alarm is housed and what it sounds like, so as to record both facts for future reference.

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.…

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.…

Air purifiers installed in sanctuary HVAC system (Activity Report)

JUST IN TIME for the High Holy Day crowds, a pair of air purifiers was installed yesterday in our historic sanctuary’s HVAC system—one for each blower. These devices use needlepoint bipolar ionization (NBPI) technology, as described HERE—from when we were preparing to install one in our school building.

One of the new ion generators,
mounted inside the forced-air unit (FAU)

As long as the HVAC blowers are on, these purifiers will be generating ions that the fans are casting out into our large hall, where the ions can neutralize airborne viruses and bacteria right where people are sitting—without needing to wait for the air to recirculate to the HVAC filter. Hence I believe that these devices will be significantly reducing the airborne transmission of disease inside our sanctuary.

These ion generators are designed for a system that is up to 2.4 times as large as ours. That’s good, because our retrofitted system is only about half the size needed when the sanctuary is full of people. In other words, our air purifiers are properly sized for the space. 

For links to evidence that the ions produced by this device are indeed effective at neutralizing airborne pathogens directly, see HERE.

Duct smoke detectors installed in sanctuary HVAC system (Activity Report)

ALTHOUGH I HAD provisionally concluded that duct smoke detectors were not required in our sanctuary, as described HERE, I nonetheless looked for an opportunity to get an authoritative opinion. That opportunity presented itself exactly one week ago, when Tom Nasrollahi, a mechanical (HVAC) engineer, made a site visit as a consultant on our main-floor restroom renovation project.

One of the new duct smoke detectors

Unhesitatingly, Tom replied that these devices were indeed required in our sanctuary, according to code. 

He explained that even though each of the sanctuary’s two systems has its own thermostat and each one by itself has a small enough blower to be exempt, they must together be treated as one overall system because they both participate in conditioning the same space. The system’s cubic feet per minute (CFM) for the total space is what counts.

Happily, a pair of detectors was installed yesterday. They were placed just upstream of the air filter before the blower intake (see photo). 

Thus we have made a capital improvement (betterment) that addresses a life-safety risk, which is of course the highest priority use for our precious funds.

(How did it come about that the installer of our replacement heating system in 2017 did not include these devices at that time? Maybe I don’t want to know.…)

Duct smoke detectors: required in the sanctuary’s HVAC system? (Background Report)

A DUCT SMOKE DETECTOR is an HVAC-system device that can prevent flames and smoke from being spread or fanned by the system. In the event of smoke, the detector sends a signal to shut down the fan. Its presence is required by code in most circumstances. Normally the determination is made by city building department officials when a permit is applied for. 

The HVAC contractor Jessy Perets told me that our sanctuary’s HVAC system lacks duct smoke detectors. He also pointed out that our twin HVAC units were installed in a visibly low-budget manner, apparently without a building permit. Which has led me to wonder whether or not a pair of duct smoke detectors were technically required in our case. 

For a fire safety measure, the fact of requirement (if it indeed exists) would argue for installation after the fact (which would cost $1,275 as quoted by one contractor). Conversely, if our case is an allowable exception, that would argue for leaving things as they are. At its June meeting, the board adopted that approach and asked the B&G Committee to find out whether duct smoke detectors are required by code in our sanctuary. 

I have a provisional answer, which I lay out below the jump.…

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.…

Air purifier installed in school building (Activity Report)

I AM PLEASED to report that the air purification device described HERE was installed today. 

This means that:

• We are significantly reducing the airborne transmission of disease inside our school building — as long as the HVAC blower is on, and the hallway doors are kept ajar, so that the air can keep circulating throughout the building.
• To reiterate, the hallway doors need to be propped open by about an inch whenever possible, in order for this device to work its magic.
• The school building can now revert to using a standard MERV-8 air filter rather than a hospital-grade MERV-13 filter (which is not only more expensive but also shortens the life of the blower motor).

Below the jump, I give links to evidence that the ions produced by this device are indeed effective at neutralizing airborne pathogens directly, quite apart from whether the resulting agglomeration is ever trapped by the system’s air filter.… 

Air purifier selected for school building (Activity Report)

WE HAVE SELECTED the most appropriate air purification device for our school/office building. It is a NuShield-R, which is a compact unit—smaller than a cigar box. It uses needlepoint bipolar ionization (NBPI) technology.

It appears that we can count on the impending air scrubber to significantly reduce the airborne transmission of disease inside our school building — as long as the hallway doors are kept ajar, so that the air can keep circulating throughout the building.

Below the jump, this post explains this unit’s benefits and features.

Using a circuit breaker as a light switch

STRANGELY, the only way to control our sanctuary’s overhead lighting (the 20 pendant lamps) is with a circuit breaker. There’s no ordinary light switch for this purpose.

Below the jump, this post explores the significance of this arrangement. Is it prudent?…

What is supporting the floor under the exit corridor? Maybe not much.

DURING THE ANNUAL termite inspection on August 30, 2022, our inspector came across a crawl space below the southeast exit corridor (connecting the sanctuary with the play yard) and above the ceiling of the mechanical rooms in the corner of the Social Hall. He spied a badly damaged floor joist, as shown in the photo below — and described at the end of a post I made at the time.

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

We promptly treated it so as to arrest its deterioration. However, we were unable to see or reach its easternmost end (as would be needed in order to replace the joist), due to the presence of a large metal duct that was blocking access.

Yesterday, Ruben and I figured out another way to get to that previously inaccessible corner of our building. Below the jump, this post describes what we did, and what we found.…

The challenge of heating the sanctuary on Shabbat morning

IN THE WINTER, it’s a challenge to protect our worshipers from airborne illness while also keeping them warm enough, and while minimizing water damage to our facilities from rainfall. Fortunately, given the relatively temperate climate in Venice, we face this challenge only a few months of the year. Yet during those months, the situation requires active management. 

The HVAC control interface via the internet
(As usual, click/tap on an image to enlarge it.)

Each week during cold weather, the trade-offs need to be weighed. Factors include predictions for the outdoor temperature, the wind velocity and direction, the amount of rainfall — and how prevalent and how severe the covid-19, flu, and RSV infections are locally. 

Below the jump, this post discusses the challenges and trade-offs. It suggests some management guidelines, based on my experience last winter.

“Tied-truss” sanctuary roof structure (revised from 8/12/23 version)

ROOF DESIGN is an abiding topic of interest to firefighters, because they need to quickly evaluate the stability of burning buildings. Thus it is not surprising that John W. Mittendorf, a retired battalion chief and training commander for the Los Angeles Fire Dept., discussed various types of roof construction in 2004 on the website Fire Engineering. His articles focused on “older truss roofs” — those that were common in large buildings constructed from the 1800s until the 1950s.

Chief Mittendorf, circa 1993

Below the jump, this post discusses what I learned about Mishkon’s sanctuary roof from Chief Mittendorf’s articles.

Location of fire extinguishers in the sanctuary

THERE ARE TWO fire extinguishers in our historic sanctuary. Here are their locations.

View from the bimah,
looking past the curtain
into the passageway on the north side
(As usual, click/tap on an image to enlarge it.)

View in the foyer,
facing the right-hand exit door to the portico

Knowing their location is important, for obvious reasons. Below the jump, there is a map of these two places.

The post with the most…

…challenges of all — out of the 10 essential roof-supporting posts that sit inside our sanctuary’s walls — appears to be the easternmost one on the south side. That’s not surprising, given that for nearly 75 years it has been sitting inside the pilaster that is the most weather-exposed, and at the edge of a sun-baked, asphalt-covered parking lot. 

July 13
(As usual, click/tap on an image to enlarge it.)

Below the jump, this blog post recounts our cautious, step-by-step process to understanding what needs to be done — and eventually what it will cost.