Waterproofing the façade on Main Street

THE BASIC PLAN for restoring the sanctuary building’s façade and eliminating water intrusion is outlined in this post. (The condition of the walls is documented in photographs HERE.)

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

Toward a more comfortable and healthful school building

THIS POST UPDATES one that I wrote in September. I'm still trying to arrange for improvements to be done in late December, during the preschool break. The present focus is on improving the HVAC system’s air flow throughout the building.…

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.)

Condition of the Main Street façade

THE SANCTUARY BUILDING façade on Main Street is due for restoration, given the longstanding water intrusion in the hallway. The same kind of problems that we found at the south wall are increasingly evident. They seem to be the result of two of the 1948 construction methods — namely, the lack of a weep screed and of a waterproof coating for the above-ground portion of the concrete foundation.

We know basically what needs to be done. Now it’s a matter of gathering the necessary funds, completing a contract, and arranging the logistics of the restoration work.

Below the jump, this post documents the present condition of the walls, via photographs. (As usual, click/tap on an image to enlarge it.)

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.

Improving HVAC in the school building

THERE’S A LOT of room for improvement in the HVAC system of our school/office building. Thermal-comfort levels are good but not great. Our hospital-grade filter is reducing the risk of airborne disease, but it is taxing the air-supply blower. Running more than 45 hours per week, this HVAC system is much more heavily used than the one in the sanctuary. That’s why in July, when a preschool parent expressed interest in funding a system upgrade, it became my personal highest-priority new project for Mishkon. (This one is moving slowly, however, because I’m still heavily involved in old projects.)

A return-air register for mounting in a door
(As usual, click/tap on an image to enlarge it.)

Below the jump, I discuss the prospects for improvement. This work would be done in late December, during the preschool break.…

Tidbits about the Sanctuary, for its 75th Anniversary

OUR HISTORIC SANCTUARY building was dedicated on Sept. 26, 1948, which that year corresponded with the 22nd of Elul. (This year, the 22nd of Elul falls on Sept. 7–8.) In honor of the occasion, some of us have been delving into its history and features.

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

Below the jump, you will find a list of interesting facts about the building.…

About the thermostats

WE HAVE THREE thermostats, all of which are the same model: a Honeywell Wifi 9000 Color Touchscreen. For the manual and online support, go HERE.

Below the jump, this post explains some features of our thermal comfort control system.…

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.

Cracks on the inside of the south foundation wall — no big deal!

THIS POST recounts my due diligence regarding certain cracks observed in a foundation wall.

Milestones reached in south wall waterproofing project

THE SANCTUARY WALL that faces southeast (which we call “the south wall” for convenience) is pretty massive: 139 ft long, and 25 ft high on average. 

With the early morning shadows from our neighbor’s suspended cables
(As usual, click/tap on an image in order to enlarge it.)

Below the jump, this post will document and illustrate this wall’s recent rehabilitation, which the contractor says is now about 90% complete. 

Progress in restoring the south wall: Crack prevention

UNLIKE MOST BUILDING WALLS, our sanctuary’s long walls are made of two different materials: concrete (along the bottom), and a wood frame that is covered with gypsum lath and plaster. This has been a problem for the portion of the south wall that is exposed to the (sometimes blazing) sun, as compounded by re-radiation from the adjacent asphalt parking lot. In reaction to the daily heating-and-cooling cycles, the two parts of our wall respond differently: they expand and contract at different rates. Little wonder, then, that over the past 25 years, a horizontal crack developed along the seam between the two parts of the wall, running about 70' long.

1/10/23:  Horizontal crack at the seam of the concrete wall and the frame wall
also showing moisture damage from water intrusion
(As usual, click/tap on an image to enlarge it.)

As you probably know, the wall is in the process of reconstruction, as part of the interior painting project. Below the jump, this post explains the steps that we have taken to prevent that crack from reappearing.