(Please note this is from before the pandemic. Our physical church is closed)
Fixed Assets Committee Updates
Basement Dehumidification - It’s Working !
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Have you noticed that the rooms in the church basement are drier and not musty smelling? It’s because the basement dehumidification system is now working!
As part of the 2000 Capital Campaign, a new HVAC system (known as the Trane Unit) was installed to dehumidify, heat, cool and provide fresh outside-air for rooms in the church basement. At that time, it was recognized that high humidity was contributing to mold and poor air quality in the basement. The Trane Unit is a large commercial-grade system (i.e. not used for residential homes) often used for multi-room facilities like schools, office building, and small businesses … and for facilities like the UUCB basement.
Unfortunately, since its original installation in 2001, the Trane Unit deteriorated and became non-functional due to lack of UUCB knowledge of how (and why) to operate and maintain it. As a result, during high-humidity Spring and Summer month, UUCB basement rooms were stagnant, damp and musty-smelling, with mold evident.
During the 2016 Boiler Replacement Project the non-functional condition of the Trane Unit was “discovered” by the Quackenbush Co. Subsequent reviews and assessments resulted in a late-2018 Fixed Asset Committee recommendation and Board of Trustees approval of a project to install a new control system to restore “originally intended” capability of the Trane Unit, especially dehumidification.
The new control system, manufactured by Prolon Controls (Montreal, Canada), was proposed by Meier Supply Co. (Cheektowaga, NY) and installed by the Quackenbush Co. The Prolon Control System uses various micro-processor modules to control operation of the Trane Unit, using a laptop computer and internet access (i.e. the Prolon Cloud) to monitor, modify and trend Trane Unit operation.
After a few months of “learning” the new control system and monitoring actual performance of the Trane Unit, the new controls have been working since June to dehumidify basement rooms. Much thanks to the Quackenbush Co. and the Prolon technical support team for their efforts to install, start-up and troubleshoot the system. And to John Petrocelli for his efforts to set-up and troubleshoot connecting the new Prolon Control System with the UUCB computer system.
Efforts are in progress to “optimize” electricity usage for Trane Unit dehumidification. Next steps will include training others at UUCB about the Trane Unit and how to use the new control system. If you have questions or comments, or are interested in learning more about the Trane Unit, please see Tom Muka (Project Coordinator) or any of the other members of the Fixed Assets Committee.
As part of the 2000 Capital Campaign, a new HVAC system (known as the Trane Unit) was installed to dehumidify, heat, cool and provide fresh outside-air for rooms in the church basement. At that time, it was recognized that high humidity was contributing to mold and poor air quality in the basement. The Trane Unit is a large commercial-grade system (i.e. not used for residential homes) often used for multi-room facilities like schools, office building, and small businesses … and for facilities like the UUCB basement.
Unfortunately, since its original installation in 2001, the Trane Unit deteriorated and became non-functional due to lack of UUCB knowledge of how (and why) to operate and maintain it. As a result, during high-humidity Spring and Summer month, UUCB basement rooms were stagnant, damp and musty-smelling, with mold evident.
During the 2016 Boiler Replacement Project the non-functional condition of the Trane Unit was “discovered” by the Quackenbush Co. Subsequent reviews and assessments resulted in a late-2018 Fixed Asset Committee recommendation and Board of Trustees approval of a project to install a new control system to restore “originally intended” capability of the Trane Unit, especially dehumidification.
The new control system, manufactured by Prolon Controls (Montreal, Canada), was proposed by Meier Supply Co. (Cheektowaga, NY) and installed by the Quackenbush Co. The Prolon Control System uses various micro-processor modules to control operation of the Trane Unit, using a laptop computer and internet access (i.e. the Prolon Cloud) to monitor, modify and trend Trane Unit operation.
After a few months of “learning” the new control system and monitoring actual performance of the Trane Unit, the new controls have been working since June to dehumidify basement rooms. Much thanks to the Quackenbush Co. and the Prolon technical support team for their efforts to install, start-up and troubleshoot the system. And to John Petrocelli for his efforts to set-up and troubleshoot connecting the new Prolon Control System with the UUCB computer system.
Efforts are in progress to “optimize” electricity usage for Trane Unit dehumidification. Next steps will include training others at UUCB about the Trane Unit and how to use the new control system. If you have questions or comments, or are interested in learning more about the Trane Unit, please see Tom Muka (Project Coordinator) or any of the other members of the Fixed Assets Committee.
Roof Repairs to begin in September
In early September you may have noticed a large, orange manlift in the church parking lot or staged outside the West Ferry entrance doors. This equipment will be used by Grove Roofing to make necessary roof repairs and do additional roof inspections.
In late 2018, roofing inspection revealed that the Bell Tower roof needs to be replaced. Originally installed sometime during 1990 -1992, this EPDM rubber roof (located above the church organ!!) has deteriorated and needs replacement before it starts leaking. In addition, many areas of slate roofing and the copper roof above the Garden Entrance need repair. During the past 12 months there have been many leaks into the Garden Entrance foyer (from copper roofing above) and leaks into a classroom near the Garden Entrance area (from slate roofing above). Visual inspection reveals several locations with missing or loose slate. As a result, the Fixed Assets Committee recommended, and the Board of Trustees approved, proceeding with a project to address roof repair and replacement needs. Grove Roofing was subsequently bid and contracted to do this work.
Grove Roofing will also be using the manlift to inspect additional areas of the roof that are not easily accessed or visible from the ground. This includes a large area of bitumen roofing located above the Alliance Room and at the cruciform of the Sanctuary. It is unknown when the bitumen roofing was installed, or when it was last inspected. Recommendations and timing for potential additional roof repairs will be determined based on the outcomes of additional inspections.
All of this work is weather dependent, and plans are to complete currently contracted work during September.
If you have any comments, questions or concerns, please contact David Quackenbush (Project Coordinator) or any other member of the Fixed Assets Committee.
In late 2018, roofing inspection revealed that the Bell Tower roof needs to be replaced. Originally installed sometime during 1990 -1992, this EPDM rubber roof (located above the church organ!!) has deteriorated and needs replacement before it starts leaking. In addition, many areas of slate roofing and the copper roof above the Garden Entrance need repair. During the past 12 months there have been many leaks into the Garden Entrance foyer (from copper roofing above) and leaks into a classroom near the Garden Entrance area (from slate roofing above). Visual inspection reveals several locations with missing or loose slate. As a result, the Fixed Assets Committee recommended, and the Board of Trustees approved, proceeding with a project to address roof repair and replacement needs. Grove Roofing was subsequently bid and contracted to do this work.
Grove Roofing will also be using the manlift to inspect additional areas of the roof that are not easily accessed or visible from the ground. This includes a large area of bitumen roofing located above the Alliance Room and at the cruciform of the Sanctuary. It is unknown when the bitumen roofing was installed, or when it was last inspected. Recommendations and timing for potential additional roof repairs will be determined based on the outcomes of additional inspections.
All of this work is weather dependent, and plans are to complete currently contracted work during September.
If you have any comments, questions or concerns, please contact David Quackenbush (Project Coordinator) or any other member of the Fixed Assets Committee.
Masonry Repairs and Cleaning – 2019
This summer, you may have noticed work being done on the exterior of the Church near the Garden Entrance. This work involved repairing deteriorated masonry joints … i.e. the mortar joints between the limestone stonework on the exterior of the church.
This work was necessary and long overdue, because rainwater had already started entering through deteriorated joints, causing water damage at several locations inside the church. Without these masonry repairs, the church would experience additional water damage that would be more extensive and more expensive to repair.
To address this, the Fixed Assets Committee reviewed contractors with work experience similar to the needs of our historic church building and chose R.E. Kelley Inc. on a negotiated fixed price basis. In technical terms, the work involved areas near the Garden Entrance, as described and specified in the contract scope of work, to do the following:
Limestone cleaning was included at a small portion of the total project cost, to enhance the beauty of our church by removing dark stains caused by years of pollution and biological growth. Definitely not a job for UUCB volunteers or those afraid of heights!! Click here to see pictures of the “before” and “after” cleaning and here pictures showing repointing the gable coping stones above the west stained-glass window.
If you have any questions or comments, see David Quackenbush (Project Coordinator) or others from the Fixed Assets Committee.
This work was necessary and long overdue, because rainwater had already started entering through deteriorated joints, causing water damage at several locations inside the church. Without these masonry repairs, the church would experience additional water damage that would be more extensive and more expensive to repair.
To address this, the Fixed Assets Committee reviewed contractors with work experience similar to the needs of our historic church building and chose R.E. Kelley Inc. on a negotiated fixed price basis. In technical terms, the work involved areas near the Garden Entrance, as described and specified in the contract scope of work, to do the following:
- Cut out and seal gable coping stone joints
- Cut out and repoint 100% of mortar joints
- Clean limestone
Limestone cleaning was included at a small portion of the total project cost, to enhance the beauty of our church by removing dark stains caused by years of pollution and biological growth. Definitely not a job for UUCB volunteers or those afraid of heights!! Click here to see pictures of the “before” and “after” cleaning and here pictures showing repointing the gable coping stones above the west stained-glass window.
If you have any questions or comments, see David Quackenbush (Project Coordinator) or others from the Fixed Assets Committee.