Grab The Shovels!
A Diana Bowley article in the Bangor Daily News Wednesday describes the seasonal necessity for rooftop snow removal. It also points out the dangers of not adequately taking care of that situation.
Cracks were detected in ceilings of the Lebanon Elementary School, and also in 11 support beams over the gymnasium in the Sacopee Valley High School in Hiram.
Susan Gendron, Maine’s Commissioner of Education, found it necessary to contact school districts throughout the state to remind them of the dangers of allowing the build- up of snow and ice on the State’s schools. In the article, she is said to have advised school officials to take steps to protect our buildings “and thus the safety of students and staff.”
She also warned, according to the BDN, that “even recently constructed schools should be checked, because their added insulation prevents heat from escaping. As a result, snow that used to be melted by escaping heat now accumulates on roofs, she pointed out.”
Given that this is all due to “Simple Maine Weather” how will the new school roof shovel itself off? Perhaps the bath-tub design roof structure proposed for the new K-8 SAD 46 School should be revised.
If the roof is designed to hold in the heat, and therefore the snow, and the roof is inward sloped, where would all of this year’s snow have gone? If the costs of a pitched roof are considered to be excessive, what is the value of the “safety of students and staff”?
It’s not too late to put students and staff first. Or maybe at least give them all shovels!
Cracks were detected in ceilings of the Lebanon Elementary School, and also in 11 support beams over the gymnasium in the Sacopee Valley High School in Hiram.
Susan Gendron, Maine’s Commissioner of Education, found it necessary to contact school districts throughout the state to remind them of the dangers of allowing the build- up of snow and ice on the State’s schools. In the article, she is said to have advised school officials to take steps to protect our buildings “and thus the safety of students and staff.”
She also warned, according to the BDN, that “even recently constructed schools should be checked, because their added insulation prevents heat from escaping. As a result, snow that used to be melted by escaping heat now accumulates on roofs, she pointed out.”
Given that this is all due to “Simple Maine Weather” how will the new school roof shovel itself off? Perhaps the bath-tub design roof structure proposed for the new K-8 SAD 46 School should be revised.
If the roof is designed to hold in the heat, and therefore the snow, and the roof is inward sloped, where would all of this year’s snow have gone? If the costs of a pitched roof are considered to be excessive, what is the value of the “safety of students and staff”?
It’s not too late to put students and staff first. Or maybe at least give them all shovels!
posted by Art | 3/06/2008 06:07:00 AM
2 Comments:
"I am asking that all school superintendents be aware of this year’s unique hazard created by the heavy snow loads and take appropriate action where necessary to protect the integrity of their buildings and thus the safety of students and staff. In many cases, this means removing snow from school roofs. In all cases, staff and administrators should be especially aware of the situation and should report any abnormalities in a building’s appearance immediately to the superintendent of schools. Even recently constructed schools may be susceptible to extreme snow loads.
Many of our schools have added insulation in order to conserve energy. As a result, more snow is able to accumulate on roofs; in the past, the snow was melted by the escaping heat."
Can Susan or Kevin or even John Parola guarantee that this year's snowfall is unique and won't likely happen again?
How many school board members are putting inward sloping roofs on their homes?
They need shovels alright, but they're not shovelling snow!
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