LIVERMORE FALLS – An engineer’s report estimates it would take nearly $3.7 million to upgrade the high school to fix code violations but none of them is a school-health problem, SAD 36 Superintendent Terry Despres said.
The district is waiting for an engineer’s report on the middle school to determine code violations there and what needs to be upgraded.
Despres has estimated that between the two schools there are about $8 million in code issues.
The two schools also have about $4 million to $5 million in energy inefficiencies.
When the high school’s classroom wing and gymnasium were built in 1967, they were built to the codes that existed at the time, Despres said Friday.
Since then new codes have been established, he said, including new wiring codes, life safety codes and the Americans with Disabilities Act.
No sprinklers
One of the big code violations is not having a sprinkler system in the high school, he said, but the condition still meets the occupancy test.
District officials have applied for state revolving loan funds to fix some of the code deficiencies and plan to put in an application to build a new grades-six-through-12 school to get on the state’s school construction list.
Despres said once all the information from the engineering studies are on hand, directors will have to weigh the feasibility of investing money into the high and middle schools on upgrades or building a new school.
The engineer’s report for the high school lists the issues the district faces in categories such as currently critical and potentially critical to recommended but not necessary.
For example, the roof construction and roof structure at the high school are listed as potentially critical.
The district has applied for state revolving loan funds to fix it.
Interior stairwells at the school are listed as currently critical because the vertical shaft lacks a fire-resistant barrier. Vertical shaft walls are required to have enclosures rated fire-resistant for an education facility.
Currently critical
Among the items that are listed as currently critical are:
• Fire-alarm system – quantity, distribution, installation and operation of existing fire alarm devices are in accordance with ADA. Manual fire-alarm boxes not located within 5 feet of the exit doorways. Smoke sensor devices, smoke control and heat-sensing devices should be installed per National Fire Protection Association. Audible alarms not compliant. Visual alarms missing.
• Propane gas lines are leaking from the tank to point of use and should be repaired as soon as possible.
• Ground fault circuit interrupters lacking.
• Interior construction: Wood framing not approved by Universal Building Code for educational facilities without sprinklers.
• Signage-evacuation plans lacking. No compliant permanent room signage indicating the path for egress in an emergency.
• Windows do not provide proper egress size.
• Exit doors lack panic hardware.
• Air distribution duct insulation damaged in gym.
• Emergency lighting inadequate in gym and does not provide sufficient illumination during a normal power failure.
• Stage curtains not fire-rated.
Potentially critical
Among items listed as potentially critical are:
• Asbestos floor tiles that have exceeded useful life expectancy and should be replaced.
• Emergency egress signs: Some are insufficient, others do not meet code.
• Fire extinguishers do not meet current code, are aged and in poor condition.
• Gas auto shut-off lacking. No automatic shut-off devices for gas supply lines.
• Exterior doors aged and showing signs of wear and tear. Have exceeded designed life expectancy and should be replaced.
• Interior walls of gymnasium water damaged where excessive water leaked into walls.
Necessary
Falling into the necessary but not yet critical category:
• Toilet furnishings aged but not ADA compliant.
• Existing light not energy-efficient.
• Some kitchen equipment very old, broken and unreliable.
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