EXISTING FACILITIES EVALUATION REPORT Project: Owner: Episcopal Church of the Resurrection Greenwood, South Carolina Episcopal Church of the Resurrection Date: 7/16/10 Re: Architectural Evaluation A/E Project Number: 10-C1070 The Church (Sanctuary): Exterior Stucco A. The stucco is from the period when both traditional lime and natural cement based stucco and Portland cement based stucco no test was conducted to determine the composition. If pressed my opinion would be this is Portland cement based stucco system but testing would be the only sure method to verify. In general the overall condition of the exterior stucco appears to be sound and secure to the underlying masonry substrate with the exception of several areas. These areas as described below will require remediation immediately to prevent continued decay of the stucco system and underlying structure. Causes for the deterioration of the stucco appear to be water infiltration and/or excessive moisture and/or ground water penetrating the stucco system. These water sources appear to be attributable to leaking gutters, roofs and chimney flashings, inappropriate location of flashings or missing flashings and overgrown plants against the building along with possible ground settlement or structure expansion and contraction resulting in relief cracks. Another possible source is moisture migration through walls due to temperature and humidity differentials. The flashing, roof and gutter repairs will be addressed later under their respective sections. Since is it not practical to identify one contributing source for the stucco damage, it is our recommendation that once the repairs are conducted that a regular building maintenance program be initiated and diligently performed to minimize the future occurrence of damage to the stucco system. The repairs related to the stucco consist of removal of the stucco in areas that have lost their key and patching those areas. Also, cleaning and preparing the surface hairline crack areas for sealing. The spider cracking areas will need to be sealed in the same manner but the water source for these areas must be identified prior to the sealing because trapping moisture in the stucco system will cause accelerated failure of the stucco system. The regular sealing of these cracks must be part of the regular building maintenance for the stucco to have a life cycle consistent with the building structure beneath. Small hairline cracks may be sealed using a thin slurry coating made of the finish coat ingredients. Whitewash or stucco compliant paint is another acceptable sealing method. Larger cracks will have to be cut out and prepared for patching. Painting of the entire Church is recommended to address the water infiltration through the surface of the stucco. DO NOT USE CAULKING PRODUCTS, these are not designed to fill cracks in stucco.
B. Surface cracks and spider cracks were observed at all buttress locations. The following buttress is adjacent the exterior door to the organ room. It is typical of the cracking observed at the buttresses of the Church. C. Along the southwest face of the building at the elevated tile patio, extensive spider cracks and surface cracks were observed. The intersection of the raised tiled patio and the south west wall has buckled tile and a gap that allows water infiltration behind the stucco system. Also, below the raised patio area in the mechanical/electrical room standing water was found and moisture was present in the very top layer of soil at the connection of the Church to the mechanical/electrical room. These moisture sources provide resources for moisture migration into the Church and Parrish Hall. 2
There is a gutter, downspout and chimney intersection that appears to have leaked severely in the past but could not be determined if the leak is ongoing. A tear in the flashing was observed above in the low sloped roof area in a valley. 3
D. The chimney in this area also have extensive surface cracking which can be a source of water/moisture infiltration. 4
E. The vegetation along the northwest corner near the door to the organ room is overgrown and in contact with the stucco. These plants should be trimmed so not to contact the building and/or replanted farther out from the building to avoid contact with the building. This condition traps moisture against the building and in the soil at the base of the stucco. F. The gutter and downspout system around the exterior were replaced in the past and the old system s anchor holes through the stucco were not repaired. Also, the gutters around the exterior need to be cleaned of debris note the leaves at the base of the valley roof intersection. This photo is at the intersection of the organ room and northwest wall of the sanctuary. 5
G. Stucco around some of the windows has surface cracks and hollow beneath the stucco indicating the stucco has lost its key, in particularly at the seals. Several have cracks at the peak of the windows which appear to be either relief cracks from expansion and contraction. These cracks did not transfer through to the interior peaks in a detectable way. This would indicate that settlement is not the cause of these cracks. This photo is taken of the northwest wall of the sanctuary. 6
H. The following photos show hollows that indicate the stucco has lost its key in these areas. These photos are of the bell tower intersection and the sanctuary and the northeast wall facing main street near the intersection of the bell tower and sanctuary façade.. /T hi I. The exterior top of the bell tower was not accessible by ladder. As evidenced in this photo the finish coat of the stucco at the bell tower step is failing. This is likely due to rain splatter from the ledge below. 7
J. The vegetation is overgrown along the front of the Church as well. It needs to be trimmed back to prevent contact with the building. 8
K. The following are general photographs with notes related to the condition of the exterior stucco. 9
10
11
12
13
14
15
Doors and Stoops A. The stoops at the doors are not sealed at the intersection of the concrete landings and steps and the exterior stucco at the building walls. Moisture is being absorbed by the stucco at these intersections which is causing algae and surface cracking. These areas need to be sealed and cleaned as part of the regular building maintenance program. The stucco in these areas will also need to be remediated as described early in the report. 16
B. The exterior doors are in need of repair. Daylight is visible through several of the doors and the paint is failing. Two of the doors appeared to have had partial repairs performed over the years. These repairs are not visibly evident and as damage to the doors progresses these stand out even more. We recommend replacement of the doors and surrounding trim. The plinth blocks are warped and exposed fasteners are visible. 17
18
19
Windows A. The windows in general need to be repaired or replaced. The repairing should include reworking of lead ferrament support pieces, also called cames, for portions the windows. Some of the stained glass is cracked and some have small holes in them. These should be repaired replaced. Installation of weather striping at casement seals and caulking of perimeters note most appeared to have been caulked within the recent past. Moisture intrusion and ant invasion around the windows are occurring. The damage, if any, caused by ants was not observable and may only be a nuisance. The damage by the moisture intrusion has caused the plaster stools to crack and/or lose adherence in some locations. Several of the frames are rusting which is also staining the sills of the window openings. 20
B. This window is in the sanctuary in the front wall of the Church. It has moisture intrusion occurring that is deteriorating the interior plaster finish along the interior jamb. C. These photographs illustrate the moisture intrusion at the stool of the window. 21
22
D. This window near the exit to the arcade to Bishop s Hall does not operate and has rust prevalent on the metal frame. Roof, Gutters, Downspouts and Leaders A. The roof in general appears to be good shape with the exception of the areas shown below. Depending on the initial installation and maintenance performed a clay tile roof can last the life of the structure. A major component to the success of the roof s performance is the intersection of the roof with itself or walls. 23
B. This valley section at the front wall of the Church and the bell tower is missing the rake end pieces and is clogged with leaves. The wood substrate of the roof is exposed and beginning to deteriorate. C. This valley is similar in condition to the previous valley. It is clogged and the gutter system have vegetation growing from it. 24
D. This drainage pipe does not have positive drainage slope and is holding water. It should be reworked to allow for complete drainage of water. E. The crawl space vents have debris in them and some have make shift covers over them to keep out the water. What is occurring is hot air full of moisture is being drawn in to this crawl space where is comes in contact with colder surfaces including the ground and condensation occurs. This promotes the musty smell in the mechanical/electrical room and other parts of facilities. Areas that could not be reached in the crawl space could be subject to mold and decay of the wood floor system. A powered ventilation system for this area or a sealed crawl space need to be considered. 25
26
F. The HVAC condensate lines are pipe out and drip directly on the ground without a drywell. This adds moisture directly to the ground at the foundation of the building and the base of the stucco system. We recommend installing drywells to allow the condensation to be contained and directed down and out away from the building typical around the building. 27
G. No moisture damage was observable in the portions of the bell tower that were accessible. H. In the low slope valley at the chimney several roof areas were observed that need repair. The following photographs show the locations. 28
29
I. These photographs show the past (maybe continuing) water damage related to low slope valley and chimney of the previous photographs. 30
Interior A. The general interior condition of the Church appears to be in good shape. General maintenance has maintained the finishes in a good condition. Spaces such as the single occupancy toilet have finishes that are out of date but are still in good condition. The Sacristy was not accessible for review. B. The following photograph does not capture the detail of the paint conditions in the robing room. It is for local orientation. The plaster finish around some of the windows in the space does have hollows. Also, some of the general wall spaces have paint hollows as well. Repairs to the plaster and paint in this room are evident and consistent with a building of this type and age. Moisture migration through wall to the interior appears to be the source of paint and plaster failure. The moisture can be from several sources including migration directly from the exterior surface of the wall to the interior. Intrusion from around the windows may have been a source in the past as well as the lack of weather striping in the windows themselves. C. The flooring at the front portion of the sanctuary closest to Main Street is cupping. This may have a couple of contributing factors: 1. the moisture laden air in the crawl space and 2. irregular temperature conditions in the sanctuary. 31
The Raise Tile Patio & Mechanical/Electrical Room Beneath: Exterior Stucco A. The stucco around the area of the raised patio has a range of conditions. It is failing in several locations and is severely damaged in others. We cannot recommend a durable remediation of this area because the design is inherently flawed and complete removal and rebuilding of this area is the only viable long-term solution. B. As shown previously the intersection of the tile patio and the stucco finish of the surrounding buildings is compromised. This condition is leading to surface and spider cracking of the stucco through moisture intrusion. 32
33
C. The tile is failing and allowing water to penetrate the mechanical/electrical room below as well as the face of the raised patio and steps. 34
D. The constant presence of water around this HVAC condensing unit needs to be addressed. 35
Interior A. The interior of the mechanical/electrical room beneath the raised tile patio is an unsuitable environment. There is standing water present. Mold growth and water damage present on the walls. Openings directly into the crawl space of the steps up to the patio and the Church allow unconditioned moisture laden air to be pulled directly into this space. 36
B. The piping of the HVAC system had condensation dripping from the pipes. The air is stale and filled with the aroma of mold growth. C. The cardboard of these boxes show sign of decay and mold growth in this environment. 37
Bishops Hall and Arcade: Exterior Finish Insulation System A. The exterior of the Bishops Hall and Arcade is a synthetic exterior finish insulation system (EIFS). EIFS was a very popular alternative to exterior stucco systems at the time of this building s design and construction. Since that time multiple lawsuits have arisen over the use and application of this system. The name brand of the particular EIFS used on this building was able to be determined because no drawings, specification or record documents were provided; however, it was determined that this particular system was determined to be a non-draining EIFS. All EIFS systems were originally designed to be a barrier system which is supposed to prevent moisture from entering the building wall cavity altogether and by defacto prevent moisture from entering the building through the exterior wall system. Unfortunately this means these systems have no means of expelling or draining water once water enters it. There are several areas of concern that should be addressed immediately to access potential hidden damage and prevent possible future damage to this building. 38
B. The first major concern is the fact that the EIFS is in direct contact with the ground and actually is covered by planting bed materials around the perimeter. This is the perfect breeding ground for termite and wood boring pest to use. They can bore through the EIFS to the wood sheathing and framing behind without visible detection. By code all new EIFS application must stop 6 above grade to allow for visible inspection and prevention of termite and wood boring insect infestation. Also, all of the courtyard side downspouts are not attached to leaders to divert rainwater from the roof away from the building. 39
C. The constant presence of water around these HVAC condensing unit needs to be addressed. It is in direct contact with the EIFS at the base of the building. If small penetrations are present beneath the pine straw level in the EIFS mold, termite or wood boring pests may be present in the wall cavity. The condensation lines for the interior air handler units dump directly on the ground in the areas. D. The penetrations into the EIFS at this location are not sealed correctly. 40
E. Some areas of the EIFS are missing the finish coat. Some appear to be original to the installation and others from regular wear and tear of the building. 41
42
F. Above all the windows on the southeast façade of Bishops Hall are cracks and most of the windows on the courtyard side as well. All of the doors along the sides have cracks above the headers as well. These appear to be relief cracks from stress in the building. There are corresponding cracks in the interior. 43
G. All of the windows need to re-caulked/resealed with special care given to the sills. No window head or sill flashing was observable and appears not to have been installed. 44
Roof, Gutters, Downspouts and Leaders A. The roof of Bishops Hall and the arcade is a concrete tile roof by Monier/Boral. The product is MonierLifetile which carries a limited lifetime warranty. The following will show a few areas of concern. B. The roof mud/cement for this section of ridge cap over the arcade is missing and should be replaced. C. The anchor for this gutter strap has pulled loose and needs to refastened. 45
D. This downspout and leader are clogged on the southeast wall. Evidence of overflowing water on to the EIFS is present. 46
E. The roof about midway down at the ridge and through the upper portions has a wave in it. It does not appear to be compromising the function of the roof at this time but should be monitored for future developments. F. These two areas on the courtyard side of the roof should be monitored for future developments. The broken tile should be replaced to avoid damage to the roof sheathing beneath. 47
Interior A. The area several areas of concern in the interior of Bishops Hall. The acoustical ceiling tiles are sagging which typically indicates excess moisture in the air or irregular temperature control for the space. This can be driven by irregular use of the space but after looking above the ceiling it was observed that the insulation system for this building is batt insulation laid directly on top of the acoustical ceiling tile system. Gable vents open directly into this attic space above will allow unconditioned air to enter and exit this space which is allowable by code. This ceiling insulation method and attic space by all energy and air quality control best practice standards is the least effective method used in the building industry. Super heated attic air is drawn down through the insulation past the acoustical ceiling tile system because the ceiling is not a sealed system. This super heated moisture laden air then contacts the acoustical ceiling tile which leads to the sagging ceiling tiles. Our recommendation is to seal the gable end vents and install a sprayed expanding foam insulation system directly to underside of the roof sheathing and gable ends of the building or a hard gypsum board ceiling installed. 48
B. Ceiling tile locations around the diffusers have dust building up which is a sign that maintenance is overdue. The ceiling tile should be cleaned and/or replaced. The other damaged ceiling tile should also be replaced. No access to the air handler units in the attic was found. Servicing and changing of the filters of the units is not readily available will cause premature unit failure. C. Water damage from an undetermined source is occurring at this ceiling tile in the kitchen area. 49
D. Cracks in the exterior walls gypsum board are prevalent at all window and door openings. These appear to be relief cracks from stresses of the building. As with the EIFS cracks there are not enough expansion and contraction relief joints in the proper locations to relieve the building stresses without cracking the finish surfaces. 50
51
E. The front entrance wall to Bishops Hall has wall covering on the interior side. It has been determined that not breathable, particularly vinyl based, wall covering are not suitable for exterior wall locations. This wall covering may have been breathable at one time but has been painted over. The wall covering is buckling. Trapped moisture behind the wall covering is often the culprit but building movement appears to also be contributing in this location. 52
F. The range has evidence of past fire damage from the gas eyes. We recommend installing a hood fire suppression system. Conclusions: The Church, Raised Tile Patio, Arcade and Bishops Hall A. The overall architectural condition of the buildings including their structures is sound and good with exception of the Raised Tile Patio. Bishops Hall s structure needs further investigation through a forensics group along the perimeter base of the building to see if the EIFS in contact with the ground has or is compromising the structure by allowing decay or mold to occur and/or termites or wood boring pest to nest in the cavity walls. The items listed above must be addressed promptly to ensure this opinion remains in tact. Once these items are addressed a regular building maintenance program must be implemented and adhered to diligently to ensure the future longevity of the buildings. Other organizations utilize a deferred maintenance fund to accommodate major repairs such as roof replacement, HVAC system replacement, stucco repair, painting, etc. 53
B. The most threatening conditions observed were all related to moisture intrusion and migration. Moisture is and will continue to be the area most buildings of age will struggle with to control. Addressing the items above should allow continued useful service from the buildings with reduced long term capital improvement risk exposure. C. Accessibility for disabled or impaired people is present throughout Bishops Hall and parts of the Church. The exterior side walks are also mostly accessible. Since the facilities exist they are not required to meet the current code requirements for accessibility until a formal request for the accommodation is made. Even after this request is received exceptions in the code would apply that might allow for an accommodation without major renovations. Current code requires that an handicap person be able to enter a facility and be able to navigate that facility without having to exit and reenter because a continuous interior accessible route is not available. 54