Code Plumbing System Domestic Water Piping and Equipment...A. In the basement, we recommend splitting the twinned furnace serving the space, cleaning the existing ductwork and balancing

Edward U. Demmer Memorial Library Existing Facility Assessment | 24

Code

The library meets all building codes for the time it was designed and constructed. Some aspects of

the building do not comply with current building codes, but these are grandfathered instances and

are not in violation of the building codes. If any portions of the building are upgraded or

remodeled, they should be brought up to current building codes. This is not a requirement unless

the area is substantially remodeled. Items considered maintenance, such as new carpet, new

windows or a new roof, would not qualify.

Plumbing System

The following report is the result of a site visit by Curt Krupp of Muermann Engineering, LLC that

occurred on February 10, 2012. Site observations and interviews were used in the preparation of

this report.

Domestic Water Piping and Equipment

Existing Data

A. The existing building is provided with a 1� domestic water service. This service appears to

be adequately sized for the existing domestic water load. Water pressure for the facility

appears to be adequate. Civil drawings were not available to determine the routing of the

water main from the street.


B. Hot water is supplied to the facility

with one water heater. I estimate the

heater to be approximately 10 years old

and in good condition. The domestic

heater is natural gas fired and appears

to be adequately sized for this facility.

There is not a very high demand for hot

water.

C. The original building water piping is

mostly copper.

D. Fire protection for this building is not

present.

E. Water softener was not present.

Recommendations

A. The water heater may need to be

replaced in 5 to 7 years. If a building

addition is planned, we will need to

evaluate the new load to determine if a

new water heater is required. We, at this time, feel a small addition could be added without

replacing the water heater. Another option to provide hot water to an addition is a point of

use unit.

B. Insulate all hot water piping.

C. If a sprinkler system is provided, a new water service will be required into the facility.

D. The owner indicated an additional hose bib should be considered on the exterior of the

facility. This can be easily added if required.

Sanitary sewer

Existing Data

A. The majority of sanitary piping is cast iron. Vent piping in the original building is mostly

galvanized and appears to be in good conditon. The sewer system is gravity fed.

B. One problem with the sanitary sewer backing up in the upper level bathrooms was reported

by the staff. They also noted this problem was corrected by a local plumbing contractor.

Recommendations

A. Continue to monitor the existing sewer. Replace existing sewer sanitary and vent piping as

problems arise.


B. If a new building addition is planned, a possible new sanitary sewer may need to be

installed depending on the location. This will not be a major issue.

Plumbing Fixtures

Existing Data

A. Fixtures for the facility are in fair condition and most are original to the construction of the

building. The existing faucets are old and are beyond their life expectancy.

B. The majority of the water fixtures are not water efficient type, specifically the faucets.

C. The majority of the water closets are tank type floor mounted residential fixtures and in

good condition.

D. None of the existing fixtures are ADA compliant.

E. Water fountain is located on upper level, wall hung, and not provided with a chiller.

Recommendations

A. One possible upgrade is to replace the existing fixtures with new ADA compliant water

efficient fixtures.



B. Upgraded faucets should be low flow water efficient fixtures with ceramic disc cartridges

to promote positive shut-off. All handles should be lever style for ADA compliance.

C. Provide new ADA compliant water fountain to replace existing in same location.

HVAC System

This study was initiated to review the condition of the existing ventilation systems and offer

recommendations that would improve comfort and allow for future expansion.

The following report is the result of a site visit by John Kolodzinski of Fredericksen Engineering,

Inc. The site visit occurred on February 15, 2012. Site observations, construction plan review, and

interviews with staff were all used in the preparation of this report.

The result of the study reveals that the mechanical equipment is in very good condition and is not

in need of replacement. However, current air distribution is not ideal and it is our opinion that poor

distribution is the main source of complaints. It should also be noted that if expansion of the

facility is desired, new mechanical equipment will need to be added to serve the new area as the

existing systems do not lend themselves to expansion.

The existing furnace and condensing units serving the building were replaced in 2011. A typical

furnace system can be expected to have a service life of 15 years if properly maintained.

This report also investigates the existing comfort complaints and offers recommendations if a

renovation or expansion of the facility commences.

Existing Data and Observations

A. Five warm air furnaces currently serve the facility. Two sets of twinned furnaces are

located in the basement mechanical room which serve the original structure constructed in

1970, and one single furnace is located on the first floor which serves the addition

constructed in 1998.

B. The venting for the furnaces in the basement is routed through the roof utilizing a roof

penetration that served the original furnaces. It appears that the roof penetration and

surrounding roof shingles are damaged which may lead to roof leaks.

C. The venting for the furnace on the first floor is routed through the roof at a low point in the

roof near a valley. There is evidence of a roof leak in the mechanical room where the

ceiling is damaged.

D. The most significant comfort control concerns are found in the basement. A need for

additional office space was solved when a basement storage room was transformed into an

office. This resulted in the thermostat in the adjacent children's classroom also controlling

the temperature in the office. Without direct temperature control for the office, the

temperature in the office is rarely in the comfortable range.

E. Less significant, but still noted in our walk through, is a comfort concern on the main floor.

The current heating and air conditioning system air distribution on this floor is not ideal.

The conditioned air is supplied in the middle of the building instead of at the exterior walls


where the greatest building load generally occurs. This arrangement would tend to allow

the interior spaces to be satisfied in the winter, while the outer perimeter remains cold. We

noticed this temperature difference during our walk through and would suspect similar

conditions occur during the summer months.

Recommendations

A. In the basement, we recommend splitting the twinned furnace serving the space, cleaning

the existing ductwork and balancing the entire system. Modifications to the supply duct

will need to be performed to individually serve and control the children's classroom and

office as separate zones. This will result in proper temperature control in the office.

B. On the first floor, we recommend dropping the existing ceiling approximately 6". This will

result in a finished ceiling height of approximately 8'-5", allowing approximately 10"

above the ceiling to reroute ductwork. New ductwork could be properly routed above the

ceiling to the perimeter of the building where the greatest building load occurs. Any

existing ductwork that remains should be cleaned and the entire system should be

balanced. The control would remain unchanged.

C. In the event that an addition is constructed, a new heating and air conditioning unit will

need to be installed to serve that space.

D. The existing roof damage needs to be addressed immediately to repair any existing leaks.

Consideration should be given to the relocation of the venting for the existing furnace

located on the first floor. In its current location, it is at a low point where two roofs meet

which collects a fair amount of snow. This may be a contributing factor to the roof leak.

Electrical System

The following report is the result of a site visit by Curt Krupp of Muermann Engineering, LLC that

occurred on February 10, 2012. Site observations and interviews were used in the preparation of

this report.

Electrical Service

Observations

A. The building is served by a 400 amp 120/240

volt electrical service located in the lower

level storage room. The service is fed

underground from a utility owned pole

mounted transformer located on the south side

of the facility. The service panel was recently

updated as part of the last building addition.

The main distribution equipment contains 4

breakers with a tapped additional panel off the

main distribution panel. The service does not


contain a main disconnect but uses

the 6 disconnect rule. The main

distribution panel contains 1 200

amp 2 pole and 3 100 amp 2 pole

breakers, each feeding a separate

panel located in the building. The

peak demand on the service was

not verified.

B. It appeared the feeders to the

panels and other equipment are

copper.

C. Surge device was present on the

main gear and various sub panels.

D. The electric meter is located on the

west side of the existing building.

Recommendations

A. The service panel is in good

condition. The service will more

than likely have capacity for a

small addition and we will need to

evaluate it against the size of any

proposed additions. As the service

panel is using the 6 disconnect rule,

having 4 existing breakers leaves

room for two additional breakers to

feed any new loads.

Panel boards

Observations

A. Three existing panels in the facility

are original to the building

construction and are full with no

room for additional loads. Two of

the panels use the breakers to turn on and off the lighting on each level in a majority of the

spaces. Staff indicated some of the areas may require additional circuits as the use of

portable electronics has increased in the busier summer months.

Recommendations

A. The breakers have been used to turn on and off the lighting for a long period of time. This

causes the breakers to wear out and not protect the circuit properly. We would recommend


providing switches to control the lighting

and replacement of the 3 older style panels

in place with new load centers and new

breakers.

Fire Alarm

Observations

A. The facility contains a 120 volt Simplex

4001 fire alarm system consisting of smoke

and heat detectors in miscellaneous areas.

Fire alarm pull stations by exiting doors

were noted. Annunciation is done with

horns. The system is monitored by a dialer

and monitoring company. The dialer and

head end is located next to the electrical

service in the basement area. The fire alarm

system appears to be dated to the 1980�s.

The system is functioning properly for this

facility.

Recommendations

A. We did not test the system at the time of walk through as the building was occupied, but

we can assume it is functioning properly and no issues were noted by staff. As this system

ages, parts may become harder to find and a possible upgrade will need to be considered if

additions are planned.

B. The current system is an older style 120 volt type and may have been code compliant at the

time of initial installation, but no longer complies with current codes in regard to

annunciation of horns and strobes. Technology has also advanced to allow for smart

devices and different wiring methods to facilitate a more easily maintained system. It

should be noted that this system is grandfathered and does not need to be upgraded as it

stands.

C. The level of a new fire alarm system required will depend on whether a new sprinkler

system is installed. Smoke detection may be eliminated, making the system easier and

more cost effective to maintain.


Interior Lighting

Observations

A. The majority of the original

building contains old style T12

fluorescent lighting. Many of the

fixtures are lay-in lenses with

yellowing acrylic. Some of the

fixtures are incandescent; some

have been retrofitted with screw in

fluorescent lamps. It was noted that

as fixtures are failing, new T8

lamps and ballasts are being

installed.

B. Older style fixtures were present in

the bathroom areas and some stairs.

C. New T8 fixtures were installed in

the newer additions.

D. Staff noted areas in the existing

stacks were dark due to fixture

placement.

E. We did feel there were adequate

light levels in the majority of the

spaces.

F. Some light switches in the facility

are in need of replacement.

G. Emergency lighting in the facility

was provided but in need of

additions. We noted exits with

emergency egress heads and stand

alone wall mounted battery packs.

Recommendations

A. We would not necessarily

recommend replacement of all the

T12 lamps and ballasts at one time,

but advise replacing them to T8 as

the T12 fail; this is the most cost

effective approach. The owner must

ensure the proper lamp and ballast

combinations are installed. If they


are not matched properly, premature failing of the lamps and ballasts will occur. Also it is

important to populate all the sockets with lamps as some ballasts will fail if they do not

power all the lamps for which they are rated.

B. We do recommend removing any existing incandescent fixtures and replacing them with

new fluorescent or LED.

C. Adding switching to allow for better and code compliant control should be considered.

D. Providing very inexpensive lighting motion controls may also help with additional energy

savings.

E. Emergency egress lighting is a life safety code requirement for a facility of this type. We

would recommend this be brought up to current code; it will not take a lot of equipment to

do so. Adding additional battery packs to what is currently in place in strategic locations

would be all that is required. We would also recommend testing the existing units and

replacing the ones that do not work.

F. We also recommend upgrading the exit lighting system throughout to allow for additional

exit lighting signage to properly direct occupants to the exits. This will also not require a

lot of additional equipment.

Exterior Lighting

Observations

A. The majority of the exterior

lighting consists of HID

type lamps. Wall packs and

under soffit lighting

provides building security

lighting. Parking lot lighting

is done with city decorative

poles.

B. Exterior lighting is

controlled through a time

clock.

Recommendations

A. Some of the existing exterior lighting is old and in need of replacement. The facility

assessment was done during daytime hours and the lighting levels were not verified, but

our observation of the fixtures and lamp types indicate low levels and non cut off fixtures.

One possible upgrade is to provide new exterior cut off type LED lighting. This would cut

down on glare and reduce energy consumption. The new IBC codes dictate that emergency

exterior egress lighting be installed outside each code required egress exit. Due to the age

of this facility, it currently does not meet code in regard to exterior egress lighting. This

facility is grandfathered in and does not require it, however, if new LED type lighting is


provided to replace the existing fixtures, we would recommend updating to meet current

code. Additional lighting should be considered around the building perimeter for added

security levels and paths to walkways illuminated.

B. As this is a residential area, close attention to light pollution will need to be considered.

Intercom

Observations

A. No system is in place.

Security

Observations

A. No system is in place.

Data, Phone, CATV

Observations

A. A data closet is located in the lower

level storage room next to the

electric service. The data closet

contains a wall rack with Cat 5 data

non plenum cabling.

B. The building does include wireless

internet hubs.

C. The phone system is a Meridian

system located in the same room

with two lines.

D. A CATV drop is located at the data

rack and is the head end location for

the community access channel.

Recommendations

A. The data system can be added to allow for additional data cabling if required.

B. We recommend the data rack be provided with a ground.

C. If a large amount of data cabling is added, we would recommend a floor mounted rack be

installed to allow for easier access.


D. The phone system has capacity for small

additions. The system appears to have 2

outside lines connected.

Miscellaneous

Observations

A. Noted at the walk through was a power

pole not connected to the floor. This

should be addressed and a rigid mount

should be provided.

B. Also noted were flush mounted floor

outlets that were removed or in very poor

condition. We recommend removal or

repair. As with a facility of this age, they

seem to be in travel corridors and not in

the correct locations. It should be noted

new floor boxes can be added to allow

cords and connectors to be inserted below

the floor level allowing the cover to be

closed without the plugs accessible.

C. The owner noted the need for additional

receptacles in locations for laptop battery

charging in the summer months. This can

be added if panels are upgraded as

indicated above. The existing panels are

full for the most part.


Appendix A

Accessibility Survey completed January 25, 2012

This survey has been reviewed and updated to reflect current status of the facility

including recent updates to the platform lift and interior signage.

Documents

Code Plumbing System Domestic Water Piping and Equipment...A. In the basement, we recommend splitting the twinned furnace serving the space, cleaning the existing ductwork and balancing