Not so coolDistrict sweating the details after gym's faulty cooling system gets worse By Diette Courrégé (Contact)
The Post and Courier
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Wade Spees Fans blow air from the cool parts of Wando High into the sweltering gym as the volleyball team practices Wednesday. "We like to turn every obstacle into a positive," coach Alexis Glover said of the accelerated physical conditioning the team gets under these circumstances. School and district officials have been working on a solution to the heat problem. MOUNT PLEASANT — It was warm in the Wando High School gym Wednesday, but that's nothing compared to what happens when outdoor temperatures soar. The higher the temperature, the less the gym's air-conditioning units work. The 4-year-old cooling system has been working inefficiently since it was installed, but the problems have gotten worse this past year. "You've got a heat box with bright lights," said Principal Lucy Beckham. "And an aluminum roof," added Assistant Principal Robert Woody. Parents and school officials are especially concerned because hundreds of students use the gym daily to practice volleyball or to exercise in physical education classes. It should be a simple problem to fix, except that the manufacturer who created the massive pieces of equipment has gone out of business. To replace each of the gym's three units will cost a total of $450,000. None of Charleston County School District's gyms had air conditioning until 2002, and the Wando High School gym is the only one with this type of faulty unit. "We're in a dicey issue here, but we're trying to work that out to be responsive to the school and be responsive to the taxpayers," said Bill Lewis, executive director of the district's building program. The district last year hired a third party to do an engineering review and troubleshoot the unit, and the company found that a number of bad decisions were made when the machines were assembled, Lewis said. That means that when the temperature and humidity are high, the machines go into a "downward spiral" and perform worse, Lewis said. "All it does is recirculate hot air, and there's nothing you can do to make it better," he said. The school district has ordered new, nearly 2 1/2-ton machines, which are expected to arrive at the end of August. Lewis expected the new units to be installed by the end of September. "These are not window units," he said. "We have to structurally reinforce the roof, and all that is being finalized." The school district is trying to work with the district's insurance company to pay for the replacement, and it hopes to hear soon whether the company has agreed to the settlement. If it's not settled, Lewis said the district could end up in court. "We're trying to avoid costly litigation," he said. In the meantime, the school district has set up large fans in the gym to pull cool air from the surrounding buildings into it. Coaches and teachers monitor the temperature to make sure it's not too stifling for students to practice or exercise. The volleyball team practiced in the gym on Wednesday, and the players didn't seem bothered by the temperature. Senior Christina Glover, who has played on the varsity team for four years, said the team takes a "glass half-full" perspective to the situation. "It's toasty, but it doesn't even faze us," she said. "We're so used to it. We use it to our advantage." The team gets in shape quicker by working through the adversity, and practicing in those conditions makes it a little easier when facing opposition in a cooler environment, she said. Gary Santos, a Mount Pleasant Town Council member and parent of a Wando High volleyball player, said he appreciates the school district's efforts to remedy the situation and its promise to replace the units. He remembers sitting in the steamy gym last year during a volleyball tournament. The temperature was a serious health and welfare concern, not only for students playing volleyball, but for grandparents who came to watch the game, he said. "It was so hot, it was wrong," he said. Reach Diette Courrégé at 937-5546 or dcourrege@postandcourier.com. |
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Comments
This article has 42 comment(s)
Posted by iceman1978 on August 21, 2008 at 1:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)
If the system is only 4 years old shouldn't this be covered under the warranty?
Want to get the a/c system right the first time? Ask the shopping malls what kind of systems they use. Just a department store would stand to lose thousands of dollars an hour in sales if the a/c were to break.
Posted by Acecool on August 21, 2008 at 1:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The business that originally installed the faulty unit went out of business.. go figure...
Posted by theballsiam on August 21, 2008 at 3:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Boohoo, when I took gym at the old Wando it was always hot as balls, yet nothing was done about it. Honestly it'd be a waste of 450,000 dollars to fix it.
Posted by clisby on August 21, 2008 at 5:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"It's toasty, but it doesn't even phase us," she said.
Probably doesn't faze them either. Bring us a copy editor!!!!
Posted by moonpie on August 21, 2008 at 6:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I disagree as someone who sat there for four years during my daughters v-ball career. It's one of the dreaded gyms to visit in the low country. The other, believe it or not, is Porter Gaud. All very nice gyms with no air!
Posted by gococks1985 on August 21, 2008 at 7:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Ugghhh someone who shares my disdain for that company..
Posted by mlm on August 21, 2008 at 7:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"We're trying to avoid costly litigation," he said.
Since when has CCSD seriously tried to avoid costly litigation?
Why not recover the $450,000 cost by simply ending the three year contract CCSD has with Bill Lewis? That's exactly what he makes from the agreement he negotiated with the county board two years ago...just before the last election.
Posted by justjerry on August 21, 2008 at 7:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Spray foam insulate the building and that will make a huge difference. They even have a new soy based version so it will be a 'green' improvement as well. I did it at my house and the attic has not gotten over 80 degrees all summer, expensive but worth every penny!
Posted by cwmcpa on August 21, 2008 at 7:44 a.m. (Suggest removal)
How do the boys who are outside practicing football in the elements keep cool? They drink plenty of fluids and go in the gym where it is 10 degrees cooler. But they are boys and the sooner they learn that their problems just don't measure up to those of the volleyball team the better off they will be.
Posted by jeff61 on August 21, 2008 at 8:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Tell me more about this insulation justjerry
LOL CB
Posted by bunting on August 21, 2008 at 8:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
What about the kids in schools with NO air conditioned gyms (North Charleston High School, for example.)?
Posted by BerkeleyCo_Mom_of_3 on August 21, 2008 at 8:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
what a bunch of whiners! Shouldn't the school district use reputable companies when building a school? No, they choose fly-by-night companies who come in with the low ball bid and end up spending a hell of a lot more down the road...one word for the guy who picked this contractor...dumbass. It's called do some research.
Posted by coolfreaknbeans on August 21, 2008 at 8:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)
OK so when its a school in Mt.Pleasant with crappy air it makes the paper?Well my daughters middle school gym has NO air at all!It sucks!I can't imagine running around in there doing sports.They hold all meetings and performances in there too.It was evening and people were sweating there azzes off and the elderly were about to pass out.Some people had to leave!I bet if her school got the money for a/c units they'd make sure they were done correctly.And to the poster who suggested drinking to stay cool.....that'd be a great idea if they were allowed to have bottled water.But they are not.
Posted by jeff61 on August 21, 2008 at 8:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This entire A/C issue can be summed up like this, It's like passing an accident on the highway - I don't WANT to look, but sometimes I look, and then I feel nauseous and hate myself for exposing myself to that.
Posted by coolfreaknbeans on August 21, 2008 at 8:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
How fitting jeff61.Most of the performing kids I don't wanna look,sometimes I look(it's so damn hot)I feel nauseous and hate myself for exposing myself to that.All in all it's like a PTA meeting.
Posted by justjerry on August 21, 2008 at 8:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)
jeff61 - it is a spray foam that they put on the underside of a roof that seals the space and does not allow the heat to ever get into the attic. There are several different companies that do it, I used airtight of charleston which you can find with a google search.
Basically they spray the stuff up in your rafters all the way down to the top of your walls and it completely seals your attic from heat and moisture getting in. With your attic sealed with an insulating medium it keeps the heat from ever getting in and is much more efficient. And, if you have your duct work in the attic even better, even though in a traditional situation the ducts will be insulated they are still in a 140-150 degree environment. The other nice thing about it is that it pretty much lasts forever, unlike blown or rolled insulation which you are supposed to replace about every 10 years or so - even though noone ever does it.
Our power bill dropped from around $400/mo keeping the AC at 76 last year to $130/mo with the AC at 73. So, at around $6K for a 1800 sqft house we spent a little more than 3 times what rolled and foam insulation would have cost but we should recover it very quickly based on reduced power bills.
Hope this helps, if you have more questions drop me a note.
Posted by BerkeleyCo_Mom_of_3 on August 21, 2008 at 9:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This was interesting, I saved you some research ColdBeer, I think this stuff was used in my new house, but by a different company than airtight. It is supposed to be some energy efficient green thing that builders are using to find energy conscious buyers.
Although closed cell spray foam is a roofing system and will prevent air movement and air infiltration, it is still a "breather." Moisture can and does "flow through" closed cell foams but at a much reduced rate and in microscopic amounts in between the cell structure of the polymer matrix. With over and and half million closed cells filled with an insulation gas per cubic of this stuff, you can see how only very small amounts of moisture in vapor form can actually move through foam. But it does. Building with wet materials is often the case, but unless the entire surface of a web building material is covered and closed-cell foam moisture applied in vapor form has the ability to out gas in another direction. Studies conducted by the University of New York have shows that throughout the year, it is common that building materials wet and dry in terms of elevated relative humidity of the material. The relative humidity is of little concern as log as the percentages are below saturation point and the vapor becomes liquid water. Once at saturation within the wall, there are still opportunities to find a way out of the cavity as conditions change and water returns to a vapor state. The advantage of closed cell foams is that when moisture is present, the flow from hot to cold and more to less (2nd law of thermodynamics) are:
Moisture is reduced
Temperature differentials are lessened to reduce the potential for condensation
Air flow is reduced to prevent more moisture and introduction of unconditioned
Air into cavity and convective thermal insulation (R-value) loss
Posted by ysillyme on August 21, 2008 at 9:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Not a single complaint was lodged by the boys at the school, seems like as tempers and attention spans grow shorter so do the high school girls attire grow shorter.
Posted by Egap on August 21, 2008 at 9:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
When I attended High School, the girls wore these blue bloomer looking bags and only the ankles were exposed.
Vive La Differance
Posted by justjerry on August 21, 2008 at 9:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
coldbeer - BerkeleyCo_Mom_of_3 said it better than I could have. As for your low power bill, that is awesome. Our house is 80 to 100 years old and was not built to be energy efficient at all so we looked at it as away to save money on our power bills over the long run. This way we can say that we are trying to be green even though the real reason is just to save some green....
Posted by BerkeleyCo_Mom_of_3 on August 21, 2008 at 9:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Damn Egap, you are obviously one of those who is benefiting from my social security contributions on payday...another f'ing benefit I pay for which probably won't exist when i get there...but that's another story.
Jerry..cut and paste hun. It was easier than trying to describe the stuff. They can sue me...but of course they might not if it gets them business. Either way, I don't care. I just know my first electric bill on my house (2,563 sq. ft.) was about $125.00 and I keep the air on 73-75. But I have gas for my stove, hot water and fireplace that is just there to be a selling point some day in the future. That is much lower than my old house, which was 1,800sq' and we kept the air on 79 which cost us about $170 a month. Go figure. I have yet to see a pattern as we just moved in in July, but hopefully the numbers will stay low.
Posted by Egap on August 21, 2008 at 9:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I've a few more years before SS ...if it is still there.
Florida schools in the 50s and 60s did their best to keep the he-ing and she-ing to a minumum thus the bloomers. Seem to have worked better than today.
Oh, did I mention, we had no A/C in school, huh! what were they thinking.
Posted by ysillyme on August 21, 2008 at 9:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Egap~
There be a bunch of high school girls that should be mandated to expose only their ankles!
Posted by BerkeleyCo_Mom_of_3 on August 21, 2008 at 10:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Sorry Egap, I won't curse you...yet! jk
CB, de nada, dos cervezas por favor?(the only Spanish I know, pretty much...my survival skills on trips to Mexico, that and lots of $1 bills)
Interesting information Thomas...you are quite a knowlegable fella..typical b.s. cma action you see in just about every school district where some f'up has been allowed to make decisions.
Posted by justjerry on August 21, 2008 at 10:21 a.m. (Suggest removal)
coldbeer - you are correct about the electrical and mechanicals, that is why we decided to replace all of it when we renovated. A big pain in the butt that should pay off in the long run with a much lower likelihood of future problems.
Posted by tallblonde on August 21, 2008 at 10:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I wonder if the Wando Food Lion Bandits were ever in the gym.....the "extreme heat" defense could be used as a reason for a retrial.... ;-)
Posted by AHLeland on August 21, 2008 at 10:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Wow! My graduating class (2001) was the first class the have AC in our school! Before that, we made do with window fans. The gym does not have - and probably never will have - AC. Given that in 6 weeks it will be October, I think the students can tough it out a little longer.
Posted by KidYendor on August 21, 2008 at 10:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Yes indoor volleyball girls and their attire are hot. Those skinny and flat beach volley girls look anorexic. I could watch Olympic indoor volleyball forever. Now as far as Wando's cooling problems this is simply a curse from them stealing/copying other local school team names. When they officially give up the name of "Warriors" their air conditioning problems will be over.
Posted by UrGatorbait on August 21, 2008 at 10:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Coldbeer is obsessed with the blonde teenager, no surprise. If it bothers you that much stop looking duh or is something else getting yer dander up?
Put new friggin' A/C units in or just drop it. More drama about a fixable problem.
Posted by jeff61 on August 21, 2008 at 10:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I think what Thomas is saying UrGator is that he units should not need replacing at a cost to the County because of the issues he is raising. This looks to be a bigger issue then a "Hot Gym".
Posted by STREETLAW on August 21, 2008 at 11:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Typical bureaucratic bumbling. Is there no oversight? Should a contractor be in jail or heavily fined?
Does anyone take resposibility for this fiasco?
Posted by MissPriss on August 21, 2008 at 11:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I think the conversation went a little different ColdBeer. . .
Blonde #1 Like OMG do you see that old creepy guy staring at us?
Blonde #2 What a freak!
j/k CB!
Posted by tallblonde on August 21, 2008 at 2 p.m. (Suggest removal)
wpc3iop - Judging by the Wando Food Lion bandits - I would say it has a good chance of it......
Posted by drp7773 on August 21, 2008 at 2:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Oh Oh I see another armed robbery around the corner, they will claim they couldn't stand the hot gym no more and needed the mopney to buy a window AC unit :)
Posted by Egap on August 21, 2008 at 4:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Maybe someone stole the A?C copper coolant lines and no one realizes it yet.
Posted by shoelaces on August 21, 2008 at 6:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Gyms do get hot. They are basically green houses.
Last year we started the year without AC in the classrooms in my school. It was absolutely miserable!!! It took about 4 weeks to get it working properly in the areas that were HOT. So far this year we are OK...fingers crossed.
Posted by luvmydogs59 on August 21, 2008 at 7:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Well good lord....how did I make it through my K-12 years without an air conditioned school or gym?? There was no such thing as air conditioning in the schools back then and nobody complained...it just was the way it was.
Grow some cajones, school kids, and get over it...you'll survive, just like the rest of us did!!
Posted by GG on August 21, 2008 at 8:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)
How in the hell did this happen, you ask. These expensive units have NEVER properly worked. Ask any coach at Wando. The one for the weight room has been broken from day one. And what genius designed a system where the filters for these units have to be hauled up by a rope.
The coaches and admins at Wando have complained about these units and also a multitude of hundreds of other building problems since this school opened. But the slack asses at the CCSD offices are not responsive to concerns at this school and probably many others.
Finally, as Thomas 1776 (anybody want to guess who this is?) will tell you also - It is widely suspected in CCSD that this department has been taking kickbacks for years. Why would this Lewis guy be writing any kind of recommendation for any company CCSD gets construction quotes from? This is a significant conflict of interest also.
It's time that the superintendent asked for an independent audit of this division.
I seem to remember this happening in Sumter, I think, and the guilty people were indicted for kickbacks and billing to false companies.
Posted by STREETLAW on August 21, 2008 at 8:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
County Officials taking kickbacks? Say it ain't so. Someone needs to find an agency that will take action and start naming names.
Posted by jeff61 on August 22, 2008 at 8:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Since you asked my guess is that he is a investigative reporter. Seems to have much more "inside" information then the average person.
Posted by ThinkAboutThis on August 23, 2008 at 9:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Maybe the band can give up it's $352,000 budget and donate some to the gym air conditioning replacement or for classroom supplies!
Posted by ThinkAboutThis on August 23, 2008 at 9:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)
http://www.scsos.com/ch_profile.asp?char...
The sad part only 71% devoted?