At long last the project to restore and repair the Parish House foundation has begun! Remember that it was early last year that we knew we had a rot problem. We realized we needed to dig a bit deeper and engaged an engineer and an architect to explain what was happening and why. We quickly realized the scope of the problem, but it took us most of a year’s time to get two contractors to bid the job. We finally got those bids a couple of months, allowing the Vestry to make a selection, and now work has begun. It will take about three months to complete this project.
For those of you who may not remember the issue, it is two-fold; water intrusion from runoff, and humidity damage in the crawlspace. Our parish hall roof is HUGE and in heavy rain, there is simply no way to slow the water down or move it away from the building. On the church side, the brick patio adjacent to the choir room and the library (now Harry’s office) was above the masonry foundation, and no amount of flashing would solve the problem. After three repairs in 20 years, each bigger than the last, we realized the design simply doesn’t work. On the columbarium side, it was the parking pad behind the kitchen, which pitches the wrong way, and the sheer volume of water. The kitchen floor has sunken about two inches in one place, throwing the whole room out of whack. So, the brick patio has to be torn out, and so does the kitchen floor, so that we can rebuild both areas appropriately.
Under the building, it’s multi-faceted. Without a vapor barrier, and without good airflow, moisture just hangs out under there and has deteriorated some of the wood. The thinking of the day, which said to spray insulation on the floor joists, has proven to be a bad idea in the long run. So, all of that spray foam is being removed from every floor joist. By hand. Then the ground will be covered with a vapor barrier, the sides of the crawlspace will be completely enclosed, and then insulated. Finally, dehumidifiers will be installed to keep the moisture at bay indefinitely. By doing all this, we ensure that our building will be here for a long time to come. Without it, it’s estimated that we could have serious structural issues within a decade.
As I sit here today, there is banging under my feet as I sit at my desk. Literally, not figuratively. I can only imagine the working conditions in that crawl space, wearing protective gear, slowly removing the insulation. Thank goodness for the men (and possibly women, although I haven’t seen one yet) who are willing to do that work. It has to be done, but it certainly isn’t pleasant. Perhaps that’s why it took so long to find those willing to do the work. It also explains why it is expensive! Unpleasant and expensive, yes, but also necessary. Essential, in fact.
Realizing my gratefulness for these workers today, I was reminded of the many conversations about “essential workers” early on in the pandemic. Some professions that we rarely used to think about became very important, and we were so grateful that those workers were willing to put themselves at risk to make sure we had food, or deliveries, or any number of other things. The problem with our crawlspace is that it was out of sight out of mind for a long time. We’ve learned not to let that happen again. I hope the same will be true of our appreciation for the men and women who take care of us and our needs, often unseen and certainly unsung. Pausing and reflecting on what is essential to us and who makes it possible, is a good spiritual practice. First on my list are the spray insulation scrapers!
Tom+
Heavenly Father, we remember before you those who suffer want and anxiety from lack of work. Guide the people of this land so to use our public and private wealth that all may find suitable and fulfilling employment, and receive just payment for their labor; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Photo Credit: Hands, by Raif Geithe, via Dreamstime.com subscription.