Water Leaks Raise Concerns At Monomoy Middle School

CHATHAM – Following a recent water leak that prompted the closure of the school library, some Monomoy Middle School teachers have complained about indoor air quality in the building. School officials and environmental safety contractors say there’s no evidence of elevated levels of mold that would cause health problems, but they say the leaks underscore the need to replace the building’s siding and roof.
Depending on which way the wind’s blowing, rainstorms have been causing water to leak in certain parts of the middle school, and condensation from air conditioners has also caused water damage. Superintendent of Schools Scott Carpenter said the building remains generally in excellent condition and the water leaks are not a new issue. One year, rainwater trickled through the gymnasium roof even as town meeting voters below considered an appropriation for school maintenance, he said.
In many parts of the building, siding that was improperly installed in 1997 has caused water intrusion that allowed water to accumulate inside walls, particularly around windows. While the interior walls of the classrooms were largely undamaged, water wicked into some of the wooden windowsills, causing them to rot. The school district commissioned a detailed study that predicted that it would cost up to $6.3 million to replace the trim and siding using rot-resistant materials; that project will go before voters at next year’s spring town meetings. The study also confirmed the need to replace the building’s roof, which has passed its predicted life expectancy.
Several weeks ago, a windy rainstorm caused water to infiltrate around a circular window at the top of the gable over the library, and water “dripped down on some books,” Carpenter said. Library staff were initially reluctant to throw out the books, but some became moldy and had to be discarded. To facilitate cleaning and repairs, the library was closed for around a week. That work appeared to be continuing as of last week, though students were allowed back in the room. During the closure, library programming was moved to a classroom down the hall, school officials say.
Not all of the water leaks are related to problems with the building envelope, Carpenter confirmed. Because schools of this age typically were not air conditioned for use in the summer, portions of the building — including the library — were equipped with mini-splits for localized climate control. When used to cool the rooms during humid summer weather, the mini-splits created condensation that in some cases leaked out of the units and soaked walls and carpets.
The district has contracted with certified mold inspector Frank Zelinski of Orleans and environmental health services consultant Marina Brock to test for mold and other contaminants in the building on multiple occasions. Carpenter said while mold was detected in the building, “the mold outside was 10 times higher.” 
As an employee of Barnstable County and now as a private contractor, Brock said she has tested local municipal buildings for decades, generally using “tape tests” to sample mold and other contaminants that have settled out of the air over time. In the last two years, she has taken around seven series of samples at Monomoy Middle School, submitting four reports to the district.
“Mold is ubiquitous” on Cape Cod and is generally at its highest levels in the fall, Brock said. Mold like aspergillus and penicillium are almost always present and are not only found in the school but in outdoor spaces and in homes. Despite the “fear and loathing” people feel toward mold, the kinds that are truly toxic are rare and are generally limited to “Hurricane Katrina mold where the house is underwater for three weeks,” she said. 
In a report to the school district, Brock opined that “the scant level of [mold] spores identified in the classroom would not contribute to adverse health reactions. However, if someone had a reaction associated with this sparse level, they would be negatively reacting to the exponentially larger levels of spores circulating seasonally everywhere in outside air.”
Carpenter confirmed that two staff members have provided medical documentation related to mold allergy symptoms, but that the source of the allergen was not definitely determined. Staff members contacted by The Chronicle declined to provide their names on the record.
“Any time a concern has been raised to the administration, we have always taken a thorough approach, bringing in indoor air quality specialists and following all remediation and prevention recommendations from these specialists, to ensure the indoor air quality at the middle school is safe for staff and students alike,” Carpenter said. The district purchased special air filters and an air ionization machine and replaced the carpet in an entire wing of the building after there were complaints about one of the classrooms.
“I believe they are sincerely on top of it. They sincerely care,” Brock said of school officials. It’s clear that the district has taken steps to reduce allergens and is doing “more than a lot of organizations that I see, that are less sympathetic,” she said.
Brock said when people believe there is an indoor air quality problem, they should visit a local allergist — not their general practitioner — and have an allergy panel conducted to find out what their sensitivities are. In the vast majority of cases, any symptoms are generally caused by dust mites, she said.
In any case, it is clear that steps need to be taken to control water intrusion in the building, Brock said.
“Structural envelopes shouldn’t leak,” she said. 
Last week, Carpenter provided a tour of the building to Harwich select board member Jeffrey Handler, pointing out the locations of known water leaks. In some places, school officials have replaced areas of trim and siding using materials that are not prone to rot or water damage. The district’s facilities manager has done a good job making temporary repairs until the roof and siding replacement can be completed, he said.
“I’m in agreement with your strategy, but I think your strategy has now expired,” Handler said. He favored moving ahead with the capital projects after a thorough review by Harwich and Chatham select boards. “I would prefer to act now and get it done right, than have it done badly and then cry for the next 40 years,” he said. 
The school district is currently awaiting the return of bids for the roof project, Business Manager Michael MacMillan said. While the Massachusetts School Building Authority has committed to reimbursing the district for around 37 percent of the roof replacement cost, it does not help districts replace the siding on school buildings, he said.