Cleaning Up After Rain and Ice Dams - Salt Shortage

Now that the freezing rain has moved on we and neighboring communities are cleaning up. Some of this cleanup is required because of the unusual snowfall, extreme cold, the freeze-thaw and of course the rain that followed.

Streets everywhere in our area are clean, but are a pothole mess. It's been reported that nearby Chicago has 100,000 potholes and on January 17, 2014 Chicago launched the "Pothole Tracker" website. Here's an image of some of the potholes reported as patched in the last 7 days:

Wheaton and Glen Ellyn have nothing to compare to that website. Of course, BLMH doesn't have one either. We don't have a tax base of 27,000 (GE) or 53,000 (Wheaton). Instead we have the fees of 336. 

24 Days and Counting

That's the number of days remaining until Spring. We can expect freezing weather and even a possibility of snow until about April 12. I'm using personal experience to arrive at that date. That's another 47 days. We can expect more snow, more thaw and more heaving of streets in the area. As I drove down Park Ave in Glen Ellyn this morning the water department was digging. It looked like another broken water main.

When the ground begins to thaw and the frost dissipates, there will be additional heaving and more water main breaks. That will signal the welcoming of Spring. 

In the mean time, what to do?

Repairs and Salt Shortage

Our management and maintenance are empowered by the board to take the necessary steps. When we saw the extent of the icing we knew there would be some problems. One goal is to protect roofs, so the units remain dry. However, when things do go wrong, the primary goal is to handle issues that impact units. Leaks in foyers (the air-locked entryway) is secondary. An important goal is to also take care of issues in garages. We want structures to keep residents warm, dry and comfortable.

I can understand the nervousness if there is any sign of a roof leak. I've experienced a failure of a chimney cap and it was during a very, very rainy April. The concern of a resident in a roof leak situation might include "How serious is this?" "Will the leak become worse?" "Will my possessions be damaged?" "Will I have to vacate my unit?" and so on. Sometimes we may think of the worst possible situation. In fact, the worst case seldom occurs.

Some owners may become upset by a leak. "My problem is the most important" is one possible thought that is driving each of us.  However, our management is capable as are the maintenance professionals. Speaking for myself and as a board member, I want to know that we're on top of the situation, whatever it is, and that we are operating responsibly, pro-actively and if possible in accordance to an agreed upon plan. I really want to avoid being a reaction or being at the effect of things. So I look upon every winter storm and every problem from the place of "what if?" I then attempt to anticipate and if necessary I then discuss with the professionals. Once I am confident with the plan I am comfortable to let them do their jobs which includes making the necessary decisions. However, being uncomfortable is no excuse for interfering.

Boards are supposed to discuss issues and decisions in an open forum which is during the monthly HOA meeting. When there is a problem some owners will attempt to contact me and advise me of problems or their issues. I think being kept informed is well and good. However, as a board member I really cannot intervene beyond asking the necessary questions and then discussing with management and maintenance "What are we doing about this situation and are you aware of it?" I find it interesting that some owners will call or email, demand immediate action and yet, if the board is even suspected of operating beyond the view of the entire owner body, then "we are not transparent." Yes, there is a double standard.

Obviously, my approach with management, maintenance and the owners requires some trust. A board member who is distrustful may actually do more harm than good because of false or deceitful communications, obfuscation, withholding and so on. I think there is nothing worse than setting traps or operating irresponsibly. Nor is bullying a valid approach; this is 2014 and we are all very familiar with domination and manipulation techniques. Good intentions are insufficient. When the going gets tough, it is essential that everyone becomes aligned. That is not possible for some. Owners who act solely in their own interests are a real problem. Board members can be another. When mistrust exists it may be impossible to build a foundation for positive action.

Is the current situation perfect? No, it never is. Is there a double standard among owners? Yes there is. Some expect immediate attention and ignore all others in the HOA. Some don't pay their fees in a timely manner. So what? When things to wrong, the association responds. No one asks "Is this owner current" or checks a list. All owners are equal, no matter how delinquent or how disagreeable. Nor does it matter if one is a member of the proper "club." HOAs need to prepare for these types of problems and avoid being a reaction. Each building is to be protected, each address is to be maintained uniformly and fairly. Is this an impossible task? Possibly. We can predict likelihoods. But as I said, it is a double standard. Tom Skilling can provide lousy weather forecasting, which we attempt to use to make decisions and when the weather turns and we make the wrong decision Mr. Skilling provides long winded excuses and the people love it. HOAs do a far better job even with this misinformation and yet the board gets rotten tomatoes. For his reward Tom Skilling gets paid through 2022 as "possibly the highest paid weatherman" with a million dollar salary and a 12 person staff. Go figure! But he is such a warm and personable guy! Hey Tom, come on over and coffee klatch with us! We have a few owners who go for the fluff.

Immediate Steps
One thing to do with a thaw is to repair any damage and dry things out. Another is to deal with the remaining ice dams. Another is to do a thorough inspection of entrances, foyers, garages and so on. Yet another is to look at the worst of the potholes and decide how to deal with that. Looking ahead, another is to replenish salt and calcium chloride inventories. That is if we can get any. The State and municipalities have done their best to commandeer available supplies. For example, Glen Ellyn has insufficient storage and so they too have dipped into their "emergency" consignment and I understand are now purchasing. In other words, we compete with the State and local municipalities on the open market to purchase salt and calcium chloride. Who would win should GE offer to purchase 600 tons, ot BLMH offer to purchase 1 ton. I'll give you one guess. 

The High Price of Rock Salt

You may recall that Glen Ellyn (GE) decided that they needed more salt storage. In November 2013 the trustees of that village debated the necessity of spending up to $800,000 to increase salt storage because going on the market in winter is an expensive thing to do. The village does have an emergency contract but that may not provide sufficient salt or calcium chloride.  Prices in the summer contracts were about $53 a ton and the GE winter contract agreed to purchase if necessary an additional 600 tons at $54 a ton. After that, any additional salt is purchased on the spot market. In other words, GE is our competitor for purchase. This winter, with shortages and bidding for salt from communities everywhere, prices have been reported to be as high as $240 per ton and one may have to ship from Iowa. Of course, salt might be available in bags, but that is usually at a much, much higher price per ton. Rock salt is not the preferred ice melt because it only works as low as 5F and can be corrosive. Calcium chloride is preferred because it works to as low as -25F. I sometimes use the word "salt" to describe both, but the prices are lower for rock salt. 

Rock salt in 50 lb. bags is usually about $7 a bag, or $280 a ton. Of course, delivery is extra. Prices have increased because of heavy demand and calcium chloride was recently available in 50 lb. bags for about $22 or $880 a ton. 

BLMH stores a minimum of salt or calcium chloride on the property. Our contractors store most of it. With one small shed on the property and owner ambivalence or downright hostility to increasing such storage, I doubt any board will allocate the funds for an "emergency stockpile" here on the property. I say that because no one wants any sort of shed "in my backyard" to paraphrase one of the owners. However, if our snow plowing company does run out this winter, we may be in a situation where the board will have to authorize an emergency purchase. At a cost of 4 to 8 times normal,  that would require a significant expenditure. Additional storage might be preferable to avoid such high cost in the future and possible icing if we do run out. The board may consider this to avoid a similar situation in 2015 and beyond. However, none of us can predict the future. 2007 and 2008 were high useage years. The winter of 2012-13 was a low useage year. So who knows? I would think that if winters are going to be milder in general, then we can expect more winter transitions from below freezing to above freezing and with that comes more need for ice and snow melt. But who really knows?  

Ice Dams and Damage

We have had some damage because of the ice dams. The weather warmed, but not enough to clear out all of the ice and that 5 inches of snow that fell immediately prior to the melt. Our HOA has raked the roofs several times this winter and cleared gutters. After the most recent snowfall it was able to clear a lot of these dams and rake snow but not all. There had been a scramble to get a 60 ft. lift on the property to aid in raking those high roof eaves and clearing dams. That was in addition to the short reach lift which is used for roofs above garages. But the respite was too short, we got 5 inches of fresh snow a brief melt and then the rain fell. 

Do ice dams always cause damage? No. So why did we experience some damage? The ice in this photo is an ice dam and behind it is 5 inches of fresh snow.

Those icicles are the tip of the iceberg. The problem is not the icicles. It is the ice behind the icicles and some of that is under the snow and is not visible. This photo was taken the morning after the 5 inch snowfall and melting was occurring. That creates more ice and longer icicles which freeze upon contact with colder air or when temperatures fall at night. Clearing the icicles and raking the snow is one way to allow the dam to clear. Using high pressure to cut these is another technique that can be used.  However, these techniques require some assistance from the weather and can be even more difficult to achieve on high roofs. With increased difficulty comes higher costs. 

Here's a roof which had been partially raked. Beneath that snow there may be ice. The only way to determine how much ice is present is to rake, and there are limitations to the amount of raking that can be done. We can't very well clear entire roofs. The gutter has an ice dam which was formed when the melting snow hit the cold gutter. It then froze and as more and more water ran down the roof it struck the ice and it too froze:

When ice forms on roofs it prevents water from melting and running down the roof. Instead, the melting snow from above flows down the roof until it reaches snow and it then cools to form ice. Or, the water flows until it reaches any existing ice and then it stops. That is why ice on roofs is called an "ice dam." After most of the snow cleared, a sheet of ice was visible on some roofs:

What to do next? If most of the ice dam has thawed then additional calcium chloride carefully applied will be helpful. However, with low nighttime temperatures any melted ice may flow to the gutters but can re-freeze. It's a "do your best" situation. To add to the complexity a shortage of calcium chloride may require careful thought about how much to use and where. That is the precise situation currently facing many homes and HOAs in the area.

Salting Roofs?
Throwing rock salt on roofs is to be discouraged. It can attack the roof and change the color of the shingles. It may also contribute to corrosion of aluminum gutters. However, judicious use is something I'm personally in favor of and the careful sprinkling of rock salt along the ice atop gutters will help the melting. However, simply throwing rock salt on roofs is to be discouraged. Calcium chloride is the melting agent of preference. In a HOA, doing these things is best left to professionals.

Immediate removal of snow from gutters is one way to avoid some ice dams. However, that isn't always possible.

Do Ice Dams Always Result in Problems?

Ice dams prevent the water created by melting roof snow from flowing to the gutters and beyond. Instead the water flows down the roof until it reaches the ice. At that point it will stand and will flow under the ice and possibly under the shingles. Once it is under the shingles it will flow to seams in the plywood (our HOA has plywood roofs) and from there it can flow into walls, or into garages. Rain on top of iced roofs does exactly the same thing.

Melting snow which has pooled behind the dam will freeze at night. In this manner, repeated days of snowing, partial thawing and then refreezing can cause a sheet of ice to form on roofs, and can fill gutters with ice. Some residents on seeing these icicles find them attractive. Some find them to be dangerous. Some don't realize the possible damage they represent. 

Ice dams do not always cause problems. This is also determined by roof construction and by the location and extent of the ice on the roofs. 

For example, on the new roofs at BLMH, "ice and water shield" is installed along edges and along adjoining areas. These roofs have some protection, but this project is not yet complete. It is my understanding that ice and water shield was not installed on the original roofs and so about 44% of the roofs in this HOA do not have "ice and water shield." I cannot say why this was not done as part of the original construction. Was it part of Wheaton code in 1976-1979 and was it "missed" by the building inspectors? Or was it simply another cost saving shortcut taken by the builder? 

What is ice and water shield? It is a rolled sheet material that is impervious to water. If ice and water shield is installed on 3 feet of lower roof, it will prevent most damage from icing that occurs within 3 feet of the edge. If the roof has 5 feet of such shielding, then ice protection is to within 5 feet of the edge.

The new roofs include additional ventilation and additional attic insulation. This results in a colder attic and a colder roof. This too assists in the avoidance of ice dams. 

I have always remarked that the Manor Homes at BLMH are wonderful, "California Style" buildings. I say that because of the  the large sloped areas which end over the entrances of the A&B garages, and because of the complicated gabled areas. These are wonderful architectural style touches, but can contribute to real problems in heavy rainfall and when icing occurs. These are of course problems that seldom occur in San Francisco but do occur here in the midwest. The roof design is precisely why the association has done a lot of work on improved roofing with ice & water shield, relocated downspouts, additional gutters on some roof edges and drainage improvements. 

I am told some really horrible icing conditions occurred at BLMH in 1984. There was serious damage to a few buildings. Apparently the knowledge gained was put to use when the re-roofing project was undertaken. 

Can Ice and Water Shield Prevent Damage From Ice Dams?

The answer again is determined by the extent of the ice on the roof. If ice dams and ice sheets reach far enough up the roof to go above the shield, then water can flow under the shield. 

How Extensive Was Icing Damage This Winter?

First I must state the the winter is not yet over. Secondly, I don't know the answer. Damage assessment is underway and after all work orders are in and repairs made, the board will know. I have been told that there were leaks in a few units. I don't know how extensive these were. I am aware of some dripping in some entrances and of leaks in some garages. Some old roofs have been remarkably leak free. The building which contains my unit has an old roof. It did not have any leaks (yet). However, some years ago a displaced chimney cap caused quite a problem. My point is, simply having an old roof does not guarantee that leaks will occur. On the other hand, a new roof does not guarantee the complete absence of leaks. It might be prudent to have a concern about the possibility of leaks which assists awareness. Worrying is not helpful, in my opinion.

One thing about this HOA is the fact that with 44 buildings arranged on the property on curving streets we have many differing building orientations. That means that blowing snow goes against some entrances while it does not at others. Some buildings have a gabled roof entrance, some a shed roof entrance and some no overhead protection at the entrance. The roofing project is changing that. Some decks and patios accumulates blowing snow while others do not. The extensive trees, including tall evergreens protect some buildings from the heat of the summer yet prevent the benefits of warm winter sunlight from striking some of the roofs. That winter sun may be helpful in moving snow off of roofs and avoiding icing. Exterior walls of some kitchens are facing east and get morning sunlight and are thereby heated in the winter mornings. Others face west and get afternoon sun. Others face north and get little sun. This is why it is so difficult to treat problems with "cookie cutter" solutions. Such an approach does not always work in a HOA such as BLMH.

Are There Other Preventative Measures?
I have posted that I once owned a home with heat tape installed in the gutters. That was a wonderful solution. If I saw ice forming in the gutters I would turn on the electricity to the heat tape and it melted the snow and ice. Then I would turn it off. Doing this usually kept my gutters cleared. It wasn't perfect, however. In extreme cold it was useless. It had to be maintained every year, but was only used about every three to five years because most years there was no buildup to deal with. While attractive, heat tape may not be financially attractive for a HOA because of the cost of electrical wiring, cost of electricity and cost of annual maintenance of the heat tape.

Would such heat tape work here? The installation of heat tape at BLMH would require annual maintenance and testing. It would require some sort of on-off system, be it thermostat or switch, or both. Our buildings are not currently wired for this. However, it might be worth evaluating the cost versus benefits over the A&B garages. That presents a problem. It's my understanding that the last year this association experienced a really serious problem with ice dams was 1984. That was 30 years ago. So the question to ask is this. Does the cost of installing, maintaining and operating such a system for use occasionally over 30 years justify the benefit? Or is it more effective to use manual means of clearing gutters?  I also need to point out that the icing problem on buildings is more extensive than the gutters over the A&B garages. The additional areas don't have gutters and heat tape would be difficult to install and maintain throughout. Finally, to install such a system would require a commitment by boards to allocate funds for maintenance each and every year. After several years of doing this with no apparent benefit because of mild winters a board might decide it simply isn't worth the annual cost. If not maintained this would result in a system that would not be completely effective. That's a real possibility with buildings with 84 gutters over garages.

Passive systems include ice & water shield, improved attic insulation and improved attic airflow. These reduce the formation or impact of ice dams, particularly over units and above halls and foyers. They are maintenance free and do not require electricity to function. In combination with some manual maintenance on an "as needed" basis they might be the better solution. That's the approach currently in use at BLMH.

Moving Ahead of the Ice Dams and NWS Special Weather Statement

Efforts continue. Today BLMH had 8 people clearing more snow and ice dams from roofs. There were two lifts on the property. This is an ongoing struggle during this Freeze-Thaw and seemingly snow Every-Other-Day winter.

The association was clearing roofs last week, but the melt and rain didn't happen. Why not? Talk to our local area weather genius Tom Skilling and you will get a hour long explanation. What we did get was an additional 5 inches of snow, which created further problems. It was decided these be cleared and ice dams broken where possible before the rain comes. The lift in this photo has a 60 foot reach, necessary to get to some of the snow and ice at what we call the "D" roof juncture.

Why is this being done? Take a look at these photos as well as a few in recent posts, and you will know why.

But we did have two glorious sunny and balmy days. Now the other shoe will drop.

Here are the National Weather Service advisories issues 4:09PM today.

Hazardous Weather Outlook

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT.

RAIN...POSSIBLY HEAVY AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS...SOME PRODUCING SMALL HAIL WILL DEVELOP AFTER MIDNIGHT. THE PRECIPITATION WILL LIKELY BEGIN AS A WINTRY MIX MAINLY NORTH OF INTERSTATE 88...WHICH COULD INCLUDE ACCUMULATING SNOW AND SLEET OR FREEZING RAIN.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY.

A WINTRY MIX OF SNOW...SLEET AND RAIN WILL LIKELY CONTINUE NORTH OF INTERSTATE 90 VERY EARLY THURSDAY MORNING. LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN IS ALSO POSSIBLE THURSDAY MORNING...WHICH COMBINED WITH MELTING SNOW...COULD RESULT IN LOCALIZED FLOODING. THERE IS ALSO A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS THURSDAY. A COUPLE OF STORMS COULD PRODUCE SMALL HAIL IN THE MORNING...THEN POSSIBLY GUSTY TO DAMAGING WINDS IN THE AFTERNOON. STRONG WINDS ARE LIKELY LATE THURSDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH MUCH OF THURSDAY NIGHT WITH GUSTS TO 50 MPH OR HIGHER POSSIBLE.

IN ADDITION...THE MILD AND MOIST AIR MASS MOVING OVER THE MELTING SNOWPACK COULD RESULT IN LOCALLY DENSE FOG THROUGH THE DAY ON THURSDAY.

FINALLY...RUN OFF FROM THE MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN AND SNOW MELT COULD LEAD TO RISES AND POSSIBLE FLOODING ON AREA RIVERS WITH AN INCREASED RISK OF ICE JAM FLOODING THROUGH THE WEEKEND.

Preparing for the Thaw

This post will show some of the icing we've experienced this year and the efforts the BLMH HOA has taken to deal with this. Of course, our management, snow removal contractor and maintenance have worked very, very hard to deal with the frequent and significant snow accumulations, unusual ice conditions, salt & calcium chloride supply problems and so on.

Click Below to read more

Brrr!! Winter 2010 and Icycles

Well, it's officially winter, that means that as of today, December 27, 2010, we've had some snowfalls, some ice, and our trees are currently undergoing their annual winter pruning. That pruning of our deciduous (leaf bearing) trees is done on a rotational basis, in the winter, after all of that valuable, life giving and nutrient enriched sap has been pulled back by the trees and into their roots. Isn't nature amazing?

We now have lots of icicles forming as part of the normal freeze-thaw cycle, which we can expect to continue for the next 90 days.

The squirrels were extremely busy before the first snow fall, building their nests. The tree behind my building has just such a nest. It was originally quite large and sheltered two small grey squirrels. However, brisk winds blew and stripped away many of the leaves that comprised this aerial chalet. So that pair has since moved to find more spacious quarters, and a red squirrel has moved in, to take their place.

The squirrel spends time napping in the tree. I can imagine what he or she might be thinking:

This squirrel has become one of my companions here at BLMH. While I am doing the dishes, I frequently observe him taking a nap, curled and keeping warm.

The ice, and icicles, can be a problem. Residents are encouraged by the association to use the salt in the 55 gallon plastic container in each garage, to handle any patches on their entranceways and driveways. These patches inevitable form between normal plowing and pushing of snow. Crews were on site yesterday, cleaning driveways and entrances. However, they aren't our servants and perform a valuable service as part of our fees. So residents need to help out from time to time. (Yes, I do mean residents. Renters are expected to pitch-in, too. If you have any doubts, the board's promotion of the rights and benefits of residents should be a tip that there might also be responsibilities accompanying those rights, and there are!).

Of course, icicles will form from gutters, and also from other sloped roofing sections. Maintenance crews do make the rounds to knock these down, but if owners use a broom when the icicles are small, and not dangerous, that prevents the build-up of walls of ice, as can be seen in these pictures. Crews will also at times, brush snow from the roofs over the driveway entrances. However, this is not easy to do and might be dangerous.

Of course, the formation of ice on buildings is dependent on factors including orientation and amount of sun received on the roof each day. Presence or absence of gutters also doesn't always seem to matter. So some building have little ice, while others collect a lot!

However, some icicles can become very large, and that means, heavy and potentially dangerous. So avoid walking below them, or an ice curtain. The following shows several very large icicles. These are in an area where residents should not be walking. However, use care at all times, and common sense, at all times!

Comments, Corrections, Omissions, References

Note 1. Use care when walking the grounds, avoid vehicles in the streets, watch for icy patches and use the salt that the association makes available. That's why it is there!

Update - The First 90 Days of the New Board

Roofing Project, Ice Dams, Possible Assessment for Unit B Owners, Possible Elimination of Guest Parking

My preliminary observations were revised on March 2. On further review of my notes I have added items 11, 12, 13, 14 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19, and expanded some of the other items. I delayed this posting to allow the new board to operate for a period of time to see where they are going, and to coordinate my efforts here with those produced by the new "Communications Director". Here is what I have observed during the past two board meetings. On the more substantive front of actual “deliverables”, we have a revised newsletter, and a 5% assessment increase. I am not aware of any other tangible results by the new board members. However, the board is off to a good start and I appreciate the efforts of our volunteers.

Our new board members include our association President, a Landscaping Director, and a new position “Director of Communications”. We however, have the same overall number of board members. As a result, one of the existing board members now performs the duties of Treasurer and Architecture Director. This is a somewhat lopsided allocation of duties, considering the ongoing financial and architectural issues. Our “Architectural Director” is involved in the numerous projects here at BLMH and that includes the roofing project.

The three new board members ran on their strengths, according to the ROC documents distributed to unit owners prior to the election; these board members were placed on the slate by the ROC and were “chosen [for] our back-grounds in conflict resolution and team building”. So I am led to believe that budgeting, finances, building maintenance, architecture and engineering are not the strengths of the new board members. I assume that is why we now have one existing board member responsible for architecture, which is essentially all building, street and related projects, and this same individual is also the treasurer.

Here are my observations from my attendance to the January and February board meetings:

1. At the conclusion of the January board meeting, the unit owners who were present were given an opportunity to address the board. During that meeting there had been a long conversation between the board members about the newsletter, a website and other aspects of communications. I was given my 30 second opportunity to address the board and I chose the issue of communications. I asked “It may be well and good to expand the technology and methods of communications, but I ask, what is the boards’ purpose in this communications? What are our goals, aspirations, and commitments, and what is the vision driving this communications?” The board President nodded and that was the end. The other new board members looked at me blank faced. I do not know if this look signaled incomprehension or not. My question was not answered and it was not even addressed in the new, expanded newsletter. The “Architectural Director” has told me that he, in fact, does have a 5 year plan. I’m hoping an outline of this will make it to the newsletter. Otherwise there seems to be no plan and no vision. Or perhaps the new board is unwilling to state that commitment. I do appreciate the hard work the board members, who are all volunteers, are willing to do. I realize they have some significant issues to resolve, the scope and duration of the roofing project being one. I am aware that these tasks will be solved in a manner consistent with the commitments of the board members. But what are those commitments and what is the vision driving us forward??

2. The board is divided on the scope of the roofing project. One of the new board members, the “Landscaping Director” has displayed a dislike for our “engineer” and the company the association uses for most of the serious maintenance, and is anticipated to bid on the roofing project. Our “Landscaping Director” has made disparaging remarks about “what these people do”, which leads me to conclude that he has little tolerance or appreciation for the work that is performed.

3. The scope of the roofing project may include new entrance shelter for those buildings which currently do not have such an entrance covering. See the photos below for the gabled entranceway and the ungabled entranceway.

4. It has been proposed by the Architecture Committee head that with the re-roofing, a shed roof be installed on those buildings which have ungabled entrances. If I understand it correctly, this would be an extension of the existing roof and would be a “shed”, or sloped, roof. The “Landscaping Director” was openly critical of the “engineer” whom he incorrectly assumed was responsible for the design. He was corrected by the professional manager who pointed out that design was "borrowed” from a nearby association “Briarcliffe Knolls”.

5. Some of the board, including the Architecture Committee head would like to include insulation as part of the roofing project, and others, including the “Landscaping Director” does not. There is an opinion that this is the responsibility of the owners of the second floor units. The Architectural Committee head has stated that all unit owners would benefit from insulation as such insulation would prevent the rise of air and loss of heat through the roof in the winter. During several opportunities during the meetings, he has spoken of his perspective of taking advantage of opportunities when presented during projects. His stated goal is to keep long term costs down while improving BLMH. He expressed his concern about ongoing repairs that are absorbing cash and stated that as Treasurer, he has a new respect for the amount of money spent on these items. In the case of the insulation, he stated that this is an opportune moment as the roofs will be opened as part of the project. He stated that he is concerned that some roofs have inadequate ventilation. This is difficult to assess, as access is through ceiling hatches in the closets of the second floor units. For that reason, it has been extremely difficult to inspect the interior of the roofs on a regular basis. He also stated in January that he and the "engineer" have discussed powered roof ventilators and the difficulties of getting electricity to them. Note: I am in a second floor unit, and I have insulation in the attic above me. I also have a roof vent fan. The unit owner previous to me installed the insulation. I pay the electric bill for the roof fan. I will not benefit from the insulation project as I already have insulation, unless the association increases my attic insulation. I am of the opinion that most of the benefit of attic insulation would accrue to the owners of the second floor units. However, the use of a "radiant heat barrier" stapled to the bottom of the rafters could be justified. Such an barrier can directly influence roofing life, it is inexpensive, and has a side benefit for the occupants in the summer. Cost is somewhere between $0.15 and $0.30 per square foot. I am also of the opinion that the association would be of service to unit owners if insulation were offered, at cost, to unit owners as part of the project. During the January meeting, I suggested to the board that solar power ventilators be evaluated. However, the best method of providing ventilation is through ridge and soffit vents. These provide excellent ventilation, require no electricity or maintenance and prevent moisture and heat buildup, thereby extending the life of the roofing materials. Elevated temperatures will damage roofing plywood and boards, underlayment and shingles. Such temperatures are present when there is inadequate ventilation. Mold can also be a problem, and mold can migrate through the walls of flooded units and into the attic. We do not have continuous ridge vents.

6. There was a discussion on the perceived problem of “roof dams”. Our “Landscaping Director” argued that he had determined the quality of the attic insulation by observing the melting snow on various roofs. It was his opinion that, based on his casual observation of melting or not melting snow on the roof tops, that we have no insulation or damming problems. Note: I do think it is possible to make some generalized statements about the presence or source of "ice dams" on our buildings. See the diagram at the end of this post for an "ice dam" caused by a lack of ventilation. However, what is shown in the diagram was not described by the "Landscaping Director". We don't know the temperature in the roof cavity, which is a critical piece of information. During the board meetings there have been a number of complaints about icicles from the gutters in front of the garages. These are not indicative of ice dams caused by a lack of ventilation. Here is my point: the garages are uninsulated and so the temperature in the space between the garage ceiling and the roof above is probably about the same as that of the garage interior. Ice dams occur when there is a lack of ventilation. This results in heating of the airspace beneath the roof, the snow on the roof melts and runs down the roof. In the case of the space above the garages [which are unheated], this is simply not applicable. Icicles do form because our dark shingles absorb radiant energy, convert it to heat and the snow melts. Unfortunately, our metal gutters cause the melting snow to refreeze, and this builds up a layer of ice in the gutters. The melting snow flows over the ice and drips down, resulting in some spectacular icicle formations. I have found a simple solution; reach up with broom and dust the snow away from the roof above the gutter. Voila, most of the formation of icicles is prevented.

7. There is a difference of opinion on the board concerning how to go about this roofing project and the need for a project manager. The “Landscaping Director” in particular has made statements questioning the need for a project manager. The Architectural Director is in favor of a project manager. There is a discussion underway to break the project into different bids and contracts, separating the project into roof repair and carpentry, roofing, and insulation. In my 30 seconds to address the board, I cautioned them about the issues of managing and coordinating different contractors and assuming responsibility for different aspects of the project. On the part of the new board members, it is my opinion that there seems to be little comprehension or appreciation for the technical and contractual challenges they can face.

8. As part of the roofing project, it has been proposed that the gabled window on the second floor “B” unit be replaced. These are approximately 30 years old and the Architectural Director sees replacement as a pro-active and preemptive measure. As he expressed during the meeting, failure of the roof or sills will result in costly repairs. Doing this as part of the roofing project, while the roofs are exposed will be cost effective and will avoid those repairs. A failure, if it occurs can cause costly damage to the unit below. The Architectural Director stated several times that he is in a quandary about increasing the scope of the project to include the windows. However, he also stated that as Treasurer he is also aware of how money is spent each month and is sensitive to the need to avoid "throwing good money after bad" or of building in future problems. Note: I can appreciate the opinion that expecting these windows and sills to last until the next roofing project, which would require a leak free life of 45 or 50 years as asking too much from the hardware.

9. There is a discussion underway about who is to bear the responsibility for the cost of the new window. There are those on the board who apparently are of the opinion that this should be born by the owner of the B unit, and it was suggested that they pay for this over a finite period of time, perhaps one year. This is consistent with ownership of windows by unit owners. Note: I neither agree nor disagree on the cost issue. However, I noticed that the “Communications Director” who opposed the 5% monthly increase in appraisal this year was mute during this discussion. I am a bit confused. Why would a 5% appraisal increase warrant opposition but a proposed 33% monthly increase for a year result in silence? This seems to be inconsistent, at the least. There has been no discussion at the board meetings regarding different approaches to payment, and little discussion regarding the pros and cons of replacing the windows and putting the cost on the "B" unit owners.

10. During the January meeting, there was a 20 minute conversation about light bulb maintenance and replacement in the common areas. This centered about who and when (the frequency) of this. This entire discussion was the result of that phenomenon I call "unintended consequences". Our past boards have been under pressure to retard the increase in assessments. It was apparently decided to reduce the frequency of professional cleaning of the entrances, stairs and halls. This also reduced the frequency of inspection and of course, the frequency of light bulb replacement. In the period between inspections and cleanings, to have a burned out bulb replaced, one had to call the professional management company. Some unit owners had complained of burned out bulbs. So a new discussion was now underway to look at alternatives, including increasing the frequency of cleaning of the halls. During the January meeting a unit owner also expressed outrage at the state of their entrance and complained that it had required them to clean the windows. The discussion included expressing the possibility that the daily maintenance "crew" take bulb replacement on. The "Landscaping Director" expressed the opinion that they are on the site, this would require very little time, and besides "what do they do, anyway" or words to that effect. Note: I have replaced the bulb in the garage when it as burned out. Big deal! As a result of this long discussion, my spouse decided not to attend the February meeting, She felt that this item, though important, was far to high on the list of items to be discussed, and was somewhat disappointed in the meeting. She decided that she had more pressing business in February and could not justify attending that meeting. I am hopeful that she will attend meetings in the future. However, we do discuss these in detail and so I can understand why she would not attend.

11. During the meetings, there were discussions among the board members regarding the ice on driveways. One unit owner complained about ice at their entrance. Other unit owners complained of standing water in garages. The Architectural Director addressed this by stating at both meetings that he is in favor of changing the gutter discharge point so that melting water or rain is carried to the storm sewers by another means, rather than discharging in the center of the driveways and flowing via gravity on the surface of the driveways. He said that one of the reasons for the standing water is inadequate slope of some of the driveways. He stated that changing the discharge point of the gutter and directing the water underground would address the issues of water flowing backwards into the garages and of much of the ice formation on the driveways. He further stated that this should be accomplished as part of the overall roofing project, and the driveway re-asphalting. He also stated that the board was not in agreement about this and that the initial attempt at one building had proven that simply moving the water to a discharge along the side of the driveway was not a solution; in the case of that building, standing water was the result and this indicated a need to carry the water underground to the storm sewer, and address problems of slope in some of the driveways. The Landscaping Director countered that such changes don't make sense and there must be a better way.

Note: I see a potential problem in transporting the water underground to the storm sewers. In our town, the design criteria of the city code defines the "frost line depth" as 42 inches. This means that during the winter, it is anticipated that the earth may freeze to a depth of 42 inches. This poses a problem when attempting to design conveyances for control of water runoff. If not properly designed, such underground conveyances will freeze in the winter, resulting in water backing up and freezing at the surface. Of further note, my building has water flowing back into the garage on an ongoing basis. This occurs in at least two locations. One is the discharge point of the gutter, which is at grade and also resting against the building. Water discharges from the gutter and strikes a rise in the asphalt, pools and flows via gravity into the garage. The second entry point is at the southwest corner of the garage, at which point the driveway is level. The slightly bermed trees force water to flow to that corner and when there are piles of snow or heaving, both of which we experienced this winter, the water flows into the garage rather than down the driveway. We have had over 1/2 inch of standing water on about 75% of the garage floor. This winter, on two occasions I removed most of it with a large, curved snow shovel which I used as a plow. My spouse has had to do the same, and even today we still have some standing water. Last fall, I did send a letter to the board about this problem. (see the September 16th, 2008 topic "Rain"). During the January meeting I was informed that raising and extending the downspout to discharge water further out on the driveway where it begins to slope was not possible as it would interfere with plowing. I was also told that I will have to wait until the roofing and driveway projects. So, with the current, nebulous and undefined schedule, that could be 5 years!

13. The subject of "Guest Parking" was discussed at length during the February meeting. The board is seriously considering discontinuing "guest parking" and opening up all parking at BLMH to the residents. However, there might be a "handicapped parking" space in each of the current guest parking areas. This is under further review, after taking comments from the floor. Note: I am of the opinion that this is prompted by inability of management to control residents who refuse to vacate guest parking, and habitually use it. Unfortunately, parking is a premium with only one garage space per unit, and one space in front of the unit owner's garage entrance. Eliminating guest parking means that visitors or even unit owner's contractors and installers could have no where to park. This problem is exacerbated by the lack of sidewalks. In the winter, there is no choice but to walk in the street to wherever one's automobile is parked. I expressed my opposition to cancelling guest parking to the board; I expressed that I am opposed to acquiescing to unit owners who are intent upon breaking the rules and I am concerned about support of anarchy. What are our standards, purposes and principles?

14. During the January meeting I took another 30 seconds to advise the board that I wanted to coordinate my communications with those of the "Communications Director" and the board in general. I also stated that I was sensitive to the results of negative advertising and I would be responsible in my communications. The board President nodded thanked me for my statement.

15. During the February meeting, a unit owner requested a clarification of the policy for dish antennas. This was clarified and it is possible, with approval of location and entry and routing of cable, to get such an approval. However, request with specifics of location and cable entry must be submitted to the management company in writing, for review. After review if the installation meets requirements (no cable drilling through roofs, etc.) then approval will be given. It was suggested that this be addressed at length in the newsletter.

16. During the February meeting, the subject of census forms was discussed. At the conclusion, I expressed the opinion to the board that a valuable opportunity had been missed. I was disappointed that a feedback mechanism had not been incorporated into the form, for the unit owners to use to express their most important concerns. This would be a wonderful place to solicit volunteer for specific purposes. Note: Such a feedback mechanism would be consistent with the promises of our new board members. I do think it is well and good that a few of the unit owners attend the board meetings. But we represent about 5% of the unit owners. However, that 5% has undue influence on the board and the board's decision making process; those few of us who show up and voice our complaints or concerns are having a disproportionate influence on the board. This is not a good thing. For example, in the last gubernatorial election, only 37% of the registered voters in Illinois even bothered to show up at the polls. We all know the result of that election.

17. During the February meeting, the Landscaping Director advised that he had met with our arborist who had provided a significant amount of information to him, including a map showing the location and of all trees and a list. I believe he said that we have 800+ trees. The Landscaping Director stated that our trees were in excellent condition. This prompted me to ask our Landscaping Director "What is the projected lifespan of our trees". I was told something to the effect "A long time". I expressed that my concern was the 30 year age of the trees and the lack of replacement plans. Note: Some trees have relatively short life spans. For example, many fruiting trees, such as apple trees have a lifespan of 35 years. We have many flowering, ornamental trees. It is my understanding that some of these species begin to decline in 25 years. I don't know what we have, but examples of short lived trees (25 year lifespan) include fruitless mulberry, some ash, mimosa, true willow, catalpa, sycamore, boxelder, chinaberry, poplar. Examples of medium lifespan trees, with a life of 25 to 50 years include crabapple, redbud, hackberry, green ash, silver maple, cottonwood, ornamental pears, golden raintree, some hollys, myrtles. Elements such as urban stress, poor adaptation, insects and weather can all decrease the lifespan of trees. We have no replacement program at BLMH.

18. The subject of subcommittees and subcommittee members or assistants was discussed by the board. This included their duties and responsibilities, limits of authority and functioning of such subcommittee members. At present, the Communications Director has two assistants. There was a discussion of the need of the Landscaping Director for assistance. He has 40 acres to observe and that is literally a lot of ground to cover. Note: This would have been a great item to add on the census form. It certainly belongs in the newsletter.

19. There was much more discussed at the meetings. I can't put everything here, and it is not my purpose to record the entire open portion of the meeting. All unit owners and residents are welcome to attend each meeting, unless otherwise specified by the board. Each month, the date, time, and location of the meeting is posted in the foyer of each of the buildings. As I stated in item #16, those attending the board meetings constitute about 5% of the unit owners. That 5% has undue influence on the board and the board's decision making process; those few of us who show up and voice our complaints or concerns are having a disproportionate influence on the board. This is not a good thing. The board does not have to act in accordance with the wishes and desires of the unit owners. Nor does it have to take pro-active steps to determine what the wishes and desires of the majority is.

20. I have observed the new board President during the meetings and she appears to be functioning more as a moderator, than as a leader. This may be the result of contentiousness or friction between board members, which surfaces at other times, such as during closed, executive sessions, or it may simply be her "style".

Gabled Entrances

Here are two photos as examples of gabled and protected entranceway and unprotected entranceway. It is proposed to extend the roof of the "unprotected" entrances to provide a protected entrance. This would be done as part of the roofing project. Stated goals include reducing ice formation and providing pedestrians with protection from the elements when entering or leaving the building.
Diagram of "Ice Dam"

Cross sectional sketch of the formation of an "ice dam" over an unventilated space. Note that one of the requirements is sufficient heating in the space above the ceiling for snow to melt on the roof. This is not being experienced over the garages at BLMH.