If you pick up a church building and shake it, what falls out? Inventory.

Everything that can be moved or removed from a church is inventory and all inventory should be documented. I’ve done inventory counts several times and several ways including the way that I dislike the most – paper and pen writing down an item count and a brief description: 6 chairs and 1 table. The problem is that type of inventory doesn’t differentiate between really nice chairs or crummy chairs (unless you go into a lot of description.

There is an easier way – shoot a video of the entire church, inside and out. Two people (or one person in a pinch) can video an entire church in a matter of a few hours. One person has the camera while the other person opens doors, drawers, and cabinets in order to film everything the church has. The video must include both inside and outside. If you have items of value, make sure the camera pauses over each item and doesn’t just do a pan shot; for instance, when filming a stained glass window, stop on each window for a couple of seconds which is long enough to capture a good still from the video. Shoot the video as many times as necessary to get a good take of the entire building. Modern editing allows the video to be sewn together if several videos were shot over several days or even months.

Once all the videos are done and compiled, then several copies are made. One copy is left at the church in a secure place, others are placed in members’ home, and one copy is given to the church’s insurance company.

Updated video inventories can be done every 5 years or so in order to capture any changes to the church buildings, grounds, furnishings, equipment, and other possessions.

If the church has a fire or theft, the video can be used to help the insurance company identify what was lost and come up with a fair value for a payment. Insurance companies like videos – they are much better because they document the actual item and it’s easier to see the item to get a value.

Finally, this is a project made for a couple of volunteers. Explain to a few people what you need and why and then watch them take over. Encourage them to edit it and get it ready for the insurance company. This is a great way to involve volunteers in a way that directly helps their church.

Lead On!

Steve

In the 1970s the US Congress outlawed the use of asbestos and paint containing lead. However, they let construction companies use up the available stockpiles but no further manufacturing was permitted. This means that any building built since about 1980 is free of asbestos and lead paint. Buildings built before then are almost guaranteed to have both.

Asbestos is an excellent fire retardant. You’ll find it as insulation around pipes, in ceilings (but typically not ceiling tiles), and in floor tiles (all 9X9 tiles have asbestos; 12X12 were invented to replace the asbestos tiles). Lead was put in paint because it helps paint adhere better and it was used everywhere until it was banned.

Asbestos content usually is 2%-5% of the insulation, tile, and ceiling. Asbestos is only harmful if inhaled regularly over a period of several years. The fibers stick together in the lungs and eventually shorten a person’s life. Leaded paint is harmful if ingested because lead causes brain damage. The law does not require either asbestos or lead paint to be removed. They can be left in place and/or covered over.

Asbestos recommendation: I suggest churches have a survey to learn where they have asbestos. The testing is fast and fairly inexpensive. Then I suggest a multi-year plan to eventually remove all asbestos from the building. This means the guys in “spacesuits” will come in for a few days and that part of the building is off-limits.

• Replace pipe insulation first so that pipes can be replaced as needed
• Second replace all ceilings with asbestos because gravity makes ceilings fall and so you can access the areas above the ceilings to place wires or HVAC equipment
• Next remove all floor tiles. Many places cover over the tile but I suggest completely removing the tiles.
• Finally, remove any remaining asbestos.

Removing all asbestos means you no longer have that headache to deal with in your buildings. It will help all future building renovation and maintenance and make them cheaper and faster. Asbestos abatement isn’t cheap but if done piecemeal over several years, a church can get rid of this problem.

Lead Paint recommendation: lead paint is most commonly found in two places – walls and windows.

• It is impossible to remove paint from walls without removing the walls themselves and that is cost-prohibitive. The only solution there is to paint the walls every 3-10 years with fresh paint. That not only covers over the lead paint but it gives your building a continually fresh look.
• For windows I suggest replacing them completely. Getting new energy-efficient windows to replace your old windows will help your utility expenses. The new windows will eventually pay for themselves and eliminate flaking paint chips which could be ingested by children.

Be proactive about your building maintenance. Take steps now so that you will have more options in future years.

Lead On!

Steve

This is not a post about what kind of roofs you should or should not have. It is a post about what I learned over the years about slate roofs. Always consult your architect about what kind of roof is appropriate for your structures and what the pros and cons are regarding the various types of roofs.

Slate roofs are beautiful. They stand out in a community full of flat, asphalt, and metal roofs. But they come with a pretty steep price: they are far more expensive to purchase initially, to install, and to maintain than other roofs. Slate pieces will turn lose and slide off the roof shattering on the ground below or causing serious harm to anyone unfortunate enough to be under a falling piece. Many roofing companies don’t work on slate roofs and the ones that do require special equipment since slate roofs can be very slippery when wet.

On the plus side, slate roofs last forever. Well, almost – they have a lifespan of about 100 years which is four to five times longer than asphalt roofs. They really enhance the appearance of a building, and snow melts off them quickly. Also, when they leak, it is often because of a missing piece which makes it easy to find the source of the problem. In general, they have fewer maintenance issues throughout their lifespan.

If you do have a slate roof now, look at the individual pieces. If you see a U-shaped discoloration on the pieces, that is the beginning of deterioration of the tile. It’s impossible to say how much longer that piece will “live” before it breaks off. What you can plan for is to replace your roof if it is over 80 years old – begin NOW to set aside funds each year to replace the roof as it nears the 100 year mark. Creating and funding the “Roof Replacement Fund” today will help the church manage a large financial expense in a few years.

In summary: slate roofs are great for looks and pretty easy on the maintenance budget, but they are expensive to install/replace and finding a company to do the maintenance can be problematic. If you are planning new construction, talk with your architect about what is best for you congregation. Then talk with the church to see if they are willing today to pay for the extra expense realizing it may save on maintenance expenses over the life of the roof.

Lead On!

Steve