Raise the Roof

We replaced the roof on the upper campus building (middle and high school) in the summer of 2019 thanks in part to donor support!

The older roof was installed in 1987 and had a number of significant trouble areas:

• The roof did not drain properly, causing significant ponding of water after a rain.  Some roof drains were higher than the area around them, preventing water from draining properly.
• Seams in the rubber roof material were separating, causing frequent leaks inside the building. Much of our roof was composed of patches, which added more seams, increasing potential points of failure.
• 2018 had record rainfall and high humidity, and we experienced significant moisture issues throughout the building. This resulted in multiple rooms growing mold on books, furniture, and instruments.  Humidity in the building created an uncomfortable work environment, caused paper jams in printers, and raised health concerns.
• Our old roof has an insulation rating of R9 (though we actually experienced less than that due to its degraded condition). The new roof gives us at least R20, which has significantly improved our building’s energy efficiency and environmental comfort by addressing the humidity issues previously mentioned.
• A leaky roof created aesthetic and public perception issues. During days of rain, buckets were placed around the building to capture water dripping from ceilings, and we often needed to clean up puddles where unexpected leaks appear.  Ceiling tiles frequently needed to be replaced as they become stained by water.

We have an opportunity to partner with Secure Futures, LLC to install solar panels on our roof for no capital outlay.  It is imperative that a new roof be installed before solar panels are installed. Solarizing our roof will be good for the environment, will provide educational opportunities for our students, and will eventually reduce our energy costs.

A new roof will carry a 20-year warranty, during which any leaks would be repaired at no cost to the school.  Due to the improvements in roofing technology over the past 30+ years, a new roof should last well beyond that warranty period. A new roof will provide a more comfortable, energy efficient, healthy environment for our students and teachers. . . AND, provide us renewable energy for years to come!

To discuss how you can support the new solarized roof project at EMS, contact Paul Leaman, Head of School, leamanp@easternmennonite.org or 540-236-6012