Chico City Council to hear options to fix Fire Station 5

By Ashley Gebb

agebb@chicoer.com @ashleygebb on Twitter

Chico >> The Chico City Council will be presented with three options Tuesday on how to address mold and water intrusion at Fire Station 5, with costs ranging from $150,000 to $300,000.

In November, the council allocated $25,000 for investigation and mold remediation, the extent of which was larger than originally anticipated and led to additional work and costs, including identification of leaks, interior destructive testing, cavity testing, additional remediation and the need for major repairs, Public Works Director Ruben Martinez reports. The recommended repairs should address some or all of the causes of water intrusion, depending on which option the council decides.

Fire Station 5 has experienced water infiltration since the facility was built in 1997 because the construction design included a freestanding brick veneer that needed to drain moisture buildup away from its surface to weep holes, causing recurring water leaks, Martinez reports.

"The recent remediation and test work indicates a need to repair some, now-well-known, rudimentary construction problems," his staff report states.

The roof is likely at the end of its useful life but may not be currently contributing to the leaks, and the contractors are willing to put a 15-year warranty on the restored roof. The roof flashing is contributing to the leaks, as is the weep system to release moisture from behind the brick veneer, and the windows will continue to leak due to the weep system and poor detailing.

If cause of the water infiltration to the interior including the roof are not corrected before the interior repairs, the mold will return if the affected areas become saturated again, the staff report states.

The first option for repair which is what is recommended by Public Works Director Ruben Martinez is to authorize $70,000 for restoration of the roof, restoration of the interior and restoration of critical brick veneer, and to direct staff to return to council with a supplemental appropriation for next year as needed. The total cost would be $220,000, after using $150,000 public works redirected from its existing facilities repair program.

The second option is to authorize $150,000 for the replacement of the entirety of the roof and repair all construction issues causing leaks to the interior, including windows, gutters and brick veneer cladding issues. The total cost would be $300,000.

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Chico City Council to hear options to fix Fire Station 5