Holley Schools solve gas fume problem

Holley Central School was gone over with a fine tooth comb during the recent holiday break in an effort to find, and repair, the cause of the district's gas leaks and fumes.

School Superintendent Mary Ann Kermis said engineers, technicians and heating contractors were brought in to seek out the cause of the gas fumes that have been the causes of four evacuations in the junior/senior high school so far this school year.

"We found a couple of problem areas and those were addressed and repaired," Kermis said.

Among the problems noted were cracked "sight glasses" on the heating units. Sight glasses are small windows located near the heating unit's gas burners. What this means is that flue gases and the products of periodic poor combustion would have a direct path into the air stream that feeds the building. Upon further investigation, a technical investigator found the same condition on other units.

There was also a faulty valve that sporadically got stuck. Kermis said a contractor manually made the valve fire 30 times and on the 30th time it stuck.

The cracked glasses and the valves were replaced and an exhaust pipe was extended an additional eight feet to prevent fumes from being drawn back into the ventilation system, according to school officials.

Information on any future incidents or further repairs will be posted on the district's website at: www.holleycsd.org.