Anyone walking by Naugle Hall on the way to class or by Reisner Hall to eat might see a portion of sidewalk that has been torn up. Several days ago, steam was seen rising from the cracks before guard rails were put up to surround the area.
The rising steam was due to a leak in the steam system, according to William Lensie, assistant director for maintenance and operations.
The steam system that is currently in place at SU provides heat to all the buildings by transporting steam through pipes that run underneath the sidewalks and when there are cracks or faults within the pipes, they must be dug up and replaced to keep the system running efficiently. Every year, there are usually several leaks by the system that need to be fixed or replaced.
Lensie was informed about the steam leak on one of his daily rounds and saw steam coming out of the concrete box near Reisner.
Those boxes are actually vent boxes for manholes. When steam escapes due to leaks in the system, it comes out through the boxes.
This usually indicates something is wrong.
Lensie also said that there is a grant currently in motion that would replace the antiquated steam system used to heat the buildings and make room for a more cost-effective and environmentally friendly solution.
It is in the works to be established for the 2013-2014 school year.
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