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Department
of Facilities Management
Frequently
Asked Questions (FAQs)
FM receives
many questions about a wide range of issues and topics. FM will
post some of the more common and interesting questions we are asked here
in FAQs and provide answers to the best of our abilities. Please visit
this page often. New FAQs will be added on an on-going basis. FAQs are
listed below. Simply click on a FAQ and you will be taken to the answer,
as it appears further down the page.
Can
we get floor plans of a particular building or buildings on Campus?
Can
you tell us how many square feet are in a building or how many square
feet a particular department occupies?
Does
my ceiling have asbestos in it?
What
do I do if I think I have disturbed Asbestos, or what I think may be
Asbestos?
What
do I do if I see something that's unsafe or could cause injury to someone?
Where
is The Depot Recycling and Redemption Center?
Why
would my building custodian throw away the paper I've sorted for recycling
in my office?
Why
is my roof leaking?
Why
do we have flat roofs in Maine?
Why
is it always so hot or cold in my classroom, office or dorm room?
When
I report a heating related problem, how long will I have to wait for
services?
When
I request services of FM, how long before the work starts and how long
will it take to complete?
When
I report a problem to FM, how long before the work starts and how long
will it take to complete?
What
is involved in plowing the campus?
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- Can
we get floor plans of a particular building or buildings on Campus?
We can provide paper copies of floor plans for most of the buildings
the University owns or administers. Those plans can also be provided
in both raster and vector digital format and e-mailed to anywhere
in the world within a day or two. For additional information, please
contact Brian Foley at the FM Engineering Center at 581-2682 or
e-mail brian.foley@umit.maine.edu.
» Top
- Can
you tell us how many square feet are in a building or how many square
feet a particular department occupies?
We maintain an extensive building survey database of building occupants
and room function for University owned properties. Every room from
a janitor's closet to a major lecture hall is categorized for indirect
cost recovery and space management purposes. For additional information,
please contact Claude Junkins, FM Estimates and Project Specialist,
581-2682 or email claude.junkins@umit.maine.edu.
» Top
- Does
my ceiling have asbestos in it? There are dozens of products
here on campus that may contain Asbestos, including some floor tile,
ceiling tile, pipe insulation and laboratory countertops. The FM
Safety Office maintains a database of locations of Asbestos
Containing Building Materials. For additional information, please
contact Roger Priest, FM Asbestos & Lead Coordinator, at 581.3063.
» Top
- What
do I do if I think I have disturbed Asbestos, or what I think may
be Asbestos? Turn off fans or other devices that could blow
any Asbestos fibers around the room, secure the area, and call Roger
Priest, FM Asbestos & Lead Coordinator, at 581-3063 or Work
Control at 581-4400. Someone will be sent to determine if it is
indeed an Asbestos Containing Building Material, and then clean
it up appropriately. » Top
- What
do I do if I see something that's unsafe or could cause injury to
someone? If you see an unsafe act or condition and
it presents an immediate danger to you or someone else, dial 911
(cell 581-4040). If the condition is not an emergency and it relates
to construction activities or a maintenance and repair situation
in a building or on campus grounds, please call Work Control at
581-4400. If the condition does not relate to buildings and grounds,
please call the Department of Environmental Health & Safety
at 581-4055. » Top
- Where
is The Depot Recycling and Redemption Center? The Depot
is located in the Facilities Management Complex, Rangeley Road,
The University of Maine. From the Rangeley Road campus entrance
off Route 2, go past the Public Safety Building and bear right at
the fork. Take your first right at the Service Building sign and
bear left. Central Supply's loading dock will be directly ahead.
The Depot is two doors to the right of Central Supply with a sign
over the door. To view the campus map, please click the Campus Map
button in the menu at the left of this page. »
Top
- Why
would my building custodian throw away the paper I've sorted for
recycling in my office? The only reason this would occur
is if the paper you have sorted into your blue or green recycling
bin is contamination with liquid or food waste. Wet and/or food
soiled paper products are not recyclable and must be disposed of
as trash. Should you experience your custodian disposing of your
recyclable paper, please inquire as to why. If the reason is other
than wet or food contaminated paper, please contact Scott Wilkerson,
Sustainability Officer, at 581-3300 ext. 3. Facilities Management,
FM Custodial and the Sustainability Program are committed
to recycling and making the program as user friendly and efficient
as possible for all involved.
» Top
- Why
is my roof leaking? Roof leaks are caused by many factors.
The most common problem, regardless of roof type, is the age of
the roof itself. As roofing materials age they tend to lose their
elasticity and become dry and brittle. The climatic changes that
we have in this part of the country cause expansion and contraction
of these brittle surfaces and eventually create a tear or the roof
system pulls apart a seam. Another reason is human damage. We quite
often respond to a roof leak to find that the problem was caused
by something puncturing the roof, such as a screwdriver dropped
by a worker or something thrown out of a window above. To report
a leaking roof, lease contact Work Control at 581-4400. »
Top
- Why
do we have flat roofs in Maine? The advantage of flat roofs
is that it allows for the placement of most air handling systems
on the outside of the main building. It is considerably more difficult
to place these systems on sloped roofs. They are also generally
less expensive and easier to access. Sloped roofs are subject to
the same problems as flat roofs. We get just as many calls for leaks
on sloped roofs as we do for flat roofs. »
Top
- Why
is it always so hot or cold in my classroom, office or dorm room?
The answer to this question depends on the specific building or
space that is too hot or cold. Many of our campus buildings with
a wide range of temperatures were constructed thirty or more years
ago. At that time, energy was cheap and temperature control systems,
for the most part, consisted primarily of either a hand valve on
a radiator and a window for ventilation, or some other type of now
obsolete control system. We are attempting to upgrade these systems,
as funds become available. All too often many of the extreme conditions
go unreported for weeks, months or in some cases years. Usually
something can be done to correct the more serious heating and cooling
problems, depending on the age and condition of the building and
of the temperature control systems. A generally acceptable temperature
range is considered to be 68 degrees Fahrenheit to 74 degrees Fahrenheit
in the winter. Only a few campus buildings have air-conditioning,
but for those that do, the acceptable temperature range may be from
70 degrees Fahrenheit to 78 degrees Fahrenheit. To report a problem
in a residence hall, please call Housing Services at 581-4503. To
report a problem in all other campus buildings, please call Work
Control at 581-4400. » Top
- When
I report a heating related problem, how long will I have to wait
for services? We are a small crew of nine, but we
try to look into all calls on the same day they are received. Sometimes
you will not see us at the site of the problem because many of the
buildings have HVAC systems that are computerized, so many of the
service calls are resolved remotely. Other times, we may be waiting
for parts, or the problem may necessitate a long system shut down
with repairs to be completed after hours or scheduled during a break
period. Always feel free to inquire about the status of your complaint
by contacting Work Control at 581-4400. »
Top
- When
I request services of FM, how long before the work starts and how
long will it take to complete?
When a request for services is received, FM assigns it to the appropriate
unit. An assessment of the requested service is then performed to
determine the scope of the work involved. The start date of the
work depends largely on the present work load of the unit that will
be completing the service request, such as the Carpenters if the
requested service is to build a book case. If they have the available
time, they may start on it immediately. Otherwise, it may take several
days or more before they can start on the work. Either way, you
will be contacted upon receipt of the request and informed of the
approximate timeline for the start and completion of the project.
Some request for services may also require the purchase of equipment
and materials in order to complete the work, which could impact
the timeline of the project depending on anticipated availability
and delivery dates. For additional information on a request for
service in process, please contact Work Control at 581-4400. »
Top
- When
I report a problem to FM, how long before the work starts and how
long will it take to complete?
When a problem is reported to FM, it is assigned a priority rating.
Problems creating unsafe conditions or security problems, such a
loose or missing manhole cover, dark stair tower, or a broken window,
just to name a few, are assigned a high priority so that they are
corrected as soon as possible. Problems such as a missing ceiling
tile or a dripping faucet, just to name a few, are problems that
present no immediate unsafe condition or security issue and are
assigned a lower priority and are completed as time allows. FM wants
to know about all problems and will correct all problems based on
their priority. For additional information on a specific problem
reported, please contact Work Control at 581-4400. »
Top
- What
is involved in plowing the campus?
After receiving an updated weather forecast, FM Grounds starts planning
its snow removal activities. On a typical day, FM Grounds has two
crews plowing, one on the day shift from 7am to 3pm and on e on
the night shift from 3pm to 11pm. These plow crews concentrate on
plowing and sanding main roads, sidewalks and fire lanes, handicap
parking, loading zones, designated handicap plow routes and main
parking lots, in that order of priority. The Campus Calendar is
then reviewed to verify what events are taking place that day and
those areas are plowed and sanded one hour before the start of the
event.
Campus roads are very narrow. The plow trucks are large vehicles
with poor all-around visibility. This is further hampered because
there is no second person in the truck to operate the side plow,
also known as the wingman. It's just the driver. Students, faculty,
staff and visitors are reminded to exercise care when driving or
walking in the vicinity of plow trucks as it is difficult for them
to see and stop quickly. Plowing is a very tiring job, requiring
all of the driver's strength and attention to maneuver the truck
while watching for other drivers, pedestrians and parked cars.
During large storms, both shifts are present during the night to
plow the campus. This crew of 22 also includes 6 personnel from
the FM Garage to maintain the equipment throughout the night. In
total, there are 22 distinct plow routes, each taking approximately
8 to 10 hours to complete depending on the amount of snow, encompassing
a total of 8.1 miles of roads, 16.4 miles of sidewalks and 35.8
acres of parking lots. While FM Grounds is plowing, UMaine Public
Safety is towing vehicles parked in lots that have been posted for
snow removal that night. These lots are designated as no overnight
parking lots as needed so that FM Grounds can get in and remove
snow. Anywhere between 20 and 50 vehicles are towed each storm.
Parking lots around residence halls are scheduled for plowing by
the building's RD and FM Grounds. Together, they determine the plow
date and alternate parking locations. The RD then communicates the
schedule to the residents.
After the storm, when the roads and lots are clear, sanding will
continue for another 8 hours. In the days following a storm, snow
removal is the top priority, in addition to making sure all areas
remain well sanded. Snow removal consists of removing the large
snow piles from various parking lots and along roadways to make
room for the snow from the next storm. Snow is removed and taken
to the FM soil storage and material recovery facility where is will
stay until it melts in the spring. »
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