Students walk into Texas High ready for another day of learning in the new CTE 1 building, but something does not seem right. A pungent, lingering odor takes over the hallways, leaving students and staff uncomfortable.
After numerous complaints about the unwanted smell, maintenance and construction teams work to address all possible solutions. They start by focusing on the most likely causes, including a leaking pipe or a gas vent emission.
“When these complaints come in, we reach out to the contractor and the sub-contractor that provided the service during the building process,” CTE department head Matthew Turner said. “They have been very good at identifying the issues [as] quickly as they arise and getting them taken care of.”
While contractors work on investigating the source of this problem, students still deal with the smell daily.
“It just smells like sewage water, like something didn’t go right when somebody flushed the toilet this morning,” senior Iyanna Foreman said. “Fortunately, in the classrooms, I don’t smell it, but when I’m in the hallways, I’m ready to puke. Why should I feel nauseous walking to and from my classes?”
By ruling out possible issues, maintenance grows closer to finding the real root cause of the smells.
“When you complete a project of this size, there are often small, technical items that only surface once the systems are running at full capacity,” maintenance head Jason Green said. “Maintenance is a process of elimination. We start with the most obvious solutions and work our way through the system. We currently suspect a minor venting issue, likely located behind a wall or above a ceiling. To pinpoint the exact location without disrupting the school day, we [conducted] a smoke test [over] Spring Break.”
A smoke test serves as a safe and necessary tool for contractors due to its ability to find hidden leaks in pipe systems.
“The issue is all of these pipes are more or less hidden, and it can be difficult to track down where exactly the issue is coming from because you can’t see it,” Turner said. “[Smoke tests] fill the pipes with a harmless smoke, which can be seen [when] it leaks out of any cracks or broken spaces.”
Even with this unwanted stench, Texas High faculty works hard to ensure a safe and clean environment with the necessary repairs.
“We’re committed to maintaining a high-quality environment for our students and staff, and we will continue our investigation until this is fully corrected,” Green said. “We appreciate everyone’s understanding as we put these final touches on this great new facility.”
