Since the beginning of June, construction on McDonald dormitory’s roof has caused issues for students living in them, but University staff feels the construction is necessary despite any inconveniences to students.

The work on the roof is also seen as a long-term investment by the University, ensuring use of the building for decades to come.

Typically dorm roofs are 30-year-old roofs and McDonald’s roof was at the end of that time, said Michael Griffel, director of residence life.

The roofs undergo a lot of wear over the years and are designed to only last so long, he said.

While the construction has been going on above the students’ heads, Griffel believes there was no reason for students to be moved during the construction because there was no direct interference.

‘The roofing project is all an exterior project, so it doesn’t necessitate moving the students,’ he said.

That doesn’t mean there has not been any recognition by Griffel of the problems and annoyances that putting a roof involves for those currently living in McDonald.

‘I think the greatest inconvenience of the project was the tar smell and covering the windows when they were removing the old roof,’ Griffel said.

Despite the issues of inconvenience, Griffel feels the project was a necessity to help keep the building up to date.

‘The whole point of the project is to provide a solid secure structure for residents,’ he said.

This is not the first time the roof has needed to be replaced, said Tim Burns, senior project manager at the University.

A roof like the one on McDonald is replaced around every 20 to 30 years, he said.

‘The last time the roof was replaced was in the early 80s,’ he said.

Burns credited the advancement in technology in explaining the extended life expectancy the roof that is being put on is supposed to have.

‘Since the technology has improved on [roofs], we’re getting 30 years out of them,’ he said.

Roofs the size of the one on McDonald, around 62,000 square feet, are also expensive to replace with the total cost of putting a new roof on totaling around $500,000.

The process of putting on a roof involves several steps beginning with taking off the existing roof down to the concrete deck, Burns said.

After the old roof is removed the surface is primed with a liquid asphalt and an insulation board is placed on top of the asphalt. The insulation is tapered so that water runs to the drain, and a new roof is installed which is similar to the mats found in cars, he said.

Part of the issue students have has been the time work on the roof is started.

Work on the roof usually begins around 6:30 or 7a.m. and ends around 5-5:30p.m. and will last until early August, Burns said. This includes some work done on Saturdays to help make up for time lost due to rain delays recently.

Despite the rain Burns feels the project has been successful.

‘We’ve had a few weather delays this year, but overall the project has gone well,’ he said.

Because of the delays due to weather, the construction, which was originally scheduled to end this week will continue until around Aug. 4th or 5th because of the delays in weather, Burns said.

Students living in McDonald have noticed the ongoing construction taking place above their heads. This includes Joe Edens, a USG Senator for the College of Education and junior majoring in social studies education, who has lived at McDonald throughout the summer.

Among the complaints about the ongoing work is that there is no escape from the noise made by the work going on above him and can be heard throughout the building, Edens said.

This is not the only issue involving the construction; there is also the smell of the tar used, which infiltrates the building, he said.

‘They’re tarring the roof so you get that tar smell,’ he said. ‘They’re using this equipment that has a bunch of smoke, so you have to close the windows and the rooms get really hot because there is no air conditioning.’