Before the refurbished Marblehead High School roof is even 100% complete, it has already sprung a leak.
“The leak occurred in the field house,” said Mike Pfifferling, assistant superintendent for finance and operations.
The section of the roof where the leak occurred had already been replaced.
“The initial assessment is that the leak occurred at the spot where the new rooftop HVAC unit and the new roof material meet. It is likely a flashing/curb issue that will be addressed today.”
Pfifferling said the leak did not cause any damage.
The project represents the culmination of years of efforts to address the high school’s chronically leaking roof. Town Meeting initially approved $5.3 million for the work in 2022, but the project did not move forward at the time.
As the roof continued to deteriorate, the scope expanded to include the replacement of aging rooftop HVAC units. By late 2024, officials estimated the full project could cost nearly $14 million.
Bids ultimately came in about $2 million below that estimate, and School Committee member Henry Gwazda recently told the Current that the project was under budget.
