BROOKSVILLE
As summer temperatures climb, volunteers at Chinsegut Hill Manor House say a faulty air-conditioning system has put them in a hot spot.
Members of Friends of Chinsegut Hill, the nonprofit group that oversees the historic house north of Brooksville, say the $123,000 system, paid for with state grant money, hasn't worked properly since it was installed three years ago.
They say the blame falls on either the manufacturer, the installation company or both, but neither has offered to fix it, leaving the Friends broke and heated with thoughts of filing a lawsuit.
Friends treasurer Myra Rooks, who spends at least five days a week at the house giving tours, says that even with fans, portable air-conditioning units and open doors and windows, temperatures inside can sometimes surpass 90 degrees. Seeing the thermostat in the high 70s — relief that usually comes when it rains — is what she calls "a good day."
Besides general discomfort, there are two major problems with the heat and humidity, Rooks says.
First, conditions threaten the long-term preservation of hundreds of historic artifacts, like artwork, furniture and books dating back to the 19th century, that are stored at the manor. She says the Friends have recently turned down donations for fear that donors would change their mind once they felt the intense heat.
Second, the heat discourages visitors from coming to the house for paid tours, eliminating one of the organization's few sources of income.
"We have had people here just dripping in sweat and have to leave," Rooks said. "It's really hampering us from running as a museum."
Chinsegut manager Natalie Kahler, a member of the Brooksville City Council, says the nearly $30,000 spent on repairs, done by Florida-based ISS Mechanical, has almost bankrupted the Friends, so starting over with a new system isn't financially possible.
"We obviously can't justify holding up on paying (ISS Mechanical) the money we owe them, because it's not their fault." she said. "But it has gotten to the point that we have almost nothing."
The only option now, Kahler says, is to find an attorney willing to work with the Friends to file a lawsuit against either the manufacturer or the installation company, or both, depending on who can be found legally at fault.
"Paying for the broken system has really sucked us dry of any excess funds," she said. "We don't have the money to pay anyone upfront to represent us, but we are confident we can win and pay them afterward."
The unit came from a Massachusetts-based company called SpacePak, which specializes in hydronic, or water-based, systems. Ken Eggleston, the national sales manager for the company, did not return calls from the Tampa Bay Times.
Kahler said SpacePak representatives initially committed to pay for repairs, but then backed out when she started sending the company bills. They then decided they would pay for parts, but not labor, an offer Kahler says "didn't do much good" in saving the Friends money.
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Explore all your optionsBob Cochell, owner of Tampa-based Gulf Coast Air Systems, which installed the units, said the blame can't possibly fall on him because the installation was signed off on by a SpacePak representative.
"The field rep watched it go in, assisted in the start-up and helped commission the system," Cochell said. "I have it from him that it was installed correctly, and if the factory says it was installed correctly, I don't need anything else."
Kahler said she thinks the Friends have a good case against the companies, based on reports from ISS Mechanical technicians, who reported loose-hanging wires, units leaking water and several other dysfunctions with the system. It's just a matter of finding the money — or an alternative way — to get them to court.
The Friends have reached out to county officials for support to see if the county attorney can handle the case. According to county public information manager Virginia Singer, County Administrator Len Sossamon is looking into that possibility.
Until then, Kahler says, the Friends will continue doing what they can to combat the heat — like applying oils to Revolutionary War-period furniture and sprinkling fans throughout the three-story house — in hopes of keeping it open to visitors.
"This place is a gem of the county, the heart of the community, and the state and county have put money into this property," she said. "The history of Chinsegut Hill is the history of the city, and it is supposed to be open to the public."
Contact Megan Reeves at mreeves@tampabay.com. Follow @mareevs.