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Mold investigations would not
be complete without identifying the source of the moisture
“feeding” the mold growth. In many instances this can be a
simple task such as the case visible roof leaks, flooding, and
pipe leaks, but often the task is more complicated especially
when dealing with HVAC issues that may be maintenance or
operator caused. Without first removing the water source, mold
will just grow back. Below are just a sampling of the items we
look at in determining the source of moisture intrusion.
In addition many landlords, renters and
contractors are at risk without documenting that their buildings
are safe, not only from mold but from moisture that will lead to
mold growth. We have conducted building investigations to
determine potential problems and have evaluated construction
practices to help determine better methods for preventing water
damage and the resultant mold growth.
Building
Envelope
The building itself can be a
cause for moisture intrusion through a process called
psychrometrics. This is where differences between outside
temperatures and relative humidity can cause moisture to
“travel” through the wall cavity and to the indoor space. In
many cases the condensation plane, or where the moisture will
condensate, is inside the wall cavity. This is actually not
uncommon and walls are designed to accommodate a certain amount
of this. One of the problems that we encounter is that the wall
design to account for this is different in the north, south and
middle area of the US, however we often find a northern wall
design here in the middle region causing moisture to be trapped
on the inside of the wall cavity. Another problem is the use of
wallpaper on exterior walls in this region. These act as a
water barrier and cause the water to condensate in the interior
gypsum wallboard and the back of the wallpaper.
HVAC Systems
These can work with the
building envelope or as a separate problem. Condensate drains
that don’t work, blocking or closing air diffusers, improper
design or operating at temperatures can cause the HVAC system to
introduce moisture or create unwanted condensation planes. In
commercial facilities they can also create air pressure
imbalances as well as temperature problems as employees try to
find comfortable temperatures for themselves. These situations
can all cause moisture levels high enough to create mold growth.
Drainage
issues
Another overlooked culprit of
moisture problems is site drainage for a home or commercial
building. We often find water draining to a building or home
where it can be wicked up into the building envelope. This is
very common in the Carolinas and Georgia because of our periods
of heavy rainfall that can often overload the groundwater
system.
Plumbing
We can test various plumbing
components that have failed such as water heaters to determine
if there is a manufacturing defect or an installation problem
that caused the failure. We can also have drainage systems
checked by video if requested to determine if there is a
maintenance problem.
Fire
Suppression Systems
Almost all non-residential
buildings have a fire suppression system and there are a growing
number of residential homes that have them as well. There are
often failures in these systems caused by freezing in winter
months. The freezing of a system is typically a result of poor
installation or maintenance and should be investigated to
determine the cause and verify it is correctly fixed and not
just have the fitting or head replaced.
Hendrix Consulting Engineers, Inc.
8 Sycamore Drive, Suite D
Greenville, SC 29607
Telephone 864-277-0222
Fax 864-277-5202
Toll Free 1-888-256-6370
email
shendrix@hendrix-engineers.com
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