Moisture in Buildings & Affects

Transcription

1 Moisture in Buildings & Affects on Occupant Health Rob Rottersman, MS, CIH Midwest Facility Masters Conference November 4, 2014

2 Health Risks What we know about damp buildings and microbial growth Allergic reactions in sensitized persons Asthma trigger in sensitized asthmatics Hypersensitivity pneumonitis in susceptible persons Pathogenic infections in immune compromised persons Upper respiratory irritation Lower respiratory symptoms in children

3 Mold Causation Triangle Moisture: liquid water Or water vapor Mold Spores Carbon food source 3

4 4 Wallboard sample

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6 Important Point Allergy/asthmatic & irritant symptoms Caused by inhalation of spores Does not matter whether the spore is viable (live or dead) Therefore Killing mold on surfaces might not relieve health h symptoms Mold growth should be removed 6

7 Buildings in buildings Water, water, water! Simple: Dry building = no mold growth Wet building materials = probably mold growth 7

8 Water Sources Direct water damage Leaks: roof, foundation, plumbing, etc HVAC water on cooling coils Condensation - dewpoint Combination high relative humidity & cool surface Moisture vapor moves from warm air to cooler air Where are the condensation risks in your buildings? What time of year are risks highest? 8

9 HVAC Condensate overspray onto internal insulation Ponding on roof near outside air intake 9

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11 IICRC Response Guidelines IICRC publishes ANSI standards for water response IICRC S500 Water response IICRC S520 Mold remediation Categories of Water 1 Clean From a sanitary source (i.e. rainwater, overflows with no contaminants) 2 Gray Contaminated water (i.e. toilet bowl room side of trap, dishwasher overflow) 3 Black Grossly contaminated (sewage, toilet after trap, flood waters) 11

12 12 IICRC, 2006

13 Select Mold Remediation Guidelines USEPA New York City pi-mold-guidelines.pdf id li df IICRC S500 & S s520/ 13

14 Mold Assessment Strategies Steps to mold identification Almost always includes: 1. Visual Inspection 2. History of Moisture Intrusion 3. Current Moisture Intrusion Might also include: 4. Identification of odor sources 5. Invasive/boroscope examination 6. Collection of Samples 14

15 15 EPA s Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings, September 2008

16 IICRC S520 Porosity Materials Remediation Porous Drywall, ceiling tiles, insulation, Discard particle board, medium-density Porosity Materials Remediation fiberboard (MDF), carpet Porous Drywall, ceiling tiles, Discard insulation, particle board, medium-density fiberboard Semi-porous Wood, brick, plaster, block, concrete, Abrasive methods: wire brushing, sanding, (MDF), carpet plywood, oriented strand board (OSB) media blasting Semi-porous Wood, brick, plaster, block, Abrasive methods: wire brushing, concrete, plywood, oriented sanding, media blasting Non-porous Glass, metal, strand laminate, board plastic, (OSB) Non-porous porcelain, and Glass, ceramic metal, laminate, plastic, porcelain, and ceramic Surface cleaning = damp wiping and HEPAvacuuming Surface cleaning = damp wiping and HEPA-vacuuming 16 S520 definitions for the purposes of this table: Porous: Building materials that easily absorb or adsorb moisture and, if organic, can easily support fungal growth Semi-porous: Building materials that absorb b or adsorb moisture slowly and, if organic, can support fungal growth Non-porous: Building materials that do not absorb or adsorb moisture have been surface treated and do not easily support fungal growth

17 Fungal Abatement Protocol, NYC Guidelines Level 1 Small Isolated Areas: 10 ft² Level 2 Mid-Sized Isolated Areas: 10 to 30 ft² Level 3 Large Isolated Areas: 30 to 100 ft² Level 4 HVAC System: <10 ft² Level 5 HVAC System: >10 ft² 17

18 18 NYC Guidelines

19 19 Visual Inspections

20 Consider Concealed Areas: Can stay wet for long periods without being discovered 20

21 Visual Inspections Physical Indicators of Moisture Efflorescent crystals Powdery substance that forms on the surface of bricks or plaster routinely exposed to water. 21

22 Visual Inspection Physical Indicators of Moisture Warped baseboards If moisture is suspected in walls, baseboard should always be removed for inspection. 22

23 Visual Inspections Physical Indicators of Moisture Moisture loving insects such as pill bugs, centipedes, worms, etc. 23

24 Moisture Measurements Moisture meters can identify wet building materials and assist with identification of possible areas of concealed mold growth and locations of moisture intrusion 24

25 Moisture Measurements Advantages of moisture meters Can quickly identify where moisture is a concern in building materials Non-destructive Can quantify moisture content 25

26 Moisture Measurements Disadvantages of moisture meters Moisture must be present during the study Correct meter must be use Different meters available for floor, concrete, drywall, etc. Metal wall components may cause positive interference E.g. metal studs, lathe, conduit, ducts, etc. Some meters must be sent in for routine calibration 26

27 Infrared Camera Specially designed infrared camera can detect temperature variation inside wall cavities, roofs, etc. 27

28 Infrared Camera Exterior wall 28

29 Infrared Camera Advantages Non-destructive No damage to existing building materials Quick Disadvantages Special training needed to use equipment Will only work if materials recently wetted Only identifies moisture, not mold Other heat or cold sources(ducts, wires, etc.) could cause interference. False Positive. 29

30 Invasive Physical Inspections Physically cutting inspection holes into the walls to inspect or removing major wall components. 30

31 Physical Inspections Disadvantages Expensive to replace/repair components Will disturb mold and thereby expose inspectors/employees in the area and may contaminate the environment with mold spores Minimize i i damage or perform inside id a contained area. 31

32 Borescopic Investigation Tool that allows the inspector to see inside wall cavities through a small opening via a fiber optic scope. 32

33 Sampling for Mold When should testing be done? After a thorough inspection reveals no apparent mold and greater assurance is desired that there is no concealed growth. When litigation is anticipated and lab results are needed to corroborate visual evidence. When a physician requests data or speciation. In hospitals/health care with sensitive populationsp After a remediation to verify success. 33

34 Sampling For Mold Why not test at other times? Air tests are short term and bio-conditions are constantly changing. Remediation methods are the same regardless of the type of mold. Obvious moldy conditions need to be addressed regardless of any test result. There are no standards or acceptable levels. Testing is expensive, put $$ into remediation 34

35 Sampling Rule of Thumb Will the data answer a question to influence your course of action? - If yes; what technique is best suited to answer the question. - Take the appropriate type and number of samples - If no; why are you sampling? - There maybe a good answer to this but sampling is often unneeded 35

36 Air Sampling Investigations Air samples collected to determine if hidden mold is present Can be useful for screening but should not be relied upon as sole determination of indoor growth 36

37 Remember the Guidelines Size Does Matter 37

38 38 Post-Remediation Verification

39 To Conclude Stop the water Respond to water events and dry materials quickly Almost always cheaper and safer than remediation Visual inspection If samples are collected do so with a purpose Hypothesis testing Remediation means remove 39

40 Instructor Contact Information Robert Rottersman, MS, CIH ENVIRON International Corporation Office: (312) com 40