District 88 deals with mold

Firm finds it in all

buildings

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- The District 88 Board of Education took another step in dealing with the looming issue of mold in school buildings Monday night.

The board unanimously approved a resolution authorizing the isolation of a classroom at Jefferson Elementary School for the purpose of an in-depth inspection of air quality. The motion was made by Dan Wieland and seconded by Tim Babel.

Mold will quickly be removed from the isolated room. Moisture issues will be addressed and a ventilation system assessment will be made.

Superintendent Harold Remme was quick to point out that the Jefferson classroom was not a space overly infected with mold but was simply identified as a volunteer space for an air quality study.

Earlier this month, Scott Hogen of the District 88 Buildings, Grounds, Health and Safety Department wrote a memo stating two areas were found that would need mold abatement. One area was the band storage area in Washington Elementary School. The other was the senior high girls locker room storage area.

Consultants and contractors were brought in to assess the problem areas and determine what corrective measures should be taken. To avoid building accessibility and occupancy conflicts, abatement activities were scheduled during the MEA break. Four teams conducted inspections Oct. 10-25, 2002, the memo said.

Mold problems are not unique to the New Ulm public school district.

Arif Quraishi, Chief Executive Officer at the Institute for Environmental Assessment in Brooklyn Park, said many public buildings in this part of the country have mold issues this year due to the unusually hot, wet summer.

Quiraishi said inspections were done in all New Ulm Public schools. Inspectors looked for physical signs of mold, moisture and odors. All types of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems were tested for airflow and microvac, and tape samples were taken.

Visible mold growth was found on the first and second floors of the 1998 edition of Jefferson Elementary School, on external walls, underneath vinyl wallpaper, in pipe insulation in the tunnel, on hot water and steam pipes. Stained, sagging ceiling tiles were noted and musty odors were found.

Ventilation systems were determined to be 60 percent efficient for outdoor air and 30 percent for indoor air.

Mold was found on 30-50 percent of pipe insulation and 50-70 feet of plastic-wrapped pipe in the original section of the high school. Ventilation with indoor air was found to be 70 percent efficient and 40-60 percent efficient with outdoor air. Ceiling pipe insulation was recommended to be replaced.

Water stains, sagging ceiling tiles and mold were found behind vinyl wallpaper and in crawl space at Washington Elementary School. Outdoor air ventilation was found to be 30 percent efficient.

Mold was found in the thermal system insulation in the middle school cafeteria and behind vinyl wallpaper in the business office of the administration building.

Adding chill water to pipes in several buildings caused them to sweat, creating condensation problems, according to Quraishi. He recommended operating ventilators via a central system or dehumidifying air before it entered the system as ways to alleviate some of the mold issues.

"We'll try to determine if mold is impacting the air," Quraishi said. "Mold is an irritant that can cause allergic responses and infections. People with asthma and allergic conditions should be alerted."

Chandler Holland, EIA manager in Mankato said mold affects different people differently.

Tuesday, District 88 will draft letters about mold issues that will be sent to parents.

Remme summed up the meeting.

"We have recognized a problem and need to address it," Remme said. "Isolating a room speeds up the process and leads to a better end."

Wieland said long-term mold solutions must be found like improving ventilation systems after the initial mold clean up.