QC - Moisture Mitigation Plan

Objective: 

• Prevent and respond to moisture/water or mildew growth conditions 

• Detect water losses and moisture damage early to minimize construction material and property damage and liability 

• Outline procedures for responding to a moisture/water or mold growth condition 

Background: 

Koester Construction has developed a Moisture Mitigation Plan (Wet Work) to minimize property damage and liabilities resulting from a water loss or damage associated with architectural design, construction processes, or actions by our employees and subcontractors.  

Things to Consider: 

The Moisture Mitigation Plan is applicable to Koester Construction and our subcontractors during all phases of work.  Once turned over, systems such as existing heating, ventilation, air-conditioning (HVAC) or elevator systems are under the control of our clients (and their tenants), and therefore the owners’ responsibility. 

The following are important components of the Moisture Mitigation Plan:  

• Preventive maintenance and inspection   

• Planning and management of projects and subcontractors  

• Established procedures to minimize potential moisture/water intrusions  

• Guidelines for identification, determination of the extent of damage, response and remediation   

• Communication during and following a moisture/water condition or mold growth (incident).  

• Training objectives and goals for key personnel  

Steps 

1. Prevention Plan 

1. Two keys to preventing moisture damage within buildings or on building materials are: 

1. Moisture control 

2. Rapid response 

2. Once a moisture/water condition is discovered, inspect the area immediately to 

1. Determine the source 

2. Quickly eliminate additional moisture/water 

3. Dry the dampened or wet building materials 

3. Preventative maintenance- The Project Superintendent is responsible for ensuring that a preventive maintenance program is in place to minimize the likelihood of a water loss associated with all construction activities performed by Koester Construction or our subcontractors. The preventive maintenance will minimize potential causes of moisture/water or mold growth conditions at both subcontractor/supplier and project sites. 

4. Testing and QC- Koester Construction shall coordinate with its subcontractors, 3rd party and local government inspectors and officials to ensure that all plumbing, HVAC, sprinkler, irrigation, and other water containing systems have been inspected for code compliance, workmanship, and tested for leaks.  Any systems that are known to have any leaks will not be covered up by other materials/systems until leaks have been fixed and the system has been retested. 

Materials onsite will be periodically checked to ensure that they meet project specifications, and do not contain defects/inferior workmanship that may result in future leaks. 

Systems onsite will be inspected to ensure they are configured in accordance with project specifications, and contain important components; including but not limited to backflow preventors, vents, pipe insulation, drains. 

5. Long periods of downtime - Should a construction project be shut down for a long period of time, especially those involving interior redesign, a plan will be put in place to ensure water pooling and excessive humidity levels do not occur or are taken care of timely, and that stored building materials do not become dampened.  These processes will be implemented by the project team based on the project conditions. 

6. Weather exposure - Precautionary measures should be taken so that porous building materials (i.e., wood, drywall sheathing, cellulose insulation, etc.) are not exposed to moisture or water. To that end, the Project Superintendent, depending on the type of project site, will protect all porous building materials to be used by Koester Construction employees or subcontractors from precipitous weather exposure (e.g., morning dew, rain, sleet, snow, etc.) prior to and during construction or renovation. If porous building materials cannot be protected from precipitous weather exposure, the Project Superintendent, depending on the type of project site, will ensure that all dampened/wetted building materials are dried thoroughly and are inspected for signs of moisture, water damage, and mold growth prior to use.  

Areas with systems containing water shall be heated to ensure that freezing conditions do not occur and create damage to components that will result in future leaks.  If heating is not going to occur in these areas, systems should be drained completely of water and winterized as recommended by manufacturer. 

2. Response Plan 

1. Observed Moisture/Water Events 

1. Project Superintendent will document findings of a moisture/water condition and forward to the Project Manager immediately for prompt action. In an emergency (significant water loss/release), the Project Superintendent will notify the Project Manager as soon as practical, with controlling the water source taking priority. 

2. Project Manager will determine which of the following responses to take: 

1. If the reported moisture/water condition does not appear to be the result of construction practices or HVAC-system-related components (e.g., cooling towers) installed by Koester Construction or a condition defined and addressed in a contract, then the Project Manager or the Principal in Charge will notify the owner/tenant of the observed condition. No further actions are required. 

2. If the reported moisture/water condition appears to be the result of construction practices or HVAC system and related components installed by Koester Construction or its subcontractors, then the Project Manager or the Project Superintendent will: 

1. Instruct on-site personnel to control the source of moisture/water causing the condition to occur, if known and possible. If the source is unknown, Koester Construction will seek internal or external resources to properly identify the cause of the moisture/water condition to ensure that it does not occur again. 

2. Instruct onsite personnel to turn off the circuit breakers (if there is no risk of electrical shock) supplying electricity to wet areas and/or unplug and remove any small electrical devices currently located on the wet floor coverings or other wet surfaces. 

3. Determine whether water extraction activities should take place. If the water loss was identified within forty-eight (48) hours of its initial occurrence, water extraction activities should be conducted. In addition, the Project Superintendent and Project Manager should determine whether an emergency water extraction contractor should be contracted. 

3. In cases where the water source has affected greater than 100 SF of material or is suspected to be gray or black water, either Koester employees or extraction contractor will remove standing water and dry out dampened/wetted building materials. 

4. If the water source is clean water and only a small area (less than 100 SF) is affected, properly trained Koester Construction employees will perform the dry-out procedures. 

3. Determine whether the affected area should be managed as an observed/likely mold growth condition. 

4. Notify the owner/tenant of the moisture/water condition and any corrective actions that Koester Construction is planning to take. 

5. Following dry-out procedures the Project Superintendent will inspect the affected area(s) to determine if the dry-out procedures appear to be effective. (Building materials were dried out promptly and no apparent signs of mold growth are present). 

1. If the dry-out procedures were believed to be successful, the Project Team will periodically monitor the location for any changes. 

2. If the dry-out procedures are determined to be unsuccessful by the Project Superintendent, Project Manager, or the IAQ subcontractor during his/her follow-up inspection, follow the procedures outlined in ”Observed/Likely Mold-Growth Condition” below. 

6. Upon successful completion of the water extraction or determination that mold remediation activities are necessary, the Project Manager will inform the client what future activities, if any, will be taken. 

2. Small “Clean” Water Dring Procedures 

3. Observed/Likely Mold Condition 

   1. The Project Superintendent will document the location, condition, and source (if known) of the mold-growth condition.  Include pictures whenever possible.  Send this documentation to the Project Manager as soon as practical. 

   2. Upon notification of a mold-growth condition, the Project Manager will verify the condition as soon as practical based on the report. The Project Manager, together with the Project Superintendent, may perform a site visit to gather further information concerning the observed conditions at the client site. 

   3. Project Manager will determine which of the following responses to take: 

      1. If the reported mold growth condition does not appear to be the result of a moisture/water source associated with construction activities performed by Koester Construction, the Project Manager will notify the owner/tenant of the observed condition. No further actions are required of Koester Construction. 

      2. If the reported mold condition appears to be the result of construction activities performed by Koester Construction, the Project Manager or the Project Superintendent will: 

1. Instruct onsite personnel to control the source of moisture/water causing the condition to occur, if known and possible, and if it has not already been controlled. If the source is unknown, Koester Construction will seek internal or external resources to properly identify the cause of the moisture/water event in order to ensure that it does not occur again following the completion of mold remediation activities. 

2. Determine who will perform mold remediation. If a large amount of building materials are determined to be affected by water at any point during a remediation performed by Koester employees, a water extraction subcontractor may be called in to support response efforts 

3. Determine if an IAQ inspection will be conducted if a large amount of mold contamination is present. Following the investigation, a mold remediation subcontractor will be contracted, per the qualifications set forth by the Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA), to remove any affected materials. 

4. Upon receiving IAQ subcontractor approval indicating that the mold remediation activities were successful, the Project Manager will inform the owner/tenant that the mold growth previously present was successfully remediated. 

5. Communication - Communication is a vital part of the Mold Plan. Upon discovering a moisture/water or mold growth condition, any Koester Construction employee or subcontractor associated with construction work should immediately notify the Project Superintendent. The Project Superintendent will immediately notify the Project Manager who will notify Safety Manager. The Project Manager and/or the Project Superintendent will conduct an onsite inspection, and the Project Manager will determine the level of response needed. The Project Superintendent will coordinate and oversee water-extraction and mold remediation activities and keep the Project Manager informed about the progress of activities.  The Project Manager will be responsible for keeping owners/tenants informed about incidents and responses. 

6. Training: All Koester Construction personnel will receive awareness training on: 

• Basic awareness of construction practices that may lead to a moisture/water or mildew growth conditions 

• Recognition of dampened or wetted building materials that can lead to potential mildew growth 

Project Managers, Project Superintendents, SafetyStaff with roles and responsibilities defined and involved with either responding to, or coordinating water extraction and/or mold remediation activities will receive advanced training on: 

• Their specific roles and responsibilities 

• Awareness of practices and field situations / environments that may lead to a moisture/water or mold growth condition 

• Recognition of dampened or wetted building materials that can lead to potential mildew growth; 

• Emergency dry-out procedures; 

• Remediation by qualified contractors of small areas of mold growth, including: 

• Containment procedures; 

• Use of proper personal protective equipment (PPE) during remediation; 

• Necessary remediation activities for different types of materials 

• Proper removal of damp/wet or mold-containing materials from an affected area; 

• Proper cleaning activities following the removal of all damp/wet materials. 

3. Moisture Prevention Checklists  

These checklists are tools to support maintaining safe premises, practices, operations and equipment. The checklist does not cover all possible hazardous conditions or unsafe acts or conditions that may exist. For any further questions in this matter please consult the Director of Safety. 

1. Preconstruction Checks 

1. Project management and workers trained in importance and methods of preventing mold growth. 

1. Keep interior materials dry-prior to, during and after installation 

2. Do not wet building materials 

3. Report any water damage, leaks or intrusion to Project Manager immediately 

4. Dry out any water damaged materials as soon as possible 

5. Build in strict accordance with designs and specifications 

6. Immediately alert architects to designs that may allow water intrusion or moisture accumulation 

2. During the design phase, carefully review the details with specific attention to ensure an impermeable envelope. 

3. On a renovation or addition, carefully survey the existing building before construction begins. Look for discoloration in finished surfaces or a musty smell. It is possible that a pre-existing mold/mildew problem can become the contractor’s problem once construction begins. 

4. Develop the project schedule with envelope construction completion as a predecessor to installation of finishes. This may be impossible on some projects; if so, have a detailed weather protection plan for all areas of exposure and establish a sufficient budget to implement the plan. 

5. Carefully document any recommended changes to the Architect of Record.  

6. Consult manufactures or moisture critical products to confirm the product’s application and recommend standard details, and provide preferred installers. 

7. Delivery of interior materials (e.g. dry wall, paneling, ceiling tiles, framing lumber): 

1. Schedule so materials will arrive after exterior of building has been sealed 

2. Provide for dry storage of materials-off ground away from moisture sources 

3. Minimize storage time 

4. Plastic sheeting or tarps used to cover materials are secured loosely to allow air circulation 

8. Pre-arrange for drying equipment 

1. Fans 

2. Dehumidifiers 

3. Wet-Dry vacuums 

2. Ongoing Construction Checks 

   1. All materials inspected upon delivery for pre-existing mold contamination 

   2. Interior materials installed in dry condition-per manufacturers’ specifications 

   3. All water services (including fire sprinklers) and waste lines checked for: 

      1. Proper installation 

      2. Connections properly made and checked for leakage 

      3. Water lines ( particularly chilled water) properly insulated 

      4. Have multiple inspectors for filling or hydro test of sprinklers 

   4. All building penetrations properly installed and checked for leakage: 

      1. Doors 

      2. Windows 

      3. Balconies and decks 

      4. Roof membranes – lapping at corners and joints 

      5. Ventilation/exhaust ducts 

   5. All tears, openings or punctures in vapor barriers have been repaired 

   6. All flashing and caulking checked for proper lapping and application

   7. All roof drains drain away from the foundation 

   8. Roof drains properly supported and braced for large volume storms 

   9. All moisture-generating equipment vented outdoors

   10. Surrounding ground sloping away from foundation 

   11. Proper ventilation to attics, crawl spaces or other enclosed areas 

   12. Documentation of critical installations, including photographs 

   13. Perform interim inspections; invite the Architect, Envelop Engineer, Mechanical 

   14. Engineer, manufacturer’s representatives to inspect for mold related issues 

   15. HVAC system 

       1. Correct filters properly installed-ASHRAE Dust Spot Efficiency per specifications, no filers missing or misaligned 

       2. Drip plan for cooling coils drains properly 

       3. No insulation on interior of ventilation ducts – bare, galvanized sheet metal preferred 

       4. All duct joints sealed 

       5. The system is cleaned and commissioned. Third party certification of HVAC (test and balance report).  

3. Post Construction Checks 

   1. Have manufactures inspect installations for warrantee purposes 

      1. Facility owner briefed on their responsibilities to prevent mold growth 

      2. Fix leaky plumbing and leaks in the building envelope as soon as possible 

4. Watch for condensation and wet spots. Fix source(s) of moisture problem(s) as soon as possible 

5. Prevent moisture due to condensation by increasing surface temperature or reducing the moisture level in air (humidity). To increase surface temperature, insulate or increase air circulation. To reduce the moisture level in air, repair leaks, increase ventilation (if outside air is cold and dry), or dehumidify (if outdoor air is warm and humid) 

6. Keep heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) drip pans clean, flowing properly and unobstructed 

7. Vent moisture-generating appliances, such as dryers, to the outside when possible 

8. Maintain low indoor humidity, below 60 percent relative humidity (RH), ideally 30-50 percent, if possible 

9. Perform regular building/HVAC inspections and maintenance as scheduled 

10. Install and maintain proper air filters 

11. Clean and dry wet or damp spots within 48 hours 

12. Don’t let foundations stay wet. Provide drainage and slope the ground away from the foundation 

13. Ensure new building penetrations are properly sealed 

14. Landscape watering system does not spray building foundation 

15. Final visual inspection of: 

1. Pipe chases 

2. Utility tunnels 

3. Areas above drop ceiling that are exposed to water or waste lines or that are directly below roof