ABSTRACT

Frozen sprinkler pipes had burst during the first winter of the home's operation, and mold was discovered by the insurance adjuster's representative. The insurance company suggested that the mold was pre-existing, simply due to the amount of mold found in the home. As the authors commenced discussions with the building owners, it was discovered that the home was also experiencing difficulties maintaining temperatures on the top floor, and energy bills appeared to be excessively high for the occupancy and type of construction.

The Provincial Health Ministry required confirmation that an investigation had been conducted to determine the cause of the flood and mold growth, and that mold remediation had been completed, prior to allowing residents to move back into the home.

The design drawings indicated that the building envelope was not clearly defined. A thermographic scan and visual review indicated that there was air leakage through various locations which would have resulted in the frozen pipes and flooding and subsequent mold growth. It was also determined that summer-time condensation would have been possible at several locations, resulting in mold growth preexisting to the flood.