Tests confirm mold, mildew at Hall

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Tests confirm mold, mildew at Hall

By BOB MONTGOMERY

Staff Writer

The Daily Advance Fri, 20 Oct 2006 7:56 PM PDT

NC

http://www.dailyadvance.com/news/content/news/stories/2006/10/21/1021

06_news_ecsu_building.html?cxtype=rss & cxsvc=7 & cxcat=7

Saturday, October 21, 2006

Indoor air quality tests this week confirmed that mold and mildew

was the source of musty odors that forced the temporary closure last

week of Hall at City State University.

R. Holtzclaw, a senior staff scientist with General

Engineering and Environmental, presented results of his findings to

Interim Chancellor Willie J. Gilchrist on Thursday, and said the

problems are either corrected or are being fixed.

ECSU spokeswoman Marsha McLean said Hall is still vacant, but

should resume normal operations within the next two weeks. In the

meantime, classes have been relocated to other locations on campus,

she said.

On Oct. 12, Gilchrist closed Hall, one of the oldest buildings

on campus, after several reports of strange odors were reported.

Hall, built in 1922 and expanded in 1939, houses ECSU's social

sciences, political science and history departments. Classes there

were relocated elsewhere on campus pending results of indoor air

quality tests.

Gilchrist said workers performing renovations caused the odor to

spread when they opened an old, dark vault that once belonged to the

ECSU finance division. Apparently, water had leaked inside over the

years and created mold or mildew contamination. The odors escaped

when workers opened the vault, he said.

Gilchrist asked General Engineering and Environmental of ton,

S.C., to identify the source of the problem at Hall.

On Thursday, Oct. 19, Holtzclaw said his findings confirmed

Gilchrist's suspicions.

" Moisture, water damage and mold growth was observed on the interior

walls, ceiling and floors of the vault located in Suite 112, "

Holtzclaw wrote.

Also, a compressor unit of the heating, ventilation and air-

conditioning system serving Suite 110 was inoperable. That meant air

couldn't circulate properly and dehumidification did not occur, he

said.

The maintenance department at ECSU is in the process of repairing

that HVAC system, Holtzclaw wrote.

In his findings, Holtzclaw said a broken drain line above the vault

caused the mold growth, and that the line has been fixed. In

addition, standing water was found on parts of the floor inside the

vault, Holtzclaw wrote