August 10, 2006
MILTON -- After years of battling sweltering rooms in the spring and summer, Milton Elementary School is faced with a new, growing problem: mold.

As a result, school officials are unsure whether the building will be ready for the start of school Aug. 30. Significant repairs will have to be done. Superintendent Holden Waterman said he hoped tonight's open School Board meeting would provide parents and teachers with answers about the district's course of action.

Last week, custodial staff noticed the mold and alerted the school's administration. During the overwhelming heat and humidity early last week, humid air became trapped in the building and condensation formed, creating perfect conditions for mold, Waterman said.

The superintendent called in David Joachim from the town planning and zoning office to inspect the school. Initially, administrators and town officials thought the problem was isolated to five classrooms where mold was found on carpets.. Waterman said it would have been easy to replace the carpet because it was installed over concrete.

Elementary school principal Kerry Sewell found more mold throughout the building, prompting the district to call in Clay Point Associates, an environmental consulting firm.

Air-quality testing found humidity levels of 70 percent to 84 percent throughout the building. The high humidity, combined with small roof leaks and standing water on tiled floors, caused the mold to grow, said Todd Hobson of Clay Point.

Hobson didn't have results Wednesday from the preliminary assessment, but he said he hoped to have the information for tonight's meeting. Many more rooms are affected -- up to 25, Waterman said. The building, which accommodates 1,100 students, has about 70 rooms.

Carpet removal and air tests have cost the district $150,000 already. Waterman said the entire cleanup would be expensive. He hoped to have an estimate to share with residents tonight.
Mold everywhere

Mold was found growing on desks, in bathrooms and on other surfaces throughout the 60-year-old building. Clay Point has taken samples of carpeting, insulation and wall board to assess the full damage.

Crews are removing the moldy carpet and any other porous surfaces affected. They're also cleaning all hard surfaces such as tabletops where mold was growing.

Four rooms could prove particularly troublesome because the carpet was laid on asbestos tiles. Waterman said the tiles present no health risks, but they would probably need to be removed. Carpet adhesive, which likely has mold growing on it, cannot be safely removed from the tiles.

The building must be dried out so the mold doesn't return.. In the long term, the district will consider improving drainage and ventilation at the school. A long-term fix might also include an improved air conditioning system throughout the school.

"It's going to be expensive," Waterman said. "We're going to have to have voter approval."

Voters could be asked in November to approve a bond to finance necessary improvements.

As for the health concerns, Hobson said some people develop respiratory problems similar to allergies. "Everyone has a different susceptibility to airborne fungal spores," he said.

Milton is not the only school that has been plagued with mold in recent years. In 2004, Newport Town School closed after mold developed in the basement. Old furnaces were to blame for the outbreak. In 2003, Hinesburg Community School canceled classes for three days while mold was removed from the building.
 
http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060810/NEWS01/608100314/1009&theme=
 

Pure Air Control Services

800-422-7873