IAQ Building Education and Assessment Model (I-BEAM)

Remember...“Standing water breeds biocontaminants.”

(Hot Spot on large area on front covering the air intake and some of the puddle of water.)

• Standing water on roofs can be incubators for microbial growth. Create a sufficient slope and smooth surface to prevent puddling, especially near the outdoor air intake.
• Hot Spot over the pan and dripping water and encompass some of the carpet.

Remember...“Fix leaks immediately.”

• The key to controlling mold is to control moisture.
• Any water incursions into the building will create an atmosphere for microbial growth within a short period of time.
• Roof leaks must be repaired quickly to avoid rot and microbial contamination of the interior of the building shell.
• Porous material such as ceiling tiles and carpets should be dried within 24 hours to avoid mold growth. Water stained tiles or porous materials that have a musty odor should probably be discarded since decontamination is often not practical.

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Remember...“Wet vacuum floors, carpets, and furniture to remove excess water as soon as possible.”

(Hot Spot over wet vacuum and wet portion of carpet.)

• As soon as a leak or spill is noticed, all excess water should be removed using mops or wet vacuums as appropriate.
• Wet surfaces that are supposed to be dry require immediate attention to prevent microbial growth.

Remember...“Wet materials should be thoroughly dried within 24 hours to prevent microbial growth.”

(Hot Spot over fan in the middle of the picture)

• Once excess water is removed, porous materials probably require special equipment involving fans and heat and/or dehumidification to promote drying quickly. Move the fans as necessary to insure all sections are dried.
• Water stained or damaged tiles should probably be discarded, as should any furniture, carpet, or other materials that have a persistent musty odor. This is because once contaminated, decontamination is often not practical.

Remember...“Water damaged tiles should be discarded”

(Hot Spot on stained ceiling tile)

• While it is not certain that all water stained tiles necessarily harbor microbial growth, there is a good chance that they do.
• The damaged tiles indicate a present or past problem. Generally, it is a good policy to replace tiles that are damaged to protect occupants. In addition, with such a policy, any sign of water damaged tiles is also a sign of an active moisture problem that should be investigated.