The Argos Town Council was informed of the condition of the Argos EMS Building during last Wednesday’s Council meeting. Last spring Michiana Restoration & Construction was awarded the contract to remove the mold that was growing in the building that houses the Police, Fire and EMS Departments. They were also to eliminate the cause of the mold and repair any damaged areas. A new heating and cooling system was designed and installed.
There was a definite smell in the building when the work was completed in July. It has been determined that the building did not have the proper fresh air exchange. When the humidity was high in August it pulled out the smell from the paint and new construction. Mold grows when the humidity levels are over 60%. Also, the bricks used in the original exterior design for the building, did not have a vapor barrier to the inside walls. These bricks would wick moister during the humid summer months and this could have been another source of the mold growth.
Michiana Restoration’s heating and cooling designer used the plans of the building to design the system. It was never indicated to him that the building was a simple pole building with exposed bricks. “The building is just too tight. A lot of things are going on with the building,” said Doug Middleton, the Council’s liaison with Michiana Restoration. Doug also said that the other two companies that bid for the project last spring did not catch the exposed brick problem.
It was recommended to install a dehumidifier system at a cost of $4,500. The Council voted to install the dehumidifier. They will not know if this is the solution to the problem till the high humid days of next summer. Derek Jones, town attorney, is reviewing the contract with Michiana Restoration to see if they would have to cover the cost of the dehumidifier.
