Hotel Plaster Walls Can Be at Risk for Mold Problems

ORLANDO, Fla., Nov. 28, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The hotel industry's widespread assumption that plaster walls are not susceptible to mold growth can prove risky. Experts at Liberty Building Forensics Group (LBFG) recently helped guide a renovation team which encountered an unsuspecting mold problem in a high-end, Washington, D.C. hotel's plaster walls that could have cost millions of dollars in remediation and lost room revenue.

The hotel was undergoing a fast-track renovation that involved removing old vinyl wall covering in corridors and rooms, patching and repairing underlying plaster with skim coats, then installing new vinyl wall covering. While renovations were still ongoing, mold was found growing behind the new vinyl wall covering, causing noticeable pink staining and forcing work to stop.

Mold growth is not seen as frequently on plaster walls as it is on gypsum wallboard, primarily because there are no nutrients to support mold growth (except for any dirt or dust that might be on the plaster). When mold is detected on plaster, however, it can be catastrophic if not detected and remediated quickly.

This construction delay increased renovation costs due to unplanned remediation and extended outages for newly-renovated rooms. Room outage costs can quickly escalate during hotel rehabs. Timeframes in this hotel were now being extended by 50%. Going from a four-week to a six-week floor outage would increase lost revenue drastically. Each unoccupied floor cost $300,000 to $400,000 a week in lost revenue. Extending that loss over 15 to 20 floors would easily lead to seven-figures.

An LBFG investigation discovered moisture buried into the core of the skim coat had become trapped by the vinyl going up too quickly. Additionally, ceramic tile in bathrooms on the opposite side of corridor walls was acting as a vapor retarder. LBFG recommended slowing down the pace of the work to allow sufficient time for the skim coat to dry, and strategically placed drying equipment to reduce hotel humidity.

"The solution was simple yet effective, allowing the room rehab to keep moving forward at a rate that satisfied the client but also ensured the reduced risk of another mold problem," said LBFG President George DuBose, CGC.

Read the full case study on this project here.

Learn more about how our building forensics firm can help you prevent, diagnose, or remediate building mold and moisture problems by downloading our firm brochure or visiting http://www.buildingforensicsgroup.com/who-we-are/.

Media Contact:

George DuBose
Liberty Building Forensics Group
Phone: (407) 467-5518
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.buildingforensicsgroup.com

SOURCE Liberty Building Forensics Group

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