Indoor Air Quality in Northwest Schools · indoor air quality issues. Located approximately 17 miles north of Spokane, Wash., the district today has those issues “in check,” and

“Today, IAQcommitteesexist in eachbuilding ratherthan districtwide andconsist of thebuildingprincipal and atleast two otherstaff members.”

Indoor Air Qualityin Northwest Schools

An electronic newsletter for school Indoor AirQuality (IAQ) exclusively for Northwest schools

Winter Quarter 2004

School Indoor Air QualityNewsletter for NorthwestSchools

A quarterly electronic newsletterexclusively for NW schools.

Please circulate this subscriptionopportunity throughout theNorthwest to those who may beinterested.

There are two ways to subscribe:

1) To view the newsletter,click here:http://www.energy.wsu.edu/buildings/IAQ.htm

The newsletter contains a linkfor subscription information.

2) Or, send a blank emailmessage to: [email protected]

You will receive a confirmationmessage. When you reply to thatmessage you will be subscribedand will receive all futurepostings. You can easilyunsubscribe at any time.

This broadcast email list not onlyprovides automatic delivery ofthe quarterly School IAQNewsletter, but includesannouncements about news ofinterest, training events, grantopportunities, and otherinformation useful to schooldistricts, agencies, andstakeholders involved in schoolIAQ and operations andmaintenance.

The newsletter is an opportunityfor all interested parties tocommunicate, and add to thecollective wisdom.

Continued on page 2

Riverside SchoolDistrict Indoor AirQuality Program

By Galen Hansen, Superintendent,Riverside School District,Chattaroy, Wash.

Riverside is a progressive, growingdistrict that in past years faced seriousindoor air quality issues. Locatedapproximately 17 miles north of Spokane,Wash., the district today has those issues“in check,” and continues to follow solidindoor air quality practices.

Four years ago, Riverside began to workwith Rich Prill and David Hales, both of the

Washington State University ExtensionEnergy Program, and Eric Dickson, anindustrial hygienist with EducationalService District 101, to establish an IAQprogram that works, is manageable and

protects the well-being of staff andstudents.Initially, a district wide IAQ committee wasformed with two representatives from eachbuilding. This committee established an IAQhandbook that was simple, provideddirection and helped establish solid answersto problems. A member of the maintenance

department and the custodial supervisor wereadded to the committee to help address issues

regarding maintenance and cleanliness. Thecommittee was trained regarding “what to lookfor” and how to address IAQ issues.

Today, IAQ committees exist in each buildingrather than district wide and consist of the

building principal and at least two other staff

INDOOR AIR QUALITY IN NORTHWEST SCHOOLS

2

Continued from page 1

Riverside School District

members. When an IAQ issue arises the committee immediatelyresponds with the assistance of the maintenance and/or custodialsupervisors. Staff members experiencing any kind of IAQ concernhave an interview with one member of the committee, while the restof the committee follows training procedures to discover what theproblem or issue is. Based on the recommendation of the committeethe situation is either resolved or Industrial Hygienist Eric Dickson iscalled in to evaluate and test the area.

Walk-throughs are conducted each year by each buildingprincipal with the assistance of the maintenance and custodialsupervisors. Every three years the district utilizes the expertise ofindividuals such as Rich, David and Eric to do a comprehensive walk-through where issues are identified and then prioritized by thecommittee. The IAQ committee then determines how to solve andfinalize each issue. Our staff see these events as a unique andvaluable training opportunity and a quality control check. Thisformat is a proactive and preventative maintenance approach thatsends a clear and positive message to all. Having to be reactive costsmuch more and does not insure the well-being of staff and students.

Since cleanliness is one of the best preventative practices to guardagainst IAQ problems, the custodial staff work schedule wasorganized into 15-minute increments. Proper training andaccountability to this regimented schedule has helped make adifference – our custodians are doing a better job with less stress.The maintenance staff provides immediate attention to problemssuch as water intrusion, air movement, amount of outside airdelivered, housekeeping, any odd smells, and testing of areas whereIAQ issues develop or appear to be a concern.

Example: A water leak occurs involving ceiling tiles, sheet rockwalls and carpeting. The sheet rock is immediately removed andreplaced. The carpet is cleaned and dried to prevent mold. The leakor problem is fixed and ceiling tiles replaced.

Each building is also on a rotation for duct cleaning, ceiling tilecleaning and/or replacement, especially in areas where recessedceilings are utilized as return air ducts.

Riverside School District could not have accomplished such aviable IAQ program without the assistance of the U.S. EnvironmentalProtection Agency, Region 10; the WSU Extension Energy Program;and ESD 101. We wish to take this opportunity to thank eachorganization and the extra special efforts of Rich Prill and EricDickson.

Upcoming Events:

EPA’s Annual IAQ Tools for SchoolsSymposium Set for December 2-4,2004 in Washington, D.C.

This is an excellent annual eventthat provides great presentationsand a unique opportunity to networkwith school folks from across thenation.

A brochure is now available atwww.epa.gov/iaq/schools.

Table of Contents

Mt. Erie Elementary SchoolImplements a Novel Program ....... 3

Creating an IAQ Program forYour School District ...................... 4

Mold and Moisture in BuildingsWorkshop Coming to SeattleMarch 11 .................................... 5

Wet Sheetrock and How toDeal With It ................................. 6

Washington Health DistrictsGain IAQ Experience .................... 7

Tech Tips ..................................... 8

© 2004 Washington State UniversityExtension Energy Program. This publicationcontains material written and produced forpublic distribution. You may reprint thiswritten materials, provided you do not use itto endorse a commercial product. Pleasereference by title and credit WashingtonState University Extension Energy Program.

04_003

March 2004

Winter Quarter 2004

3

Greetings! Here is a “Green Cleaning” updatefrom Mt. Erie Elementary. Around Christmas wepresented a challenge to our students to see whocould do the best job of cleaning their classroom ona daily basis. Students are asked to “pick up” thefloor, put up their chairs at the end ofthe day and wipe their feet beforethey enter the building.

My custodian Cathy and Iinspect the rooms every daywhen we go in to vacuum. Wekeep a chart and all theclassrooms that have done agreat job earn a (+) for the day.Those who have left a mess earna (–) for the day. A minus cancelsout a plus.

At the end of the week we add upall the plus marks. The class with themost plus marks receives a trophy for theirclassroom for a week.

We have three trophies that our PTApurchased for us so we divided theschool into three groups: K-1st, 2nd -3rd, and 4th-6th grades. We also keepa chart for who has the trophy eachweek. At the end of the year theclass that has had it the most timesover the year will receive an icecream party from Von and Cathy.

Cathy and I have had such aGREAT response from this that it isdifficult to judge. One pencil onthe floor may keep a class from earning a plusfor the day.

This program helps by giving us more time to dodeep cleaning in the building, and in turn gives us acleaner and healthier environment. The children arelearning to be responsible for their own space and totake pride in their school. We also helped teachers andstudents organize their rooms for easy cleaning by

placing items in plastic containers. Cathy and I have had some

positive feedback from staff members,volunteers and parents who have feltbetter this year than they have in thepast. Some who have severe allergiesor asthma have reported they havenot had a case of bronchitis or an

asthma attack so far this year, andnormally they would have been on

antibiotics one or more times by now.Comments have been made by some of

our specialists who aren’t here every day thatit seems easier to breathe in our building this year

and there isn’t a stale air smell in the building. Ourmaintenance department reported that the filters in

our heating, ventilation and air conditioningsystem were much cleaner this year.

We are attributing these positive resultsto the fact that we replaced all of the oldcarpeting in our building last summer andhave changed all of our cleaning productsto Envirox H2 Orange2 products, whichhave a Green Seal certification. All ofthese things have taken us a little while toput into practice but we are beginning toreap the benefits. We are extremely proud

of our staff and students.

CleanClassroomTrophy

Example of an organized and “cleanable” classroom Von and Cathy (Note the Tools For Schools Certificate andOutstanding Custodial Award.)

Mt. Erie Elementary School Implements a Novel ProgramBy Von Storme, Head Custodian,Mt. Erie Elementary, Anacortes, Wash.

INDOOR AIR QUALITY IN NORTHWEST SCHOOLS

4

Starting an effective indoor air quality programfrom scratch in any school district can be adaunting task. If the U.S. Environmental ProtectionAgency’s IAQ Tools for Schools Action Kit seemslike too much material to digest all at once,consider the 3-step approach to implementing theTfS kit. (Contact Rich Prill at [email protected] a copy; it will be posted soon at www.energy.wsu.edu, under Building Science, for easydownloading).

This 3-step “jump-start” process has beendiscussed quite thoroughly in past issues of thisnewsletter, still available online at www.energy.wsu.edu/projects/building/iaq_nl.cfm. Even usingthe streamlined approach to launching an IAQprogram for your school or district involves somework above and beyond your normal duties.Therefore, I would say it takes a person with somespecial qualities: commitment to the cause; adesire to learn; and, above all, patience.

I know dozens of individuals who fit thisdescription right here in the Northwest corner ofWashington State. They all got the IAQ programthat they wanted and that works for their school.

I want to take the opportunity (and someeditorial license) to pass along some generalguidance to keep in mind during the process.Other perspectives and experiences are welcomeand encouraged, and will be presented in futureissues – send them along!

First, get some training and help. You can gettraining on IAQ by attending an EPA IAQ Tools forSchools workshop in your area. Lacking travelmoney to get to a workshop, you can learn a lot byreading through the Tools for Schools Action Kit.You can get a free TfS Kit on compact disk fromEPA by calling 1-800-438-4318, or online atwww.epa.gov/iaq/schools.

You may apply to get a scholarship to attend theannual Tools for Schools Symposium in Washing-ton, D.C., Dec. 2-4, 2004 (see the EPA websiteabove). You may be lucky enough to get a trainedexpert to come to your school and advocate foryou. Contact Ann Wawrukiewicz at EPA (206-553-2589, or [email protected]) to see who

might be able to help you for little or no cost.Ultimately, you want to have your basic argu-

ments ready as to why creating an IAQ programis important. If you have had a crisis related toIAQ already, your arguments are obvious, butyour job will no doubt be more complex. I hopeit won’t take a crisis to motivate creation of anIAQ program.

Second, identify your allies. You will knowwho in your school or district is likely to shareyour views. The school nurse, for example, willhave some knowledge about IAQ. Ultimately,you will want to get your facilities staff on board.Introduce them to the 3-step approach toimplementing the TfS kit. We have had goodluck with facility managers because they tend tobe well aware of the pitfalls of doing nothingregarding IAQ in a school district. They may belooking for allies, too.

Plus, even though creation of an IAQ programtypically involves some additional work for facilitiesstaff, it tends to stabilize or increase maintenancebudgets. This is because with greater awareness ofIAQ comes the understanding that effectivemaintenance and good air quality go hand inhand. We have great luck implementing IAQprocedures, conducting school walk-throughevaluations, improving air filtration andventilation by working at the facility managerlevel. If you want a formal program or writtenpolicy, however, you need the principals andsuperintendent on board.

Third, woo the administrators.Here is where patience comes in. I have found

principals and administrators to be among themost overburdened and harassed people I haveever encountered. They have an extremely diverseand difficult job. Adding consideration of adoptingan IAQ program to their list may not get theresponse you hope for the first time around.

Concerns about finding problems the districthas no money to fix can be a concern. Emphasizethat typically much progress is made via low- orno-cost solutions.

Concerns about drawing attention to IAQ and

Creating an IAQ Program for Your School DistrictBy Dave Blake, Northwest Air Pollution Authority, Mt. Vernon, Wash.

Winter Quarter 2004

55

“creating problems” can be a worry. Working witha couple hundred schools in the Northwest, RichPrill, of the Washington State University ExtensionEnergy Program, and I have never (openly) beenaccused of causing trouble. Be patient.

Don’t burn any bridges. For example, Iwould advise against attempting to shame anunresponsive administrator into action. Keepyour conversations friendly and respectful.Administrators may not understand theimportance of IAQ (remember that manydoctors don’t yet understand), but that does notmean they are incapable of it, given time. Weare working top down at the state level to helpinform administrators about IAQ and regionalsuccess stories.

The better approach is to offer references tosuccessful programs in other districts, even ifthey are in another state. There are manyfacility managers who would be willingto discuss the costs and benefits offormal IAQ programs with youradministrators. Based on ourexperience, I can tell youconfidently that the benefitsclearly outweigh any costs.

One convincingargument is thathealthier learningenvironments lead tohigher studentscores onstandardized tests.A perhapsshallower butvery real point isthat knowledgeof IAQ andexperience withIAQ programdevelopmentlooks great on anadministrator’s (orfacility manager’s)resume.

Mold and Moisture in Buildings Workshop Coming to Seattle March 11

If you are still unsuccessful, back off and bideyour time. Accomplish what you can on a smallerscale in schools or classrooms that welcome yourattention. If complaints about indoor air qualitysurface, your administrators will remember whowas offering assistance along that line and theywill likely come back to you.

Down the road a little ways, everyone will be onboard with IAQ programs. That is the inescapabletrend and the ultimate good news.

Again, send your stories and experiences to meat [email protected], or to Rich Prill at [email protected], so they can be shared with others.

The workshop will be held from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Thursday, March11 at the Mountaineers Building, 300 Third Ave. W. Advance registration isrequired at a cost of $75 before March 4, $80 after. Lunch is provided. Youcan download a brochure at http://yosemite.epa.gov/R10/AIRPAGE.NSF/webpage/Mold+and+Moisture+Workshop. Or call the American LungAssociation of Washington at 206-441-5100.

Topics to be covered:• What mold is and what causes it;• Health effects of mold exposure;• Building dynamics and moisture;• Mold investigation;• When is testing necessary?• Mold remediation and protocols;• Building design and materials;• Preventing moisture and mold growth; and,• Legal issues regarding mold.

This workshop will provide an excellent overview of moisture and moldissues for school personnel. The workshop is sponsored by the U.S.Environmental Protection Agency, Region 10; the Lung Association ofWashington, and the Washington State University Cooperative Extension.

INDOOR AIR QUALITY IN NORTHWEST SCHOOLS

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Recently, schools in Eastern Washingtonexperienced a week of very cold weather thatresulted in numerous incidents of frozen waterpipes and thus a water event. This isn’t just aconcern for schools located in the path of winterstorms – in almost every instance of waterintrusion we recommend the removal of all wetsheetrock (wallboard).

Listed below are some things to consider whenyou have a broken water pipe, fire sprinkler pipe,roof leak or other form of water intrusion. The U.S.Environmental Protection Agency and othersadvise sheetrock should be thoroughly dried in thefirst 24-48 hours to avoid mold growth. Here atEducational Service District 101, we typically arenot called until a couple of days after the flood orleak has occurred, so we’re already behind on the48-hour time frame. If the moisture meter detectsmoisture in the sheetrock, it doesn’t make sense totake a chance and not replace the sheetrock.

This is especially true if there is vinylwallpaper involved.Vinyl wallpaper on wetsheetrock is almost aguarantee that mold willgrow. Since vinylwallpaper forms a vaporbarrier, there is virtuallyno way to dry out thesheetrock behind thewallpaper. Sheetrock isvery inexpensive. Schoolpersonnel or a qualifieddrywall contractor cancomplete a small job ina few hours. Replacingwet wallboard is cheapinsurance against mold growth and theproblems associated with it.

Opening up the wall also provides proof to staffthat there is no hidden mold behind the walls.This relieves valid concerns about future healthproblems. If wet sheetrock, insulation and othermaterials are removed before mold starts to grow,

it is merely a sheetrock replacement project versusa mold abatement project. The risk is not worththe reward in leaving wet sheetrock in place.Several school districts in Washington State havelearned the hard way what can happen when moldbecomes an issue.

Insulation inside the wall brings another variableor complexity. Insulation is very difficult tocompletely dry out and restricts airflow inside thewall cavity. In this case, the bottom of the wall maystill need to be replaced. Leaving a source ofmoisture inside a wall cavity is never a good idea.We recommend cutting the sheetrock four feet upfrom the floor to provide for thorough inspection,ventilation, replacement of wet insulation and easysheetrock replacement.

HOW TO SAVE WET SHEETROCKWet sheetrock might be dried and saved if these

steps are taken within 24-48 hours:• Remove all base cove material from affected

walls immediately. Some base coveadhesives will support mold growth andthus need to be dried immediately. Also, thearea behind the base cove allows ventilationholes to be drilled and easily finished bysimply replacing the cove material.

• Drill holes (3/4 inch or larger) into thesheetrock at the base cove level, betweenwall studs, to get air moving inside the wallcavity. Use fans to facilitate air movement.

• If both sides of the sheetrock can be driedright away, the sheetrock might be saved.The base cove can be replaced and willcover the holes without any visible damage.

• Drill holes into the wood base material ofcabinets, casework, etc. Contractorsoccasionally use the space under cabinets asa trash bin leaving behind cabinet struts,paper, rags and other debris, all of whichcan grow mold when wet. Holes can befinished with round aluminum vents,available at hardware stores, whichprovide permanent ventilation.

Wet Sheetrock and How to Deal With It

Winter Quarter 2004

7

• Bases of cabinets, as well as the cabinetsthemselves, are typically made of particle-board,which contains formaldehyde. Whenparticleboard gets wet, off-gassing offormaldehyde will occur. Often, this vaporadversely affects sensitive individuals.

• If the space under cabinets and caseworkcan be thoroughly ventilated, release offormaldehyde, as well as any potential moldgrowth, can be minimized.

Sheetrock covered with vinyl wallpaper is almostimpossible to dry. Perhaps, if the vinyl wallpaper ispulled away from the wall and dried out, then re-glued, this paper might be saved. However, if vinylwallpaper remains wet for more than a couple days

Washington Health Districts Gain IAQ ExperienceBy Tim Hardin, Indoor Air Quality Manager, Washington State Department of Health

This winter, more Washington health districts are gearing up to assist schools with indoor airchallenges. The State Department of Health and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencysponsored a couple of two-day school indoor air quality workshops. These workshops wereconducted in Vancouver, Wash., and Colfax, Wash., with 20 and 11 participants attendingrespectively. The health districts represented were from the counties of Thurston, Kitsap, Cowlitz,Clark, Chelan-Douglas, Spokane, Kittitas, Walla Walla, and Whitman. A number of school districtpersonnel from these areas also attended and added their unique and valuable perspective to theinformation that was presented and shared.

The trainings are intended to bring the current grant folks (the local health people) up to speedon the Tools for Schools program and the current implementation process. We have it set up sothat they all get a minimum equipment package (CO2, RH, Temp, smoke pencil and a digitalcamera). The two-day training is intended to give them the basics of school IAQ includingequipment demonstrations and an on-site field trip. An opportunity to schedule some IAQ walk-throughs in local schools is offered to participants – these walk-throughs will be guided by WSUCooperative Extension staff, Tim Hardin of the Washington State Department of Health, or EricDickson of Educational School District 101. Upon completion of these on-site assessments, theparticipants will be able to assist schools in their districts with Tools for Schools walk-throughs andthe implementation process.

The School Indoor Air Quality Best Practices Manual has been updated. For those of youinterested in the new version, you can find it at www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/ts/iaq.htm. We haveupdated phone and contact information, and added new and updated web links. The codereferences have changed and we have added new sections on several topics as well as updates forother sections throughout the document.

it is more prudent and less expensive to removeand replace the sheetrock and wallpaper. We haveexperienced sheetrock covered with vinylwallpaper that has remained wet more than twomonths after the initial water intrusion, and, yes,mold was definitely growing behind the wallpaper.Even the potential for mold exposure to thebuilding occupants can lead to a myriad ofproblems.

Removing wet sheetrock (especially if it iscovered with vinyl wallpaper) is always the bestdecision from a cost, public relations, and healthperspective.

If you have any questions relating to this topic,you are welcome to call: Jim Kerns at 509-789-3517, or Eric Dickson at 509-789-3518.

INDOOR AIR QUALITY IN NORTHWEST SCHOOLS

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12 Mid 6:00 am 12 Noon 6:00 pm 12 Mid

Time

2.5

2.0

1.5

1.0

0.5

0.0

Class Ends forthe Day

Lunch

Recess

Class Starts

CO

Figure 1

Classroom CO2

2

Figure 2

Tech TipsIf you are investigating IAQ or comfort

complaints, one of the best ways to understandwhat’s happening in a classroom or other area inyour school is to collect some basic data.Information about temperature, relative humidity,carbon dioxide concentrations or even carbonmonoxide and othersuspected con-taminants can bemeasured to helpdetermine the causeof problems.

Sometimes a fewquick measurementswill confirm that aroom is too warm,relative humidity istoo low, ventilation isinadequate, or thereare unusually highlevels of particulates,etc. Other times,however, a quickmeasurement maynot find anythingunusual. Conditionsoften change andproblems may notbecome apparentwithout monitoring conditions over an extendedperiod of time.

High end test equipment often has a datalogging capability built in and it may be a featureto look for when purchasingequipment. There is also relativelyinexpensive data logging equipmentavailable that will help create a profileover time of conditions in a room.

Figure 1 shows the CO2 con-centrations in a classroom over a 24-hour period. The data was collectedusing a Telaire 7001 CO2 monitorconnected to a HOBO H8 data logger(seen in Figure 2). By collecting datafor a whole day or a week or evenlonger, it’s possible to develop a

profile of how the room responds to a wide rangeof different operating conditions and discoverproblems that may not be evident from a simplespot check.

For less than $100, you can purchase a smallbattery operated data logger that will record

temperature, relativehumidity and additionalexternal inputs fromother sensors (like theTelaire 7001 CO2monitor). Similarinexpensive dataloggers can recordon/off cycling ofequipment, carbonmonoxide concen-trations, as well as milli-amp and direct currentvoltage outputs from avariety of externalsensors.

There are a numberof manufacturers ofdata logging equip-ment. Information fromOnset, the makers ofHOBOs, can be foundat www.onsetcomp.

com, a good place to start to find out more.If you’re not ready to invest in your own

equipment, the Washington State UniversityExtension Energy Program has a limited number of

HOBO loggers, carbon dioxide sensorsand carbon monoxide sensors availableto loan to schools in Alaska, Idaho,Oregon and Washington as part of ourtechnical support of the U.S. Environ-mental Protection Agency’s Tools forSchools Program. Try before you buy.

Contact: David Hales, [email protected], 509-477-6702; or Rich Prill,[email protected], 509-477-6701.