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A newly constructed 103-suite senior living center in Oregon was 2 weeks away from opening when the fire suppression system malfunctioned. Despite being recently tested, a sprinkler on the second floor ran for over 100 minutes before someone was notified. Water cascaded over the freshly installed drywall, carpet, and surrounding materials. Emergency response companies were contracted to extract the water and start demolition.
PROBLEM
With a looming deadline, the owner grew increasingly concerned with the slow and growing scope. They wanted to open on time but also ensure a safe and comfortable environment for residents. They consulted restoration contractor PureSpace/Biodynamic, to explore alternative ways to dry the space and speed up the schedule.
“I explained that there are more powerful pieces of equipment available on the market that could be much more effective,” said Matt Ballou, President of PureSpace. Ballou had worked with Polygon on similar projects in the past and knew Polygon had better options. “With the right equipment and a smarter plan, we could stop mold growth, salvage a lot more material, and save everyone time and money.”
SOLUTION
While Polygon helped Ballou scope the right type of dehumidification system for the job, they also suggested his team use remote monitoring technology.
“The monitoring component became instantly valuable to me. Our depot is about 2 hours away from Portland. If we could monitor high-priority spaces, we didn’t have to tie up a technician to do daily moisture readings and we could turn the equipment on and off remotely based on how things were going,” said Ballou. “It could save us hassle and headache on that job, but it could also save us on other jobs we had going at the same time.”
Normally, Ballou’s team did manual readings of key spots every day, input data into a log and chart of conditions over time. Based on what they learned, they would reposition air handlers and demo areas. The progress was methodical but also manual and slow. With 24/7 monitoring, they could see conditions change in real-time without having to be onsite, proactively plan daily tactics, and provide status reports to everyone involved faster.
Once onsite, Polygon technicians installed the R-5000 dehumidifier, ductwork, and generator to help treat the air. Then the groups worked together to select locations for the twelve (12) ExactAire Multi Sensors and moisture probes. Some sensors were placed on walls for ambient temperature and relative humidity and others were positioned to measure moisture content in the drywall. The system was turned on and the team started to watch conditions improve on a minute-to-minute basis.
“The sensors were great. I can walk through the building, QR scan a sensor, and check conditions on my cell phone,” said project manager Ty Johnson. “Once we hit a standard, we could move the sensor to another space. It allowed us to maximize the tool to speed up the process and never miss a beat. On top of that, we can verify conditions are met for the team and the owner and avoid running equipment when it isn’t needed. That is critical to keeping the re-construction process on pace and overall costs down.”
The PureSpace team met with the insurance claim adjustor and construction consultant onsite to review the progress and condition of the building, about a day or so before the equipment was removed. “They were impressed with our approach to the job and ecstatic to see an innovative solution. They were pleased at how much time and cost we saved for everyone,” said Ballou. “I really can’t see doing another job like this without ExactAire. We got zero pushback from the insurance provider, the owner is back on schedule, and we reduced a ton of material waste along the way.”
The charts below provide fluctuations of ambient humidity and moisture content of materials in multiple locations over time.
BENEFITS
Right-sized Equipment – The equipment choice provided the most efficient and effective means to dry the space. It was exactly what the insurance provider and contracting consultant would recommend. Too much equipment is a waste of money and too little equipment demands too much time.
Continuous Progress – The ExactAire monitoring empowered the team to make continuous progress which helped them compress the schedule for the owner. While it saved on project costs, it also reduced significant financial risk from a delayed opening.
Less waste. Less Cost. – The amount of demolition was decreased, reducing overall cost, time, and materials. PureSpace estimated that they only had to demo 20% of what was originally flagged by the restoration company. “We didn’t turn a 10-dollar project into a 20-dollar project if we didn’t have to.”
Project Transparency - The speed of progress combined with data for verifiable conditions built trust among the parties involved. Reports and trends gave the insurance claim adjuster confidence it was done right and therefore PureSpace received no pushback on price.
Biodynamic is actively expanding to bring innovative services to emergency drying and restoration clients.
“We will be using ExactAire remote monitoring on future projects of this scale whether it be an entire home or a commercial loss. It is as much about the building and materials as it is about the relationship with the clients. The technology differentiates us from companies much larger than ourselves and who don’t have the capability.” Matt Ballou
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