We\’ve already covered how a stone veneer exterior can help a building when faced with an immediate and abrupt natural disaster. Events such as earthquakes or hurricanes make their impacts in a mere matter of hours and building operators are very aware of their happening. But there are other risks or potential dangers out there for buildings that can happen more subtly and gradually over longer amounts of time. One of these potential threats to a building\’s well-being is mold.
Mold is most often caused by water seeping into the building structure, in one way or another. And one of the easiest ways that water can get into a building and begin to cause mold damage is through the natural porosity that exist in a solid dimensional stone exterior. But, when reinforced with an aluminum honeycomb substrate, like the one found on StoneLite®, a porosity problem can be avoided because the reinforcement is watertight. StoneLite® has a totally impervious moisture barrier between the stone veneer and the substrate.
Contractors on the Hook for Mold Damage in California
Any building owner who has dealt with mold can tell you, prevention can\’t be overlooked. And when mold damage strikes, building contractors can be on the hook for it. Take this recent story from Pleasanton, California. The school district in Pleasanton is settling a lawsuit against contractors for $610,000 after almost two years of remediating mold from an elementary school building. And, get this, the settlement amount is less than half of what the school district spent on remediation since the mold was discovered!
When mold damage strikes, it\’s not good for anyone; whether it be building owners, operators, contractors or occupants. Nobody wins. Mold remediation can be as painful an occurrence for a building as any natural disaster; maybe even more so. And just like in almost any other facet of life, one ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Whether you\’re looking at stone for building renovation or for new construction, the best time to deal with mold is before it ever starts to become a problem and ensure that your building is as watertight as possible with building materials like StoneLite®.
