09/07/2024
Can you say Mold Incubators? Or better yet, Botaniwall?
Not what most think when you say botanic wall art. (Ba dum tss!)
I have done assessments of hotels due to the use of v***r impermeable or even semi-impermeable coverings on walls, and it is not just on the interior face of the exterior walls.
Hotel Owners, Architects, and Interior Designers please educate yourselves as to why vinyl wall coverings, or any other unintentional v***r barriers, cannot be placed on exterior walls or walls adjacent to bathrooms and other high humidity zones.
For that matter, just don't do it at all! Why? Well we do not typically decouple the interior interconnected hollow wall cavity from the exterior walls. Unintentional v***r barriers like glass/mirrors, FDA approved PVC wall panels (hello kitchens), decorative vinyl wall panels, WPC wall panels, or other interior coverings that serve as an interior v***r barrier do do the exact same thing you see here.
If designing with these finishes, please consult with your friendly neighborhood building envelope scientist/consultant. He or She can guide you in the right direction and provide recommendations on how to control the air to prevent these type of conditions. Building science, mechanical system understanding, and product science are important when designing an exterior wall with the listed interior finishes.
And for those who think that micro-perforation of the wall covering will create enough holes to allow the v***r molecules through, please do your homework. Walls with wall cavity moisture accumulation are not going to be corrected by simply perforating the covering. Nor is perforation guaranteed to do away with the risk of mold or prevent it from occurring under the right conditions.
If you want a good read, please check out Joseph Lstiburek's BSI-130: Hotel Mold dated March 14, 2022. Here is a quick link for convenience:
https://lnkd.in/gJsxG9vA
Take aways from this project:
1) Roof to wall transitions will leak over time
2) EIFS needs to drain out incidental moisture
3) Impermeable wall coverings will not allow the wall to dry
4) Mechanical systems can sometimes result in negative pressure in walls
5) Mold is very likely when you put vinyl wall coverings on exterior walls in a hot-humid climate.
