Witness & Problem Solving1. Giddings & Lewis Foundry Menominee, Michigan Expert witness for Giddings & Lewis over the replacement of air emissions hoods and baghouse for the capture of air emissions from the melting furnaces. We had to prove to the court and the State DNR that the new system installed was more efficient at capturing air emissions then the replaced system. The court agreed with our data that the new system was more efficient. My testimony prevented the Plant Manager and Plant Engineer from a possible jail term. 2. Shawano, Wisconsin Home Hired by the home owner to determine the cause of condensation problems in the attic of the home, to recommend a cure and to be an expert witness for this court case. Construction defects were found and a cure was recommended. The Contractor agreed to pay for the corrections two days before going to court. 3. Ridgway, Pennsylvania Home Hired by the home owner to determine the cause of the buckled SIP roof panels and condensation problems, to recommend a cure, and to be an expert witness for this court case. Construction defects were identified but the Contractor did not agree to pay for the correction until one week before the court case. 4. Oneida, Wisconsin Home Hired by the home owner to determine a cure for the condensation mold and mildew in the attic on the underside of the roof deck. This house suffered from this problem since it was built 15 years ago. The attic was built with two gable vents. Condensation and roof failures resulted in a additional ridge vent installed to solve the problem, but it did not work. Then a contractor installed a attic exhaust fan which made the situation worse. My investigation determined that the attic had a large source of water vapor. Tests revealed that air & water vapor from the house was traveling into the walls and then flowed up into the attic. By sealing the walls and the attic floor with foam insulation the problem was cured. 5. Veterans Home Oxford New York In 1999 I was asked to review the wall and roof constructions for this building due to the severe window condensation problems. I found the constructions to be ok. I then offered to look into the window condensation problems at no charge to my client. I found that the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) specifications to prevent window condensation were not appropriate for bowed windows. I also found that the firm that hired me had completed a AAMA window test which proved that the window was not the problem. My analysis of that AAMA test revealed that the test did not apply to bowed windows. My analysis showed that the condensation problem was due to the heat loss in the bowed window resulting in low window surface temperatures that were below the air dew point temperature. 6. Pathmark Store North Bergen, New Jersey In 1998 I was hired by Bellmead Development Corporation to determine the cause of condensation and frost on the underside of the supermarket floor. The supermarket was on the 2nd floor and the parking garage was on first floor. The condensation on the underside of the 2nd floor was causing the false ceiling to collapse and fall on cars in the first floor parking garage. My job was to find the sources of the problems and to recommend a cure. My recommended cure was too expensive for the client, they may just build a new supermarket and convert the building to an office building. 7. Fairleigh Dickinson University Madison, New Jersey In 2000 I was hired by MDM International to solve a condensation problem related to a Bally walk in freezer. The problem was condensation on the underside of the supporting floor for the freezer. I had the contractor take surface temperatures for me which I could compare to my computer condensation analysis. The tested surface temperatures were much lower then the computer analysis which proved that the floor insulation had failed. The lost R value in the walk in freezer floor insulation resulted in cold surfaces on the supporting concrete floor that were below the air dew point temperature. I recommended either a new floor or a totally new walk in freezer with adequate floor insulation. 8. Florence County Michigan Home In 2001 I was hired by Hannan Siesennop & Sullivan to investigate a single story home with a floor failure. This home did not have the traditional concrete slab on grade but instead had a foundation grade lumber floor on grade. The lumber that was used in this construction was not foundation grade lumber. 9. Ridgeway, Pennsylvania Home Hired by the home owner to investigate the severe condensation mold & mildew in this new 6594 ft2 structural insulated panel home. Used blower door to pressurize the building and video infrared scanning to show the problem which was that the house was not built air tight. The temperature difference in winter from inside to outside set up air flow through the air leakage pathways (walls & roof) causing the inside air to condense as it flowed from inside to outside. 10. De Pere, Wisconsin Home Hired by the home owner who sold the house (built in 2001) in January 2008 to the new owners who discovered mold and mildew under the basement (below grade basement) carpet and vinyl flooring. This case has not gone to court yet. 11. Appleton Medical Center Appleton Wisconsin Hired by Boldt Construction to review condensation problems in some glass curtain wall units at the Appleton Medical Center Medical Office Building South. My job was to determine the cause and to come up with possible solutions to prevent future condensation which I did. [ back to top ] |
Articles |
