Work begins on water damage at St. Luke Clinic
Marion County Hospital District No. 1 board approved proposals Thursday to repair expected water damage and unexpected termite damage at St. Luke Medical Clinic.
Work is expected to start this week.
Cost is $39,000 to Lamunyon Cleaning and Restoration, Hutchinson, and $6,608 to R&R Roofing, Sterling.
The clinic, adjacent to St. Luke Hospital, was damaged by the heavy snow early this month. Ice formed and caused damage on parts of the roof.
Several rooms in the clinic had water present. Those rooms have not been used since the damage occurred. Patients have been seen in areas of the clinic unaffected by moisture.
The water has caused some mold to develop, reported Jon Heidelberg of Lamunyon Cleaning and Restoration, Hutchinson. Mold is unpleasant to see and smell and long-term exposure can cause allergic reactions or other health problems.
No patients have been affected, officials said.
Heidelberg said when measuring mold, one million units per gram is considered high. One sample taken from the clinic measured eight million units per gram.
The clinic will remain open during the restoration. Workers will concentrate on one room at a time.
Each room will be sealed with plastic. Special drying and air-control equipment will be installed so mold spores won't end up in another portion of the building during restoration. All air circulating in the room will be filtered to remove spores.
Wallboard and insulation will be removed. Wood with visible mold will be sanded and treated with preservatives. The offices then will be returned to a "pre-loss state."
Workers will wear protective suits and respirators when working in the offices.
Heidelberg also said the heating and air conditioning unit needed repairs and improved drainage to reduce possible contamination.
Roof repairs will proceed at the same time. Gutters may be replaced with an underground system that empties directly into the parking stalls on the east side of the clinic instead of close to the outside walls.
If moisture gets into the building before the roof is finished, Heidelberg will have the equipment there to quickly dry and repair any damage.
A new roof coating was installed in 1999.
Board members said they expected the need for repairs when they first heard of the water problem in the offices. What was not expected was evidence of active termites in the building.
Heidelberg showed photos of termite tunnels behind cabinets in one office. Since termites work their way up, the experts went into the basement and quickly found the same tunnel. His firm will repair the areas damaged by termites as well as the water damage.
Board members were upset because the facility has been treated regularly ever since it was built 20 years ago. Further, no inspectors or staff members ever reported any evidence of termite infestation. Officials said the termite company's "guarantee" only promised that they would regularly spray the building.
"I can't believe this is the first we're hearing of this," said Peggy Blackman, board member.
