Author: admin

The Challenge

The Imperial Palace Hotel & Casino is the tallest building in the state of Mississippi.  The building is clad with EIFS (Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems). During Hurricane Katrina the building and barge were damaged.   The EIFS suffered lacerations, holes and penetrations through the foam, mesh and base coat, exposing the building envelope to potential water intrusion and further damage.

The Solution

KHS&S Contractors (the largest subcontractor in the United States) was called in to assess the damage and come up with a winning game plan to restore the EIFS to better than new condition.  Pursuant to the Dryvit C.A.R.E Program, a systematic approach was taken to ensure the project was done to a proper specification.  This would ensure a renewed system warranty that could be issued upon completion. Consulting with Dryvit Systems technical representatives, the distributor and KHS&S’s people, a plan was set into motion for a renewed “Outsulation” System.  The new lamina would look and perform like new again.

The costs involved in restoring the building were formidable.   Just one of the major expenses involved was the access equipment. This included the installation of multiple Mast Climbers, Swing Staging and Scaffolding. There were thousands of man hours involved in the plastering along with the cost of materials.

Cleaning the existing surfaces became an essential part of the projects success. This phase of the project was a crucial first component to achieving proper adhesion of base coats, mesh and finishes that were to be applied.

Researching the best possible methods and finding experienced competent people led KHS&S to Metro Clean Systems.  Utilizing Metro Clean Systems made sure that all products applied bonded properly to the existing finish.   Proper cleaning ensured the success of all subsequent elements of the job.    After the cleaning was performed Primus base coat, mesh and foam repairs were completed.  Dryvit Systems Freestyle finish and then a final coat of Sandpebble finish was troweled on.  Next, sealant contractors were called in to install new sealant joints. As a result of following the Dryvit C.A.R.E program a warranty was then issued from Dryvit Systems.

The Results

A renewed EIFS System that looks and performs like new again.  A new Dryvit Systems manufactures written warranty.  Approaching this job by identifying the appropriate elements, locating the best people for the job and following through with a step by step plan resulted in a  win – win situation for all those involved.  The building owners were the ultimate winners, it just goes to show that the house always wins!

The Challenge

The Coeur d’Alene North Condominiums, located on the shores of beautiful Lake Coeur d’Alene in Idaho, was retrofitted in 1986 using Dryvit, an Exterior Insulation and Finish System (EIFS). Eleven years later, the exterior of the nine floor multi level building was badly weathered and stained from dirt and mildew. An attempt was made to clean the north side of the building in 1997 using traditional high-pressure washing by a man in a basket hoisted up the side of the building by a crane. Unfortunately, this method took three weeks, caused $8,000 in damage to the waterproof, Dryvit finish from the basket hitting the building, and did not remove the black residue on the building. In 2000, the Home Owners Association considered a proposed budget of $223,000 to repaint the buildings exterior. However, further research into options for cleaning instead of repainting lead them to Metro Clean Systems.

The Metro Clean Solution

In a meeting with board members of the Homeowners Association at the site, Metro Clean Systems representatives did a test cleaning on a small area of the building that successfully removed the black stain of dirt and mildew. Metro Clean Systems then submitted a proposal to clean the condominium building that was a fraction of the cost the Homeowners’ Association had considered to spend repainting. The entire building was gently cleaned of stains and mildew in four days using a high-volume, low-pressure cleaning technology.

The Results

The Homeowners’ Association was extremely pleased with the cleaning of their condominium building, and with the money they saved because the need to repaint was eliminated. Their budget will include routine cleanings by Metro Clean Systems to maintain the exterior appearance of the Coeur d’Alene North Condominiums.

The Challenge

The owners of the Farm Credit Building had spent eleven months, hired three different cleaning companies and spent in excess of $500,000 unsuccessfully attempting to clean the exterior of their unique building. The badly stained exterior had not come clean in the previous attempts using other cleaning companies; making the job tougher was the soft Indiana limestone exterior that precluded any sort of abrasive cleaning methodology.

The Metro Clean Solution

Metro Clean was hired to solve the problem in November of 1995. Three days after Metro Clean had been selected, the building was cleaned exactly to the owners’ specifications and at a fraction of the cost of the previously unsuccessful efforts. The building’s owners were amazed: not only with the fact that the building was successfully cleaned but with the time it took to complete the job. After spending nearly a year attempting to clean the exterior, Metro Clean Systems, Inc. cleaned the estimated 145,000 square feet of building exterior in just a few days. No scaffolding was used to complete the task.

The Results

Management of the building was so pleased with the result that they achieved through Metro Clean that they retained the company to complete bi-annual maintenance cleanings on the building. “Metro Clean has restored the building to its original appearance… something which you promised but I did not think was possible,” said Timothy J. Fletcher of the FCS Building Association, owner of the Farm Credit Building.

The Challenge

The two buildings of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (consisting of approximately 700,000 square feet combined) were undergoing major restoration. Power washers were estimating approximately 360 days for the cleaning process alone. Permanent scaffolding would be required throughout the power wash cleaning process, which created a significant security concern for the Department of the Treasury. Due to security concerns, Treasury personnel were required to supervise every moment of the project.

The Metro Clean Solution

Metro Clean Systems utilized its innovative equipment and processes to provide a flexible, fast and efficient cleaning option. Metro Clean’s techniques did NOT require any scaffolding or swing stage, thus eliminating the Treasury’s security concerns regarding permanently affixed structures. Supervision was only required during actual work time, thereby lowering the Treasury’s security costs. Additionally, Metro Clean’s techniques were implemented during “off-hour” overnight shifts, eliminating inconvenience to both employees and guests. The entire project was completed pursuant to Metro Clean’s 21-day cleaning schedule.

The Results

The cleaning of the project was done with such precision, effectiveness and efficiency that other restoration crews (such as pointers and caulkers) were able to start their work 24 hours after Metro Clean’s first-day efforts. The general contractor was awarded a Federal Government Value Engineering award based upon time and cost savings provided to the U.S. Government.

The Challenge

Cleaning the exterior of buildings clad with EIFS is a very tricky proposition and an important part of the routine maintenance required on EIF systems. When Dryvit(r), the nation’s leading EIFS manufacturer, needed to clean the exterior of its national headquarters in West Warwick, RI, it encountered difficulty finding an exterior cleaning company with experience cleaning EIFS with the low pressure required to maintain and protect the integrity of the surface.

The Metro Clean Solution

Metro Clean’s ability to safely and effectively clean the 45,000 square feet of exterior surface at Dryvit’s headquarters was entirely based on the company’s unique high-volume, low-pressure cleaning solution. Demonstrating the incredible speed and efficiency of the Metro Clean solution, the entire building was cleaned in the very early morning hours before employees arrived at work. The ability to complete the work quickly and safetly and without creating any disruption to the company’s business day represented a substantial benefit to the client.

The Results

To quote Victor Kiam, Dryvit officials liked the company so much “they bought the company.” “We were so impressed with the unique approach and the speed with which Metro Clean was able to accomplish its work that we immediately began discussions about purchaing the company. I can think of no greater testimonial than that,” said Steve Collins, Vice President for Marketing at Dryvit Systems, Inc.

The Challenge

The building had not been cleaned since its construction in the early years of World War II and was badly stained black after 50 years of neglect. Due to the historic significance of the building and the unique security considerations that were part of the project, the undertaking required a cleaning company that could handle both the sensitivity of the exterior surface and accomodate the unique scheduling demands. Complicating matters, the 1998 Iraqi crisis occurred during the project, adding even deeper security measures and scheduling conflicts. Moreover, the Pentagon is often called the largest office building in the country: it is twice the size of the Merchandize Mart in Chicago and has three times the floor space of New York’s Empire State Building.

The Metro Clean Solution

Metro Clean was selected through a competitive bidding process similar to all government procurements. Not only was Metro Clean’s price overwhelmingly lower than all other bidders on the project but the project timetable Metro Clean committed to was more than 10 times faster than any other bidding company. In fact, the five outer wall surfaces — any single one of which is large enough to fit the National Capitol Building in it — were cleaned in one week. The Pentagon’s historic limestone was preserved using the company’s unique high-volume Low-Pressure Solution^TM.

The Results

Officials from the Federal Government were impressed. The building was restored to its original color for the first time in decades, and the job was completed in less time than anyone thought possible. Most importantly, the Metro Clean approach saved the government literally hundreds of thousands of dollars: the next lowest bid from a power was company to clean the building was just under a million dollars and would have taken months longer to clean.