When it began “raining” inside the Towson Court House, a leaky roof was assumed to be the culprit. But for the Maryland Department of General Services, the state’s property managers, the truth turned out to be much stranger.
It turns out there was such negative air pressure in the building from the HVAC system that outside water was literally being sucked in through the perimeter walls and joints. Ceiling tiles were visibly billowing and warping, even though the roof itself was fine. With outside air constantly flowing into the building, it became impossible to maintain temperatures at comfortable levels. People in the building complained of dampness, humidity, and pockets of hot and cold air.