In the upper left corner resides the "innocent" metal clothes dryer hood that
serves as the air intake for two concealed radon systems. This is a siamesed
system in which one air intake serves two separate apartments. It appears that
operation of only one of the two radon systems would result in depressurization
of the other to the effect that radon levels may increase in it substantially,
The partial vacuum would suck even more radon out of the soil and out of the
concrete blocks and dump it right into the breathing zone. Negative
pressurization of a home is a big radon NO-NO. Both the radon mitigator and his
radon "expert" consultant should have known better.
These are the indoor clues to the existence of the concealed radon system
that dumped large quantities of water vapor into this unit every day. The
unmarked access panel is visible in the ceiling. There is a powerful blower and
there may also be a concealed table lamp timer to turn the system on and off
several times a day. It is not unusual for these timers to jam in the "ON"
position causing the radon system to run 24/7. To the left is the switch that is
likely the means to turn the radon system on and off. The switch is very high
and unreachable without a step stool. It is unmarked.
This radon mitigation system is "Moisture Dumb."
Even if the moisture in the home goes very high, the system doesn't know and
doesn't care and just keeps on adding more water vapor and heat. This duct
delivers about 40 to 100 pounds of water vapor contained in hot, humid outdoor
air directly into the air conditioning system each day, and it does it every day
this radon system is running. As should be expected, this air conditioner
apparently has not been able to remove this extra and unexpected moisture and
heat load. Before the extra heat and water vapor were added by the concealed
radon system, the air conditioner probably was doing a good job of keeping the
home so dry that mold could not grow.
Were it not for the addition of the "Moisture Dumb" radon system this
nightmare for the young woman and for the owners of these apartments would not
have occurred.
(Unfortunately, the owners of this apartment complex may have several hundred
more apartments with identical dangerous, defective conditions.)
Result? Day-by-day, for several years, the extra moisture that the
air conditioner could not remove soaked into the drywall, the furniture, the
carpets, drapes, clothing, shoes. It took quite a while before it reached
reached 70% moisture saturation by weight, and serious visible mold infestation
began. It is likely that most of the mold began growing on the backside of the
drywall in the moist exterior wall cavities long before it could be seen inside
the apartment. A condo or apartment can have a serious mold infestation
long before anyone sees any mold inside the home.
The radon mitigation firm that installed this concealed radon system left no
labels or marks indicating who they were despite the requirements of Florida
radon regulations.
It could easily cost $20,000+ to remediate the mold in this apartment.
All because a "Moisture Dumb" radon system was installed and hidden from
everyone.
The woman who occupied this apartment is now very sick.
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Last modified: 06/25/11
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