Mold Problems Began  after radon system installation?

Considering an ERV? Inside information on Energy Recovery Ventilators**

Concealed Radon System Details

Odor Elimination

Even strong unpleasant odors may be controlled and eliminated by application of Building Science Principles. Micropressure management and unintentional airflow control work amazingly well, in just minutes, when correctly applied. Sophisticated, laboratory-grade instrumentation can reveal a building's unpleasant secrets quickly and affordably.

Mold Cause Detection and Elimination

The simplest and most effective method of dealing with mold and other microbiological growth is to bring building moisture under control. It is usually not enough just to install dehumidifiers. It is certainly not enough to spray it with bleach solution. Unintentional airflows through the building matrix and poor micropressure management allow problems to continue even after mold cleanup, installation of new dehumidifiers and new air conditioning systems.

Radon Reduction

In hot, humid climates, simple mechanical ventilation radon systems can create major moisture, humidity, mold and microbiological issues. Phoenix Research & Development has examined such issues and now has developed trouble-free technology and hardware to eliminate problems created when primitive raw air injection radon systems have been installed to reduce radon. RadonMan retrofits have demonstrated their ability to turn mold tears to mold-free smiles where other radon systems installations have failed and been replaced by us. Ask us for testimonials from our satisfied customers who had major mold problems from installations by other radon mitigation firms. Such firms had no mold insurance and now deny responsibility for mold problems their systems create with stickers they put up after they finish the installation.

Sick Buildings Healed

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