Florida HOA Lawyer Blog
A recent news report about excessive levels of radon gas in a Florida condominium raises some interesting questions about the proper response from a condominium association and its insurance carriers on this issue.
The report, which appeared in late November in the pages of the Venice Gondolier Sun, chronicled how the owners of a unit at the South Preserve II of Waterside Village Condominium were surprised to learn that tests conducted at the behest of their tenants found excessive levels of radon in their unit. The odorless and colorless gas, which comes from the radioactive breakdown of naturally occurring radium found in most Florida soils, rocks and groundwater, is the second leading cause of lung cancer overall and is the leading cause among non-smokers. In Florida, one in five homes tested has elevated radon levels above the limits set by the Environmental Protection Agency, and the gas can be found in homes, schools, offices and high-rise condominiums.
According to the newspaper’s article, the unit owners sent the test results to their association, which hired a different company to conduct its own tests that yielded similar results. The radon levels in the residence were more than five times the level considered safe by the EPA.
The owners obtained an estimate for $3,100 to mitigate their unit, but per EPA rules the company would be required to inform the neighbors of the mitigation process. It also requested that the owners sign an “inadvertent collateral mitigation form” stating the company would not be held responsible for any environmental impacts on adjoining units.