Conroe Police Department plagued by flooding, mold problems

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Conroe police plagued by flooding, mold problems

By: Self, Courier staff July 04, 2002

A faulty air conditioning system at the Conroe Police Department has

continued to cause flooding and mold problems throughout the building.

According to Assistant City Manager Chip VanSteenberg, CCD Contractors, who

headed up the construction project for the building more than two years ago,

is in a legal battle with TAC Mechanical, the company that installed the air

system.

VanSteenberg said the system was never completed and that the operating

software has not worked properly, causing too much humidity in the building.

" We have struggled with the air conditioning system ever since it was put

in, " VanSteenberg said. " We haven't spent a whole lot of money on the air

conditioner simply because we are still working with the contractor to get

it taken care of. " The contractor and the air conditioner sub-contractor

are in litigation over this. We are hoping when the litigation is finished,

they will come back and make the repairs. "

VanSteenberg said the city has " patched " the system several times but it

still does not run efficiently. " We are in the settlement stages right

now, " said Hardin, owner of CCD Contractors. " (TAC Mechanical)

installed some faulty items that aren't working and didn't want to fix them.

We had sued him to get him to go back in there and make the repairs. "

Hardin said the repairs could be made within the next couple of months.

Officials with TAC Mechanical did not return calls to The Courier before

press time.

" It hasn't kept us from occupying the building, " VanSteenberg said. " But

it's not running as efficiently as it can. "

VanSteenberg said some of the units are located in the ceiling of the

building. Police Department officials reported flooding from the system

early this week from the often-heavy rains in Conroe.

Apparently, according to VanSteenberg, the drain pans for the system got too

full, collapsed and dumped water into the Criminal Investigations Division

of the building.

VanSteenberg said the system has caused minor damage.

Conroe Police Chief Lindon said the biggest problems are the damaged

ceiling tiles and necessary clean-up. One computer was previously damaged

when the air-conditioning system had a similar problem on another occasion,

he said.

The high humidity caused by the system has resulted in some minor mold

problems in the Municipal Court area of the building.

" There was some mold building up on the walls, but it was cleaned off, "

VanSteenberg said. " It was from the humidity in the room. "

©The Courier 2002