Heated war over 24X7 AC

Round-the-clock air-conditioning at a freezing 16 Celsius in an Andheri flat forms water droplets in houses of 3 neighbours, who've complained to builder and police
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Three flat owners in the Gundecha Symphony in Andheri West have lately had the walls, the ceiling or the floor of their apartments covered in tiny droplets. For once, it is not the rain that is the culprit.

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Hemangini Naidu in her perennially air conditioned flat

The owners have alleged that continuous air-conditioning by a fourth flat owner has led to water condensing in their homes.

The harried residents have been repeatedly complaining to the Gundecha builders who are yet to hand over the building to the members in order to form a society.
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In fact, they even approached the Amboli police station.

Dr Sanjay Pandey, a resident of flat B 202, said, "In May, water started condensing in the ceiling of our house, causing it to crack.
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We complained to the builder, who checked for leaks and found that those living on the fourth floor were facing the problem too, only in their floor."

At an ad-hoc meeting of building members, Pandey realised that residents of flat B 303 on third floor, the Modanis, and those of flat B 402 on the fourth floor, the Vasudeos, had a similar complaint condensation in their walls and floor respectively.

The three flats had one thing in common they all shared their ceiling, walls or floor boundary with flat 302, occupied by one Hemangini Naidu, her husband and sister.

"The rooms in our flat are cooler than the others and our floor is completely wet at times owing to the condensation.

The Pandeys faced a similar problem. We suspect it is due to the continuous air-conditioning in the Naidus' flat," said Vasant Vasudeo of flat B 402, the one above the Naidus'.

It was then that Pandey, along with Vasudeo and Ballabh Modani (of flat B 303), penned their grievances to the builder, who on inspection, realised that the non-stop use of the air-conditioner at 16 degrees by the Naidu family was causing the heavy condensation in the other homes.

In fact, the three flat owners asked a private firm, Zalak Insulations, to look into the matter.
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The firm submitted a report stating, "We observed that very low temperatures in the bedroom areas of flat 302 is causing a very cold layer on the surface of the flat's four walls and ceiling.
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Thereafter, condensation occurs and water droplets are formed which come out on the other side. Hence, water is seen on the surface of the floors and ceilings of the flats connected to flat 302."

Builder says
The builder, Paras Gundecha, said, "The use of AC day and night at 16 degree temperature in flat B 302 is causing condensation in the others' homes. We have sent them a legal notice.
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It is not a big issue but at the same time we can't force anyone. We hope the flat owners resolve the issue amicably."

He added, "For using AC at such low temperatures, insulation of the kind usually found in cold storages is required."

Investigating officer of the case, Shivajirao Patil of Amboli police station, said, "They (residents of the building) have given us a complaint about the water condensing in their homes because one of the members in their building is running the AC continuously at low temperatures. We are looking into the matter."

The Other Side
When MiD DAY visited the Naidu residence, Hemangini said,u00a0 "I have bought the flat from the builder and he did not say that we could not use the AC at home.

It's my house and I can run the AC according to my choice. And how can one prove that the leakage that the other residents are complaining about is because of my AC?
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I am a patient suffering from a congenital medical problem and I need air-conditioning all the time. It's a medical necessity and gives me comfort."