Something really odd happened at my condo recently. We hadn't been there in a couple weeks, but when we went in this last time we found small flakes of rust all over the place. It was on the kitchen counters, on the floor, and in the bathroom.

There are no obvious signs of rust on anything in the condo, nor are there any signs of insect or vermin infestation that might be carrying it in. The areas where we found the flakes aren't consistent with something being blown in from the HVAC vents. The building was constructed within the last 6-7 years and I do not believe there are any materials in the areas where we found the rust that would produce this kind of rust flakes.
To me, it looks like the rust flakes that would come out of a really old galvanized water line.

Any ideas? I am completely perplexed by this.

Stand back at a distance and take some pictures that a distance and up close from different angles to get an idea on perspective

Never mind, I should have read your post better. (My thought was that it was blown out from HVAC registers)

The System said:

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Never mind, I should have read your post better. (My thought was that it was blown out from HVAC registers)

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I considered it, but the flakes seem too heavy to get blown across the room, and that would be an awful lot of rust to be inside an HVAC air handler that was fully inspected less than a year ago.

This could be health hazard "if it is what it is"
Past condo client reported, upon moving up to a new custom design residence ... something similar, if this story helps you or give anyone else a piggy back idea as to the source.

Client's condo was seashore so humid as hell. They didn't rent it out so turned the HVAC Off while gone for weeks on end, no fear of anything interior to be ruined. (Better to leave On @ 80-85F, BTW)
The condo did not clean interiors (in your case, no metal from cleaning buckets) but Did "service HVAC" with cheapo labor. The light fixtures where all no-rust metal so also excused as suspects.

The HVAC "service" did drain the HVAC drip pan but not often enough to prevent Rust and its flaking, never Slime-Out/equal pan tablets = $$$.

Soooo when the HVAC kicked ON, either when returning or when gone due to thermostat presets, it was darn hot = blower kicked up to High and long throws of anything foreign in pan, system, ducts.

Their resolution was calling a Google/BBB 5-star serviceman out to properly clean and prevent future mysteries + move & build quality.

Please report at end what REALLY happend so we all can add to our Help Diaries.
I have never been to a rust confetti party, so no help here on that.

Best of luck.

Are the flakes on the counter near the sink?

Ryan the Temp said:

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The System said:

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Never mind, I should have read your post better. (My thought was that it was blown out from HVAC registers)

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I considered it, but the flakes seem too heavy to get blown across the room, and that would be an awful lot of rust to be inside an HVAC air handler that was fully inspected less than a year ago.

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Go check it all just in case.

YZ250 said:

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Are the flakes on the counter near the sink?

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Counters, floors

tgivaughn said:

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This could be health hazard "if it is what it is"
Past condo client reported, upon moving up to a new custom design residence ... something similar, if this story helps you or give anyone else a piggy back idea as to the source.

Client's condo was seashore so humid as hell. They didn't rent it out so turned the HVAC Off while gone for weeks on end, no fear of anything interior to be ruined. (Better to leave On @ 80-85F, BTW)
The condo did not clean interiors (in your case, no metal from cleaning buckets) but Did "service HVAC" with cheapo labor. The light fixtures where all no-rust metal so also excused as suspects.

The HVAC "service" did drain the HVAC drip pan but not often enough to prevent Rust and its flaking, never Slime-Out/equal pan tablets = $$$.

Soooo when the HVAC kicked ON, either when returning or when gone due to thermostat presets, it was darn hot = blower kicked up to High and long throws of anything foreign in pan, system, ducts.

Their resolution was calling a Google/BBB 5-star serviceman out to properly clean and prevent future mysteries + move & build quality.

Please report at end what REALLY happend so we all can add to our Help Diaries.
I have never been to a rust confetti party, so no help here on that.

Best of luck.

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Interesting. Location is Austin, so not super humid all the time, but the system is generally turned completely off when not occupied because the surrounding units insulate our unit from getting super hot inside. I had planned to just start setting the thermostat to a higher temp and running the fan a minimum amount of time per hour when we are gone.

ETA: We're going to test the system Friday by not turning it on until after we're there.