[johnboiles]

That seems incredibly fast for plastic to degrade like that. I wonder if you could have something generating ozone in there.

[alienchow]

I'm not sure either. It's not an air tight bomb shelter and it's used like an average storeroom, storing stuff like winter jackets, suitcases and paint. I do use small amounts of Calcium Chloride based dessicants to keep the room dry.

[mixologic]

Have you checked for Radon?

[ajross]

Radon is a noble gas and chemically inert. It's radioactive, which is why it's a toxicity worry. But there was enough radiation in that basement to mechanically damage plastic in three years, OP would be long since dead.

[lima]

Radon and its progenitors won't produce nearly enough radiation to damage plastics like that at naturally occurring levels.

[mzhaase]

Water based or solvent based paint?

[alienchow]

Should be solvent based.

[chneu]

If it's underground at all, check for radon.

[CamperBob2]

Radon is a noble gas. It's not going to affect fiber or wiring... but yes, if you're going to spend much time down there, definitely a good idea to check for it.

[VanTheBrand]

Radon is radioactive. The alpha particles it emits can break down polymers and degrade plastics.

[bluGill]

Interseting - I have high radon (mitigeted in the house via a fan), if I burry fibre what will I need to do to get something that will work? I have an outbuilding that I want to give internet.

[lima]

No, radiation from radon at naturally occurring levels won't cause any damage to plastics.

[CamperBob2]

If it were radioactive enough to do that, you'd have a much bigger problem than some networking flakiness.

[VanTheBrand]

I don’t disagree but your comment made it sound impossible which it isn’t.

[adzm]

My first thought exactly. I know someone who inadvertently melted a ton of stuff with overuse of an ozone generator, similar kind of effect

[da768]

With all these paper reams on the picture, is there any laser printer nearby?