Mitigating Radon
If you’ve tested your home for radon and found high levels of radon gas in your house, you probably have questions. Is radon dangerous? What are radon mitigation systems? How much will installation cost? Can I fix radon levels myself or does it require a professional?
When you choose a trusted radon mitigation company, radon remediation can be done quickly and add immediate value to your home. At Radon Abatement Services, we have 20 years of experience installing radon mitigation systems and lowering radon levels in homes, schools and other buildings.
Here’s what you need to know about radon mitigation.
What Is Radon Mitigation?
Radon mitigation (also known as remediation or abatement) is a process to reduce or remove radon gas levels from a building. There are multiple radon mitigation techniques, which we explain below.
Proper and high-quality radon mitigation accomplishes two things:
- It reduces the concentration of radon gas in your home, venting it safely outside the structure.
- Correctly installed radon mitigation systems remove the radon gas from under the foundation of a structure before it can come in.
How Do Radon Systems Work?
While the exact type of radon mitigation system you’ll need may depend on the structure of your home, certain techniques are used for almost every type of radon mitigation procedure. These include both passive and active radon systems: Sub-slab depressurization systems, Sub-membrane depressurization (SMD) for dirt crawl spaces, and in some rare occasions, air exchangers. Sealing of large cracks and openings in basement slabs are part of most radon mitigation procedures.
These systems are designed to be unobtrusive and interfere as little as possible with the decor of your home. See our gallery of unobtrusive radon mitigation systems for examples of how we work to mitigate radon in a variety of spaces.
Sub-Slab Depressurization
The most common method of radon mitigation is a “sub-slab depressurization” (SSD) system, which uses a fan and PVC pipe to draw air from below the basement floor or slab on grade and then vent it harmlessly above the roof, where it dissipates very quickly. About 95% of the homes in the greater Washington DC region have these type of system.
Sub-Membrane Depressurization for Crawl Spaces
Does your home have exposed dirt in a crawl space? When required, the dirt will normally be encapsulated with a special plastic membrane that is sealed to the perimeter foundation walls of the crawl space. The membrane is also sealed around support columns and any plumbing stacks that go into the dirt floor of the crawl space. A “collection pipe” (a length of perforated PVC or ADS pipe) is sealed under the membrane and “teed” into the piping connected to the fan and vent stack. The system draws air from under the sealed membrane and also removes most of the moisture coming from the soil. This is also a popular method for dehumidifying damp, musty crawl spaces and for mold mitigation.
Sealing Openings
The sealing of holes, cracks, and sump covers near the suction point is done as part of the mitigation process, to prevent the loss of vacuum pressure near the vent pipe.
This sealing is only part of a broader radon mitigation process. Painting or caulking over cracks and openings in an attempt to “do it yourself” will not significantly reduce radon levels.
Air Exchangers
Some homes have unusual conditions under the floor or have large crawl spaces that are inaccessible or impossible to effectively encapsulate. In these cases, an air-to-air heat exchanger (also known as a Heat Recovery or Energy Recovery Ventilator, HRV or ERV) can be used to effectively reduce radon levels in structures that have radon levels less than 12 pCi/L.
An HRV is a machine that exchanges the air from inside and outside the structure, via two sets of flexible ducts: one blowing air into the house and one blowing air out of the house. The fresh air coming into the house is tempered slightly so as not to cause a substantial energy penalty. The HRV/ERV reduces the radon through the process of dilution by exhausting the stale indoor air out, while bringing in fresh outdoor air that averages 0.4 pCi/L.
Radon Vent Fans
Radon vent fans are specialized devices — sealed units that will not leak or allow the radon flowing through them to escape.
There are certain requirements that must be followed for fan installation:
- Radon vent fans need to be fitted to account for the pressure difference and air-flow dynamics needed to reach radon reduction objectives. The type of fan is determined by the sub-slab conditions, the size of the slab and the extent of the radon problem.
- For depressurization systems, vent fans cannot be installed in basements, or crawl spaces. National ASTM radon mitigation standards do not permit the fans to be located in the conditioned envelope of the house.
- Radon fans are permitted in unfinished attics, garages (not below conditioned spaces) or on the outside of the building.
- Finally, radon systems need to be screened at the exhaust discharge point (end of the vent stack) to prevent animals or large debris from going into the pipe and fan.
At Radon Abatement Services, we only use proper, specialized radon vent fans from the most trusted U.S. manufacturers. These fans are UV resistant, made of UL-listed durable plastic and have a watertight electrical terminal box. The radon fans we use have high-efficiency EBM motorized impellers and thermal overload protection.
Why Call a Radon Mitigation Expert?
Radon mitigation calls for professional expertise. Do-it-yourself techniques will not significantly reduce radon levels in your home. Shoddy or cheap work may fail to reduce radon levels, which is why it’s important to work with experienced professionals who are both licensed and insured, and who have the experience required to get the work done quickly and to the highest standards.
We have more detailed answers to many common radon mitigation questions in our radon mitigation FAQ. Ready to talk to an expert? Contact us to request a free estimate.