Radon Remediation Methods
Radon is a naturally occurring gas in the soil. It comes from the decaying of uranium and moves
upward through the soil and into your house through openings in the building materials where it
is trapped inside.
Your job in remediating radon consists of two parts: Stopping as much radon gas as possible
from entering your house and then venting out the rest.
Stopping Radon Gas From Coming In
Starting with the basement or lowest level of your house:
Floor: There are two places in the basement or slab floor where the radon gas can enter: Cracks in
the floor itself and the joint where the floor meets the walls. These areas need to be sealed.
Polyurethane caulk is recommended for this purpose.
If the lowest level floor is gravel or soil, a polyethylene vapor barrier or EDPM sheet can be used
to seal off any radon gas. This barrier needs to be seamless and sealed to the walls.
The gravel or soil underneath it should also be vented to the outside.
Walls: Radon can permeate through cracks in the walls of your house's basement.
So the next step is to seal these cracks using the same sealer and technique you used to seal the
cracks in the floor.
Utility Pipes and Vents: Carefully examine all of the pipes and
vents from utilities, air conditioning, water, sewer, etc. where they enter you house.
If there are any gaps, seal them using a closed-cell foam.
Moving up in both your house and in difficulty is sealing any gaps in the floors of the first
and second floors.
Venting the Radon Gas
The next step is getting rid of the radon gas. This is done by venting it to the outside.
Depending on how much radon gas is present, either an active system, meaning fan powered,
or a passive system, meaning relying on natural air currents, is used.
The gold standard of active remediation is known by the quaint name of Soil Suction Radon Reduction
System. It is less complicated than it sounds, although most folks would be better served if they
let a professional do this part.
A soil suction radon reduction system consists of pipes inserted into the gravel or compacted
soil beneath the basement floor or concrete slab that suck the radon gas from the soil
underneath your house and then vent it away. This is an active system using fans to create
the suction. If the radon gas level is low enough, this type of system can be used passively,
relying on air currents to draw away the radon gas.
Sump: If your house has a sump that the drain tiles empty into, the sump can be
sealed from the top and either an active or passive system can be installed to vent the radon gas
away. The drain tiles and sump still work as before to drain away water from the footings or the
foundation.
Drain Tiles: If your house does not have a sump, a variation is to use the
drain tiles themselves to vent the radon gas away. Again, negative pressure using a fan, or
natural air currents are used to suck away the radon gas.
Masonry Venting: If your house has a masonry block foundation, sometimes
the hollow spaces in the masonry can be vented in the same manner.
The type of construction, building materials used and level of radon gas determine which
system is the most effective and the most cost effective for you to use.
Radon Remediation Cost
Obviously, the more you can do by yourself, such as the sealing, the less it is going to cost
for the rest. The EPA estimates that the average cost for an active system for levels of radon
gas typically found in residences is approximately $1,200.
Radon ABC's - The Basics
Radon ABC's - Test for Radon
Please email me at deb@fsbocomplete.com
with your thoughts, comments, questions, or just to say "Hi".
Deb
