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How to Lower Radon in Your Home: A Comprehensive Guide

Lowering radon levels in your home is crucial for protecting your family’s health, primarily reducing the risk of lung cancer. Mitigation methods range from simple DIY fixes to professional installation of radon reduction systems, ensuring safe indoor air quality.

Understanding the Radon Threat

Radon is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless radioactive gas that occurs naturally as uranium decays in soil, rock, and water. It seeps into homes through cracks in foundations, walls, and floors, as well as through gaps around pipes and utility entrances. While everyone is exposed to low levels of radon in outdoor air, elevated levels indoors can pose a significant health risk, making radon testing and radon mitigation essential. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, after smoking. The EPA estimates that radon causes about 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year.

Assessing Your Radon Risk

The first step in protecting your family is to test your home for radon. Testing is relatively inexpensive and easy to do. You can purchase a do-it-yourself test kit from a hardware store, home improvement center, or online. These kits typically involve placing a detector in the lowest lived-in level of your home for a specified period (usually 2-7 days) and then mailing it to a laboratory for analysis. Alternatively, you can hire a certified radon measurement professional.

The EPA recommends taking action if your radon level is 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) or higher. Even levels between 2 pCi/L and 4 pCi/L may warrant mitigation, as there is no safe level of radon exposure.

Strategies for Lowering Radon Levels

Once you’ve identified a radon problem, various mitigation techniques can effectively reduce radon concentrations in your home. The best method will depend on the construction of your home, the severity of the radon problem, and your budget. Here are some common strategies:

Sub-Slab Depressurization (SSD)

SSD is the most common and generally the most effective radon mitigation method. It involves creating a negative pressure zone beneath the concrete slab foundation of your home. This is typically achieved by installing a vent pipe through the slab and connecting it to a fan that draws air from beneath the slab and vents it safely outside the house.

How it Works: A hole is drilled through the slab, and a pipe is inserted. A fan attached to the pipe draws radon gas from the soil beneath the slab and vents it to the atmosphere, away from the home’s living spaces.
Advantages: Highly effective in reducing radon levels, applicable to various foundation types.
Disadvantages: Requires professional installation, can be aesthetically unappealing if not installed discreetly.

Active Soil Depressurization (ASD)

ASD is similar to SSD but is used when a crawl space is present. It involves sealing the crawl space with a plastic sheet and then using a fan to draw air from beneath the sheet and vent it outside.

How it Works: A plastic sheet is laid over the crawl space floor and sealed to the walls. A vent pipe and fan are used to create negative pressure beneath the sheet, preventing radon from entering the home.
Advantages: Effective for homes with crawl spaces.
Disadvantages: Requires careful sealing of the crawl space to be effective.

Block Wall Depressurization

This method is used when radon enters the home through hollow block walls. It involves sealing the top of the block walls and then using a fan to draw air from within the walls and vent it outside.

How it Works: Holes are drilled into the hollow blocks, and a vent pipe is installed with a fan to draw air from within the blocks.
Advantages: Effective for homes with hollow block foundations.
Disadvantages: May require extensive drilling and sealing.

Sealing Cracks and Openings

While sealing alone is rarely enough to significantly reduce radon levels, it can be a helpful supplementary measure. This involves sealing cracks and openings in the foundation, walls, and floors with caulk or other appropriate sealant.

How it Works: Identify and seal any cracks or gaps where radon might enter the home.
Advantages: Relatively inexpensive and easy to do, can improve energy efficiency.
Disadvantages: Not effective as a standalone mitigation method for high radon levels.

Increasing Ventilation

Increasing ventilation can help reduce radon levels by diluting the concentration of radon in the air. This can be achieved by opening windows and doors, using fans, or installing a heat recovery ventilator (HRV) or energy recovery ventilator (ERV).

How it Works: Increase the exchange of indoor and outdoor air to dilute radon concentrations.
Advantages: Relatively simple and inexpensive.
Disadvantages: Can affect heating and cooling costs, may not be effective in homes with high radon levels.

Radon-Resistant New Construction (RRNC)

If you are building a new home, you can incorporate radon-resistant features into the construction. These features include a gravel layer beneath the slab, a plastic membrane beneath the gravel, and a vent pipe that extends from beneath the slab to above the roof.

How it Works: Integrate radon-resistant features into the home’s construction to prevent radon from entering.
Advantages: Cost-effective when implemented during construction, provides long-term protection.
Disadvantages: Requires planning and implementation during the building process.

When to Hire a Professional

While some minor sealing and ventilation improvements can be done DIY, for most radon mitigation techniques, especially SSD, ASD, and Block Wall Depressurization, it’s best to hire a certified radon mitigation professional. These professionals have the training, experience, and equipment to properly assess your radon problem and install an effective mitigation system. They will also be able to test the radon levels after installation to ensure that the system is working properly. You can find certified radon mitigation professionals through organizations like the National Radon Proficiency Program (NRPP) or the American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists (AARST).

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some frequently asked questions about lowering radon levels in your home:

FAQ 1: How much does radon mitigation cost?

The cost of radon mitigation varies depending on the method used, the size and construction of your home, and the local market. Sub-slab depressurization typically ranges from $800 to $2,500. More complex mitigation systems can cost more. It is wise to get quotes from multiple certified radon mitigation professionals.

FAQ 2: How long does radon mitigation take?

Installation of a typical sub-slab depressurization system usually takes one day. The entire process, from initial consultation to post-mitigation testing, may take a week or two.

FAQ 3: Will radon mitigation affect my home’s resale value?

Radon mitigation can actually increase your home’s resale value. Having a radon mitigation system in place demonstrates that you have addressed a potential health hazard and can reassure potential buyers. Full disclosure regarding radon testing and mitigation is important.

FAQ 4: How do I know if my radon mitigation system is working properly?

After installation, your mitigation professional should conduct a post-mitigation radon test to verify that the system is effectively reducing radon levels. You should also periodically retest your home for radon, even with a mitigation system in place, to ensure continued effectiveness.

FAQ 5: Can I turn off my radon mitigation fan?

No, you should not turn off your radon mitigation fan. The fan is essential for maintaining the negative pressure that prevents radon from entering your home. Turning it off can cause radon levels to rise again.

FAQ 6: What happens if my radon mitigation fan breaks down?

If your radon mitigation fan breaks down, you should contact your mitigation professional as soon as possible to have it repaired or replaced. In the meantime, you can increase ventilation by opening windows and doors, but this is only a temporary measure.

FAQ 7: Do I need to mitigate if my radon levels are just slightly above 4 pCi/L?

The EPA recommends mitigating if radon levels are 4 pCi/L or higher. However, even levels between 2 pCi/L and 4 pCi/L pose a risk, and you may want to consider mitigation to further reduce your exposure. Consider the cost of mitigation against the long-term risk.

FAQ 8: Can I use a DIY radon mitigation system?

While some DIY solutions may offer slight improvements, they are generally not as effective as professionally installed systems. For significant radon problems, professional mitigation is strongly recommended. DIY systems may not meet building codes or effectively reduce radon levels to acceptable levels.

FAQ 9: Does radon only affect basements?

While radon is often found in higher concentrations in basements, it can affect any level of your home. Radon gas can migrate through the soil and enter the home through any cracks or openings in the foundation, walls, or floors. Testing should be done in the lowest lived-in level of the house.

FAQ 10: Does sealing my basement completely solve the radon problem?

While sealing cracks and openings can help reduce radon levels, it is rarely sufficient as a standalone mitigation method. Radon can still enter the home through other pathways, such as through porous concrete or through the water supply. Sealing is best used in conjunction with other mitigation techniques.

FAQ 11: Is radon in well water a concern?

Yes, radon can be present in well water. If you use well water, you should test your water for radon. If radon levels are high, you may need to install a point-of-entry (POE) radon removal system to treat the water before it enters your home.

FAQ 12: How often should I test for radon?

The EPA recommends testing your home for radon every two years, or after any major renovations or changes to your home’s foundation or ventilation system. Annual testing can provide added peace of mind.

Conclusion

Lowering radon levels in your home is an important investment in your family’s health. By testing your home for radon and implementing appropriate mitigation strategies, you can significantly reduce your risk of lung cancer and create a safer living environment. Don’t delay – take action today to protect your family from the dangers of radon.

How to Lower Radon in Home?