Home Inspection Tips – Reducing Radon Levels

A home inspection may reveal radon gas seeping through the soil into the living area of ​​the home you wish to purchase. Radon is known to cause lung cancer, so you don’t want it around. What can you do to lessen the severity of the problem? In other words, what are you doing to mitigate the radon threat?

Radon resistant techniques can be simple and passive and will reduce radon levels when done correctly. They can also reduce levels of moisture and other gases in the soil. Radon-resistant techniques have the added benefit of making your home more energy efficient and can help you save on energy costs. Save money when you first build a home by not having to deal with the problem later if these techniques are implemented with common building materials.

Even in a new home, radon tests should be done to make sure the level is below 4 pCi/L. If radon levels are high, a passive system can be converted to what is called an active system by adding a fan to reduce radon levels.

You will need to find someone who is considered a qualified radon mitigator to install radon-resistant techniques, whether your home is new or not. Costs will vary, but should be similar to other home repairs you may need.

What are these radon resistant techniques? It is important to note that this depends on the foundation of your home. Also, if you’re building a home, ask your builder if they’re using the EPA-recommended approach.

The first radon-resistant technique to consider is a gas-permeable underlayment, used only on homes with drop-in and slab-on-grade foundations. Not for use on houses with basement foundations. It typically consists of a four-inch layer of clean gravel placed under the slab or flooring system. It is meant to allow gas to move freely under the house. Plastic sheeting is placed on top of the gas permeable layer and under the slab to help prevent soil gas from entering the house.

When a house has crawl spaces, plastic sheeting is laid over the floor of the crawl space. This also serves as a moisture barrier.

Sealing and caulking is another technique. All openings below grade in the concrete foundation deck are sealed to reduce the amount of soil gases entering the home.

When there is a gas permeable layer under the house, a vent pipe is placed in the gravel and through the house to the roof to vent gases away from the living room. The piping used is 3-inch or 4-inch PVC or gas-tight pipe, or other gas-tight pipe.

If it is necessary to use a vent fan to reduce high radon levels, an electrical junction box is included in the attic to facilitate wiring and installation of a vent fan. A separate junction box is placed in the living space to power the ventilation fan alarm. This is because an alarm is installed along the length of the ventilation fan to indicate when that fan is not working properly.

Your home inspector or other qualified radon mitigation professional should know the best place to place your radon test kit. It should be placed on the lowest level of the house that is regularly occupied, such as any place used as a bedroom, play or exercise area, study, or workshop. The EPA says testing should not be done in a closet, on stairs, in a hallway, in a crawl space, or in an enclosed area where there is high humidity or air circulation. Avoid places like the kitchen, laundry room, bathroom, or boiler room.

There is no way to accurately know the radon level in the home you are building, buying, or selling unless you have a radon test done. Make sure your home inspector or other qualified professional can do the testing for you. You don’t have to put your family’s health at risk from radon.