If you’ve tested your home for radon and discovered high amounts of the gas, you’re definitely curious. Is radon a threat? How do radon mitigation systems work? What is the cost of installation? Is it possible to fix radon levels without hiring a professional?
Radon mitigation can be completed swiftly and add immediate value to your house when you hire a reputable radon mitigation firm. We have 20 years of experience installing radon mitigation systems and lowering radon levels in homes, schools, and other buildings at Radon Abatement Services.
This guide will teach you all you need to know about radon mitigation.
What Is Radon Mitigation and How Does It Work?
Radon mitigation (also known as remediation or abatement) is the process of lowering or eliminating radon levels in a structure. There are several radon mitigation methods, which we will discuss below.
Two objectives are accomplished by proper and high-quality radon mitigation:
- It lowers the radon gas concentration in your home by securely venting it outside the structure.
- Radon mitigation devices that are properly installed eliminate radon gas from beneath a structure’s foundation before it can enter.
What Does a Radon System Do?
While the specific type of radon mitigation system you’ll need will depend on the structure of your home, practically all radon mitigation procedures follow the same concepts. Sub-slab depressurization systems, Sub-membrane depressurization (SMD) for dirt crawl spaces, and air exchangers are examples of passive and active radon systems. Most radon mitigation approaches include sealing big fractures and gaps in basement slabs.
These systems are made to be as unobtrusive as possible and to blend in with your home’s decor. For examples of how we work to mitigate radon in a range of environments, see our gallery of inconspicuous radon mitigation systems.
For more details, you can keep reading the article, but in case you need standard Water Mn radon mitigation service, you can call the experts.
Depressurization of Sub-Slab
A “sub-slab depressurization” (SSD) system, which employs a fan and PVC pipe to take air from beneath the basement floor or slab on grade and then releases it harmlessly above the roof, where it dissipates quickly, is the most prevalent technique of radon mitigation. In the greater Washington, DC area, about 95% of households have this type of system.
Crawl Space Sub-Membrane Depressurization
Is there any visible dirt in your crawl space? When necessary, the dirt is usually encased in a special plastic membrane that is sealed to the crawl space’s surrounding foundation walls. The membrane is also sealed around any support columns and piping stacks that enter the crawl space’s dirt floor. Under the membrane, a “collection pipe” (a length of perforated PVC or ADS pipe) is sealed and “teed” into the piping that connects the fan and vent stack. The method takes most of the moisture from the soil while drawing air from beneath the sealed membrane. This is also a common approach for mould removal and dehumidification in wet, musty crawl spaces.
Closing Up Gaps
To avoid the loss of vacuum pressure near the vent pipe, the mitigation method includes sealing holes, cracks, and sump covers near the suction point.
This radon mitigation approach includes more than just sealing. In an attempt to “do it yourself,” painting or caulking over cracks and openings will not considerably reduce radon levels.
Exchangers of Air
Some houses have peculiar conditions beneath the floor or vast crawl areas that are difficult to access or encapsulate. An air-to-air heat exchanger (also known as a Heat Recovery or Energy Recovery Ventilator, HRV or ERV) can efficiently lower radon levels in structures with radon levels less than 12 pCi/L in certain instances.
An HRV is a mechanism that uses two sets of flexible ducts to exchange air from within and outside the structure, one blowing air into the house and the other blowing air out. The fresh air entering the house is slightly cooled to avoid a significant energy penalty. The HRV/ERV reduces radon levels by dilution, which involves venting stale indoor air and bringing in fresh outdoor air with a concentration of 0.4 pCi/L.