Home Inspections
Radon Testing & Mitigation
Radon Gas: It’s always in the air we breathe; but normally in very low concentrations. Our area, of S.W. Virginia & E. Tenn. is more likely to have higher concentrations of Radon gas caused by the formation of mountains by the earth’s crust. This disruption opened up fishers and vents allowing greater flow of Radon gas to the surface. Outdoor Radon levels are approximately (0.3 pCi/L) and considered negligible. Concentrations of radon gas (>4.0 pCi/L) has been set by the EPA as a high risk for Lung Cancer (see our link to the EPA page on Radon). Radon comes from Uranium, which is part of the cosmic make-up of the Earth’s crust, seeps up through the earth below us, and vents into the atmosphere as it decomposes, normally in very low concentrations due to the volume of air in our atmosphere. Well built, insulated homes cause a “chimney affect” which can become a concentrator of Radon Gas and retain it at high levels.
Radon Gas Testing: Our company tests for Radon Gas using a Continuous Radon Monitor. It is calibrated for accuracy of the readings and is registered with the National Radon Safety Board as suitable for testing for radon gas. This equipment takes a reading every hour for the 48 hours (minimum testing time for a Real Estate transaction) then stores them for further analysis. These readings are reviewed, by me (I am certified by the National Radon Safety Board) then graphed and relayed to you as the essential part of the Radon gas testing of your home.
Radon Gas Mitigation:
(Mit’i’ga’tion)- To reduce, lessen or improve. The required mandate from the EPA is actually a lot tougher for radon Mitigators than just to reduce. As a Radon Mitigator we are not merely asked to reduce, lessen or improve. We must by contractreduce the radon levels in the home to below 4.0 pCi/l. (Pico curies per litter of air)
The function of radon mitigation is to circumvent the natural path of the radon gas from the ground into the home by re-routing it to the exterior of the home and diluting the gas harmlessly into the atmosphere. Re-routing of the gas from under the home is accomplished by the use of specialized vent fans and pipe to alter the course of the radon gas and lower the radon concentrations in the home to below 4.0 pCi/l.
Radon gas mitigation has gone through it’ own learning curve and has now settling in on two methods mainly used in this area for the reduction of radon:
Active sub-slab suction(concrete basement) Active sub-membrane suction(crawlspace)
Both methods use specific construction techniques and specialized power vent fans to draw the gas from under the house. Installation usually takes 1-2 days.
Whether for yourself or your client; ask your Mitigator to prepare a contract before any work starts, it should include:
The EPA also suggests an independent third party test of the property to verify the results of the radon mitigation. There is an inherent conflict of interest at the end of a mitigation that can be avoided by a third party test.