Question:
Check with the EPA. I got a free, THICK book on Radon and how to remediate it. I put in a system in my last house and now need to put one in my current (new) one. The typical system is called "subslab suction". Put drain pipe in crawl space, hook it to sealed sump cover, run it outside using a special fan to draw air out of sump and any crawls. Crawls are covered with plastic sheeting over the drain pipe and sealed on the sides using liquid nails (typically). Keep the seams to a minimum and tape or liquid nails the overlapped seams. Fan will exhaust air from these areas outside, including the radon that naturally is exuded from the ground. Then test again. You might check with airchek.com or other place for these test kits or a digital readout radon tester (I got one, looks like a CO detector). Some say that Radon is a hoax, a scare. Studies show it is the 2nd leading cause of lung cancer second only to cigarettes. I’ll go with the studies and risk some heat from my house to be drawn out along with the radon rather than believe the hoax-sayers. God bless. Scott
Response:
My house has a similar problem. The solution was to seal the sump pit. If I were you, I’d let the pro’s tackle the problem. Mike – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >This is probably a FAQ, but I have never figured how to reliably track >down the FAQ files for a newsgroup… >I recently did a home radon test in my basement. You know, the kind >where you get a sample bottle from the local hardware store, open it >up and set in an undisturbed place for four days, seal it, send it >off… >Anyway, the result came back at 28 picocuries per liter, which is >about 7 times the EPA limit. Since I spend a lot of time in my >basement, I am naturally concerned. >Of course, the obvious next step is to repeat the test using more >professional equipment, but assuming that the results are >reproducible, I want to know what I can do to knock down the radon >levels without spending a lot of money if it’s not necessary. >Here’s the situation: the house is new (1.5 years old), with a poured >concrete basement. The basement walls have all already been painted >with Drylock waterproofing paint. The floor has already been treated >with concrete sealer in some areas and coated with a heavy coat of >gray latex floor paint everywhere else. All obvious cracks were >already sealed with concrete caulk. >In short, unless the radon is diffusing directly through the concrete >AND the various coats of sealer or paint, it seems to me the most likely entry >point is the foundation drain tile, which connects to the sump pit. >Does this make sense? >If so, then I see two possible solutions: (1) somehow seal the sump >pit with a tight fitting lid, or (2) put the air in the basement under >slight positive pressure, so that basement air is always flowing out >through the sump pit rather than coming in from outside. As it turns >out, simply running the house heater/AC fan seems to accomplish the >positive pressure as long as the basement door is closed — I can tell >because smoke from a snuffed out match gets sucked down the pit. But >I’m not sure I want to leave that fan running forever. >Any ideas on how to proceed? Are airtight lids for sump pits >commercially available? What other options exist? > thanks > Grant >– >Grant W. Petty |Assoc. Prof., Atmospheric Science >Dept. of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences |Voice: (765)-494-2544 >Purdue University, 1397 CIVL Bldg. |Fax: (765)-496-1210
– | University Technology Services, the Ohio State University | | Department of Electrical Engineering, the Ohio State University | | http://reflector.uts.ohio-state.edu/~ivy/ |
Response:
This is probably a FAQ, but I have never figured how to reliably track down the FAQ files for a newsgroup… I recently did a home radon test in my basement. You know, the kind where you get a sample bottle from the local hardware store, open it up and set in an undisturbed place for four days, seal it, send it off… Anyway, the result came back at 28 picocuries per liter, which is about 7 times the EPA limit. Since I spend a lot of time in my basement, I am naturally concerned. Of course, the obvious next step is to repeat the test using more professional equipment, but assuming that the results are reproducible, I want to know what I can do to knock down the radon levels without spending a lot of money if it’s not necessary. Here’s the situation: the house is new (1.5 years old), with a poured concrete basement. The basement walls have all already been painted with Drylock waterproofing paint. The floor has already been treated with concrete sealer in some areas and coated with a heavy coat of gray latex floor paint everywhere else. All obvious cracks were already sealed with concrete caulk. In short, unless the radon is diffusing directly through the concrete AND the various coats of sealer or paint, it seems to me the most likely entry point is the foundation drain tile, which connects to the sump pit. Does this make sense? If so, then I see two possible solutions: (1) somehow seal the sump pit with a tight fitting lid, or (2) put the air in the basement under slight positive pressure, so that basement air is always flowing out through the sump pit rather than coming in from outside. As it turns out, simply running the house heater/AC fan seems to accomplish the positive pressure as long as the basement door is closed — I can tell because smoke from a snuffed out match gets sucked down the pit. But I’m not sure I want to leave that fan running forever. Any ideas on how to proceed? Are airtight lids for sump pits commercially available? What other options exist? thanks Grant — Grant W. Petty |Assoc. Prof., Atmospheric Science Dept. of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences |Voice: (765)-494-2544 Purdue University, 1397 CIVL Bldg. |Fax: (765)-496-1210
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