How To Mitigate Radon Gas In A Home
Posted on: 8 December 2022
The presence of radon in a home poses a major risk to the health of the occupants. A radon gas mitigation system, however, can help you contain the risk. Customers may be curious about the options for mitigation and how they'll likely work so here's a look at the basics.
What Is a Radon Mitigation System?
A system mitigates radon by trying to keep as much of it as possible from reaching the occupants of the building. If you're lucky, the solution ends up cutting off the source of the radon. The source is usually a deposit in the ground that accesses the house through a crack or a line running from a water well. However, it's not always possible to mitigate the issue simply by cutting it off.
The alternative is to find a way to route the gas away from the house. Radon gas usually accumulates in basements and then goes through a house's HVAC system. If a radon gas mitigation system can isolate the accumulation in the basement, then it can transport the gas outside through a separate ventilation system. Once the gas is in the open air, it disperses to safe levels quickly because it can no longer accumulate in one spot. Consequently, you don't have to worry that you'll be poisoning your neighborhood.
Venting Air Out
The simplest version of a radon mitigation system installation uses an independent vent to send the gas up a pipe that's taller than the house. Using a blower motor attached to an insulated and sealed pipe, the system pumps the bad air out. This should keep it from getting to the HVAC system where it could then spread throughout the house.
However, this doesn't work in all situations. In more extreme cases, a contractor may need to seal and pressurize the basement. This will cut it off entirely from the overall airflow of the house. Pressurization may also be necessary for the living area of the home, but this is a less common scenario. The HVAC system will then need a separate air intake to allow it to get fresh air and supply it to the occupied portion of the building.
Ongoing Testing
Once a radon mitigation system is in place, the owners have to regularly test for issues. Built-in monitoring systems can detect changes in the radon levels and alert you that there is a problem. It is also a good idea to have a contractor perform more intensive testing every couple of years to confirm that new sources of exposure haven't appeared.
Contact a local radon mitigation service, such as Radon Environmental Inc, to learn more.
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