An Unexpected Builder Risk - Radon - Page 2

rockwoodrv9 · #11 01-25-2018, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Paule

I know that I can do the work. But I'd rather not. This is one of those things that gets hired out.

Dave

Good plan. Nobody likes going in crawl spaces with all the critters - dead and alive!

CapeBob · #12 01-25-2018, 07:36 PM

I have some experience with this in the Northeast. In one house I had a low radon level 2 pCi, I had a sump pump put in my basement to lessen a chance of flooding in rainstorms. Little did I know that opening up that hole in the basement caused the radon level to go to 10 pCi. And worse since I had a forced hot air/cooling system, the radon level in the basement was the same in every corner of the top 2 floors. I had a radon remediation system installed (PVC pipe in floor attached to a fan to send the air outside of the house) and the pCi went right back to 2.

In another house in New Hampshire the radon level was 15 pCi before a remediation system was added. My nephew lived near a quarry and his was over 100!

Most people test radon with one time use charcoal canisters but a better approach is to purchase an electronic tester that constantly monitors the air and shows a short and long term trend. Radon levels will substantially vary with rain (goes up) and if my wood stove is running (goes down) as the stove is pulling air out of the basement and sending it up the flue. My radon level also goes up in the summer as a furnace isn't running and sucking air out of the basement. Another benefit of the electronic tester is it made it clear that my fan had died and the radon level had gone right back to 10.

The fan I use is a Family-Safety-Products-Safety-Siren-Pro-Series-3-Radon-Gas-Detector. You can get it at Walmart for about $130. I had it tested by a radon lab in the area and they said it was as accurate as professional electronic devices costing several thousand.

In the Northeast I've read that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking. Not something to ignore!

Saville · #13 01-26-2018, 06:16 AM

Can anyone recommend a good radon test kit? Last I looked at this you had to leave it in the basement for weeks with undisturbed air to get a reading. Have they gotten any better?

AlexPeterson · #14 01-26-2018, 07:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saville

Can anyone recommend a good radon test kit? Last I looked at this you had to leave it in the basement for weeks with undisturbed air to get a reading. Have they gotten any better?

First Alert's test kit costs about $15, needs 48-72 hrs exposure time, with windows closed. Add another $7 to ship via priority mail, as they claim a high number of standard mail ones do not get to the lab within their required post-test window of time.

N316RV · #15 01-26-2018, 07:56 AM

From initial post"
"What's the risk? I'm a non-smoker, and the numbers get much worse for smokers. But at a level of 8, about 15 people per thousand could get lung cancer. Out in the shop, for me, it's probably twice that.

But catch this: there is no safe level! But EPA recommends getting it fixed it it's over 4.0, and even there, the risk is about 7 people per thousand getting lung cancer."

These numbers are for a LIFETIME exposure at these levels. Don't disagree with you and installed a active system myself in my basement. Took the levels from 11 to 1.25

jones · #16 01-26-2018, 07:41 PM

We had our house tested and found the levels at 22. With the windows open in the summer before AC season, I got it only down to 11. I bought the mitigation fan system online for around $300 and it took an afternoon to install. There are lots of u tube videos showing how. The levels now in the house are 1 or less sometimes. I have the fan on a timer because it doesn't need to run all the time to keep the levels low. We get winter temps as low as -35C and I haven't noticed the heat bill higher with the fan running. The other plus, besides possibly living longer, is the basement is dryer and more comfortable.

CGLRV
RV6A

wirejock · #17 01-26-2018, 07:57 PM

Our neighbor's house had a radon problem. I was going to order a kit but a tester makes more sense because it keeps monitoring and it can be moved around. Good tip Dave.
I ordered this one on Amazon.
Corentium Home Radon Detector by Airthings 223 Portable, Lightweight, Easy-to-Use, (3) AAA Battery Operated, USA Version, pCi/L

EXflyer · #18 01-28-2018, 05:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockwoodrv9

Dave, the mediation is mostly air movement. Some sealing of cracks in concrete and covering dirt areas are what is done. Radon is in the air, change the air and it is gone.

I have never really thought about it but do see your point about sealing things. Doesn't the radon level have to be done when reselling a home? Not in the loop on that but another thing is my new home has one of those fans which suck the old air out of the home, sorry cant pull the name of it out. Would think that would do it hooked to a timer. Dont have a basement either but do have a slab garage guess should check it out. Boyd

cattflight · #19 01-28-2018, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EXflyer

I have never really thought about it but do see your point about sealing things. Doesn't the radon level have to be done when reselling a home? Not in the loop on that but another thing is my new home has one of those fans which suck the old air out of the home, sorry cant pull the name of it out. Would think that would do it hooked to a timer. Dont have a basement either but do have a slab garage guess should check it out. Boyd

The idea behind a Radon Mitigation System is to grab the Radon from below the home before it gets into the home and vent it outside and above the roofline. A professional installation involves a core drill through the basement slab into the gravel bed or soil below the home and then actively suck the air (and Radon) out and vent it. There's also a manometer labeled to show you that the system is performing.
In my 3 Colorado homes, I had an active system with a pancake fan. Here in WA, I have a passive system that seems to be working well as we tested for Radon and it averaged 2.5 over 3 tests in 3 seasons.

David Paule · #20 02-05-2018, 08:35 AM

All the quotes have come in.

The three that did not come out to the house submitted bids that ran from $1,650 to $1,900 for two independent units.

The two that came out to see the place would charge $1,100 and $1,750. Both of these, recognizing that the shop is adjacent to the house, offered a single unit with two under-the-slab inlets.

Dave