Radon
Radon is a colorless, odorless, radioactive gas.
It comes from the natural decay of uranium that is found in nearly all soils. It typically moves up from the ground to the air above and inside homes and buildings through cracks or holes in the foundation. Your home traps radon inside, where it can build up. Any home may have a radon problem. This means new and old homes, well-sealed and drafty homes, and homes with or without basements. Radon is estimated to cause many thousands of deaths each year. That’s because when you breathe air containing radon, you can get lung cancer.
In fact, the Surgeon General has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States today. Only smoking causes more lung cancer deaths.
The EPA recommends every home be tested after occupancy, even if it was built radon-resistant. If radon levels are in excess of 4 pCi/L, a certified mitigator should install a passive or active radon mitigation system. While the dangers of radon are very real and can be life threatening, mitigation systems can be installed with minimal interference and relatively low cost. Homes with properly designed and installed radon mitigation systems have reduced indoor radon levels that meet federal guidelines for safety.
Our indoor environment specialists gauge interior air quality to meet recommended health standards. We assess radon levels in the home and submit results for analysis to the Regional Radon Measurement Lab at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. If necessary, we then perform mitigation procedures to protect your family from harm. We hold National Environmental Health Association Certification in Radon Measurement and Mitigation, the industry standard which requires coursework and testing in EPA mandated protocols.
Map of Radon Levels in Colorado Counties
Data from Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (www.cdphe.state.co.us)
The following link also contains highly informative animations on radon:
Bureau of Radiation Protection — Radon Division, Radon Instructional Videos
Radon Mitigation Protocols:
Radon mitigation is based upon the simple concept of redirecting soil gases before they enter a building. Most radon systems involve one of two basic systems: sub-slab depressurization and sub-membrane depressurization. Both systems incorporate similar methods to achieve the same goal. A sub-slab depressurization system is used in buildings with a concrete slab as the lowest floor structure. Buildings with framed floors and crawl spaces use sub-membrane depressurization.
Passive sub-slab depressurization: With these systems, a piping run is installed that will carry soil gases from below concrete slab to the exterior above the roof eave line. Piping may be PVC or ABS material, typically in 3-4” diameter, which begins below slab in the sub-slab matrix (gravel, sand or other material). Piping will either run up through a chase on the interior of building, or exit the interior and run vertically along an exterior wall. All door to wall joints, control joints in slab, and slab penetrations should be sealed with a non-permeable polyurethane caulk. Any sump pits should be sealed at top of pit as well. Sealing the slab is important to limit soil gas entry into building. The pipe vent in a passive system uses the stack effect to pull gases from beneath the slab and exhaust them into the outside air.
Passive sub-membrane depressurization: This system is very similar to a sub-slab system with the exception that this design is used in crawl space applications. With a crawl space, radon mitigator will cover entire crawl space floor with a non-permeable membrane which is sealed at all edges, thereby preventing entry of soil gases into the envelope of building. The piping vent shall retrieve soil gases through a penetration in membrane and exhaust them in a similar fashion to sub-slab depressurization.
Active Systems: Activation of a system involves the addition of an electric in-line fan that pulls soil gases from depressurization zone. Activation will greatly increase the effectiveness of a depressurization system. Radon fans are manufactured for a variety of volumes, and also come in AC and low voltage DC versions. Radon fans may be hardwired into a circuit or simply plugged into a 110 volt outlet, if an outlet is within 4-6 of fan location. Low voltage fans allow mitigator to plug fans into existing outlets that are farther away from fan location, up to 100′. Low voltage fans were designed to allow mitigators to install fans without the necessity of hiring a licensed electrician.
New Construction: New buildings can incorporate radon mitigation into their structure at the design stages. To improve mitigation system efficiency, a mitigator will run single or multiple loops of perforated pipe within the sub-slab matrix before concrete slab pour. The perforated pipe loop will connect to a pipe vent stack stub. Once slab is poured and building is in frame and rough-in stages, mitigator will tie-in pipe vent stack which typically runs vertically through a chase to terminate above the roof deck.
Existing Buildings: Designs for existing buildings have to be evaluated on an individual basis. Depending on structural design, finished or unfinished basement, existence of available interior chase, and other criteria, the installation and placement of system will vary.
*NOTE:
While we obviously believe that we would do the best job in providing radon services, should you choose to procure measurement and mitigation elsewhere we strongly recommend insisting on NEHA-certified professionals. When taking steps to reduce dangerous radon levels, it is of utmost importance that proper protocols are followed to ensure the safety of your family.