5 Types of Radon Mitigation Systems
“Core” Radon Mitigation Systems
The steps for installing these are:
- Drill / “core” a 4 to 6 inch hole in the concrete slab
- Remove soil to create a pit area under the slab opening; the more surface area of soil exposed in the pit, the better.
- Connect the “pit” to the radon fan with a PVC pipe pathway. This vents the soil gasses and reduces the sub-slab pressure. On homes with compacted soil, consider connecting a second core to achieve maximum “communication” to spread the negative pressure field under the home. [This can also be done later if necessary.]
- Exit the home; usually to the exterior of the home, sometimes to attic or garage.
- Attach Radon fan.
- Construct exhaust to roofline; usually of great looking full sized aluminium downspout material
- Mitigated homes should be retested no sooner than 24 hours (nor later than 30 days) after installation to verify performance. Retests should be conducted every two years.
- The exhaust discharge shall be at least 10 feet above ground level, 10 feet away from any opening that is less than two feet below the discharge, and above or at the eave of the roof.
- Radon fans should not be located inside the home or in a crawlspace. They can be in an attic, outdoors, or in a garage, provided there is no living space above the garage.
- There should be a fan function indicator located in plain sight that will show the occupant that the system is operating.
Sump Pit Radon Mitigation Systems
These are Radon Mitigation Systems that utilize existing rainwater drainage systems. They’re most often found on homes built since the 1980’s. These homes often have a sump pit for that is attached to a “Perimeter Drain,” “French Drain,” or a “Drain Tile System.”
That drainage pathway is very efficient at moving air underneath the entire basement. When we leverage this “air highway” to create an underslab vacuum for radon mitigation…we tend to get outstanding results.
The steps for installing these are:
- Create and install an airtight clear lid for the sump pit.
- Create a penetration in the lid for the radon pipe and possibly the pump water discharge pipe.
- Create and connect the PVC pipe pathway to remove the soil gasses and reduce the sub-slab pressure.
- Exit the home; usually to the exterior of the home, sometimes to attic or garage.
- Install Radon fan.
- Build exhaust pipe to roofline; usually of great looking full sized aluminium downspout material
Sub-Membrane Depressurization Systems
Used on homes with crawl spaces / exposed dirt as part of the foundation. In these systems we seal the crawl space with a vapor barrier and use the radon system to create a vacuum under the membrane which limits entry and vents the radon to a safe location outside the home.
The steps for installing these are:
- A high density polyethylene vapor barrier is laid on the soil.
- The seams are sealed, and the edges are sealed to the foundation walls.
- We then Install corrugated, perforated landscaping pipe beneath the plastic.
- Connect the PVC pipe pathway to the under-plastic piping to remove the soil gasses and draw the membrane down tight against the soil.
- Exit the home; usually to exterior of home, sometimes to attic or garage.
- Attach Radon fan.
- Construct exhaust to roofline; usually of great looking full sized aluminium downspout material
Combination Radon Mitigation Systems
On some houses, it’s necessary to combine the above systems. On a house with a crawl space and a basement but no sump pit we’ll sometimes do a “Core + Membrane” System.
Passive Radon Mitigation Systems – Home Builder Installed
In many cases, homes that have been constructed recently will have incorporated some form of “Radon Resistant New Construction” or RRNC. The idea with these is that some of the core components of the system are built into the house while it’s being built.
These vary greatly in terms of how much of the system is done; some require only a fan...others need a lot of the system to be added by us.
They also vary in functionality. Twelve years ago we found that a large number of them didn’t work as we were expecting. But they seem to be improving over time and lately, we’ve been having much better luck with them.
Either way… if you have one of these just call the office and we can chat for a few minutes about your house and get you a proposal out via email to get your Radon Mitigation System working!
A No-Risk, No Hassle, Free Way to Learn More
We offer a quick, easy 20 minute estimates to provide you with pricing and other valuable information. Just call our main office line at 303-462-5000 and say, “I saw you on the web and I’d like to get a proposal for a Radon Mitigation System” and we can set up a time that works for you. You’ll never get any sales-pitch whatsoever. We love to do these no-charge consultations, even if you’re not ready to move forward right now. Our goal is to make it as easy and painless as possible to look into this with no-strings attached. (We’re also happy to do phone consultations to give you the basics and answer any questions you have.)