Radon Mitigation Columbus Ohio

If Radon levels in your home are high, our licensed radon mitigation specialists can help.  We offer solutions such as an active radon system with fan on the outside of your home or hidden systems that are piped internally through you home which avoids the unsightly radon fan and pipe on the exterior.  Contact a Columbus Radon Mitigation Contractor to discuss the details specific to your home.

What is a Radon Mitigation System?

Your house type will many times dictate the type of radon reduction system that will work best.  One of the most common mitigation methods is called active soil depressurization. These systems remove radon gas from below the concrete floor, or a membrane in a crawl space, and the foundation before it can enter the home.

In houses that have a basement or a slab-on-grade foundation, radon is usually reduced by one of four types of active soil depressurization:

• sub-slab depressurization
• drain tile depressurization
• sump hole depressurization
• block wall depressurization

Sub-slab depressurization is the most common and usually the best method for reducing radon. In this system, one or more suction pipes pass through the slab into the crushed rock or soil underneath. The pipes also may be put below the concrete slab from outside the house. A radon vent fan connected to the suction pipe draws the radon gas from below the house and releases it into the outdoor air.

If your home has a crawlspace, the mitigation method will depend on the type of floor, how accessible it is, and whether the space is large enough to work in. If the crawlspace has a concrete floor, the preferred mitigation technique is sub-slab suction. If it has an earth floor, the preferred mitigation technique is sub-membrane suction. With sub-membrane depressurization, the floor is covered with a thick plastic sheet sealed to the crawlspace walls, foundation piers and any penetrations of the membrane. A radon system fan and piping system then draws the radon from under the membrane and vents it outdoors.

When installing a mitigation system, cracks and other openings in walls and floors in contact with the ground are sealed. Sealing does two things, it limits the flow of radon into your home and it reduces the loss of conditioned air, thereby making other radon reduction techniques more effective and cost-efficient. EPA does not recommend the use of sealing alone to reduce radon because, by itself, sealing has not been shown to lower radon levels significantly or consistently. Sealing cracks helps limit the flow of radon into a home, reduce the loss of heated or cooled/conditioned air, and make radon mitigation systems work better and cost less to operate over time. However, it is difficult to identify and permanently seal the places where radon is entering. Normal settling of your house opens new entry routes and reopens old ones.

Radon fans must be located in an unoccupied attic, a garage, or outside. The fan discharge is then routed up through the roof, or up along an outside wall, to a high point on the house. Although they must operate continually, operating costs of the fans are negligible due to their low power consumption (60 watts – less than most light bulbs – per fan).  A system indicator must be installed to warn the homeowner of any malfunctions.

The Benefits and Costs of a Radon Mitigation System

Radon reduction systems work. In most homes, use of radon-reducing features will keep radon levels to below 2 pCi/l. An effective radon mitigation system can reduce the radon level in your home by up to 99 percent.

Homeowners with radon systems have also experienced a reduction of other indoor air quality issues such as moisture and soil gas intrusion problems in their home. In an effort to produce scientific evidence of these observations, EPA has funded several radon system and moisture studies and research is still in the preliminary stages.

The cost of making repairs to reduce radon is influenced by the size and design of your home and other factors. Most homes can be fixed for about the same cost as other common home repairs, like painting or having a new hot water heater installed. The average cost for a certified or licensed mitigation contractor to lower radon levels in a slab or basement home is about $1,200 and a crawl space home is about $1,400 or more. Your costs may vary depending on the size and design of your home and which radon reduction methods are needed.

Homeowners should consider correcting a radon problem before making final preparations to sell a home. This often provides more time to address the problem and find the most cost-effective solution. In addition, the current occupants – not just the buyer’s occupants – will reap the benefit of reduced risk.

Radon mitigation systems need occasional maintenance. Check your warning device (all properly installed systems should have one) frequently to make sure the system is working correctly. Radon system fans may last five years or more (manufacturer warranties usually do not exceed five years). You may need to repair or replace older fans.​