The Dabkowski household has a brand new member this week – a radon mitigation system. It’s been a few years (I know, years!) since we talked about radon, so now seemed like a great time to tackle this topic.
What is radon, again?
To be super blunt and quote the EPA, “radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that can cause lung cancer.” Radon is similar to carbon-monoxide in that it is colorless and odorless. Unlike CO, radon plays the long game. Exposure over time may cause lung cancer. In fact, radon is the number one cause of lung cancer in non-smokers.
Where does Radon come from?
Radon is produced by decaying radium and uranium in the soil around our home. The gas can enter your home through the various cracks and gaps in your home. Most commonly it enters through sump pump pits are areas where plumbing enters your home.
Testing for Radon Gas
The only way to know if you have radon in your home is to test. A professional can run a test for you or you can purchase a DIY meter or kit.
Why do we care?
Prior to becoming an agent, I never really gave radon too much thought. The EPA guidance only suggests mitigation once the radon levels hit 4.0 picocuries/liter (I don’t know what a picocurie is either).
However, I had a client last year who worked for the EPA (her specialty is water). This couple’s new home came back just over 2.0, which is within the EPA guidelines as “safe”. The client told me they would still have a radon mitigation system installed before they moved in because a 2.0 is equivalent to smoking a couple of cigarettes a day.
When I googled this stat, I found that a radon level of 4.0 pCi/L is the equivalent of smoking a pack of cigarettes per day. Radon is the second-highest cause of lung cancer.
The highest reading I am aware of in a home was 18. “You mean 1.8?” “No. Eighteen.” No surprise, the buyer requested a radon mitigation system be installed prior to closing on the sale!
Our Radon Levels
The Mathematician and I didn’t have a professional test for radon before we moved in. (It’s helpful to my clients to know some of my recommendation stem from my own mistakes.). Once we started regularly started exercising in our basement, I ordered a meter off the dreaded Amazon (Guys, my Amazon Prime-less life is not going so great. I’ll update soon).
I kept an eye on the long-term average and it was hovering around 2.0 so I wasn’t too worried. over the past year or so, I saw the number creeping up around 2.75.
Then The Mathematician started making noise about finishing the basement (because his cousin and our neighbor stirred his competitive DIY instincts). You know I’m a sucker for a project, so I was all ears. However, if we were going to be spending a lot of time down there watching TV or hanging out, I wanted to proactively mitigate any radon gas.
It turns out, when I checked the meter again, the long-term average had shot up to 4.0 so I was glad I looked. I secured a contractor recommendation from our friend S, the HOA president. He was able to quote me the same day using photos of my sump pump area and some basic information about our house. He slid us into his schedule about 2 weeks out.
How to Mitigate
Active mitigation of radon gas is a two pronged attack. First, seal up any areas where the radon is entering the home. Second, install a fan system to draw the gas out to the exterior, where the gas can dissipate.
The mitigation system creates a negative pressure zone beneath your home’s foundation. The fan draws the radon gas from the soil under the home and vents it to the exterior. These systems can get your radon levels to less than 1.0, sometimes pretty close to zero. There is no way to guarantee the levels remain at zero. If a contractor tells you they’ll get you to continuous zero, you should view him with some suspicion.
There are a few different types of systems available. Your contractor will use one that will work effectively with your foundation type (e.g. a poured basement may need a different system from a crawl space foundation).
Installation
Installation typically takes one day. There’s some noise due to the need to drill through your foundation for the exterior vent, but otherwise it’s pretty painless for the homeowner.
Now, our sump pump runs ALL THE TIME. If we’ve had rain recently, it might cycle on every 2-3 minutes for a few hours. We also have a water-powered backup sump pump because, well, DTE and our now-frequent power outages for “equipment failure”.
Well, sure enough, the radon contractor goes into our sump pit and . . . the regular pump is dead. It’s timing is impeccable. First, because I don’t know how long it would have been before we figured it out. Second, because the contractor has a new sump pump in his van that he can install while he is here.
The contractor will need access to the installation area in your basement and to the foundation on the exterior of your home where the vent will pop out. Below is the completed installation.
The fan noise makes a quiet noise, but I’m sure it will fade into the background after we get used to it. Don’t mind my green hose running from the dehumidifier!
Cost
Let’s talk system cost. If you ask a real estate agent how much a mitigation system costs, we’re going to spit out $1200 for a typical install, give or take. It could be more or could be less depending on your system, but that’s a pretty good ballpark. Mine was in this range, but then of course I had to upgrade to the energy efficient fan and fork out extra cash for the new sump pump.
The fan itself can last 5-10 years, depending on the type/brand and also the structure of the venting. The fan runs continuously, so that little thing is just going to go until his heart gives out. According to multiple websites, the fan should cost around $100 per year to operate. My installer said probably less because it’s basically equivalent to a powering a light bulb.
When the fan dies, you can have a contractor come in and switch it out for a new one. It will cost less than the installation because it is just a part replacement.
Thanks for joining my basement adventure this week. As always, I’m here to help with all your homeownering questions!
This Post Has One Comment
Good article. I hadn’t really gone this deep into it so it was an education for me! Thanks!