Radon Mediation

[mzm]

How effective is radon mediation when the house is testing at 9.7?

[Joseph Meehan]

It is difficult to guess as each application is different. However I would suggest that when it is done properly it is almost always very effective. The trick is to have someone who is knowledgeable and honest do the work.

[Tom The Great]

imho:

Each type has its own success ratio.

I found this,

it says subslab suction, low range it only 50% so you can get down to

4.85, which is still over the 4 action limit. So worse case it seems that subslab suction will have to be used in conjunction with another technique like sealing cracks and seams.

Good luck, please keep us up todate to yoru success.

later,

tom @

[Pat]

9.7 where. If that's in the basement, you might have success. It that on the first floor, then wow.

Age of house plays a factor, too. Newer ones are tighter.

You don't happen to have a drainage system under your slab, do you?

Do you have a basement or a crawl space or what?

[mzm]

The test was done in a basement, if the sellers didn't move the canister. I am really nervous about this especially because I have a four year old, and we are making a choice to maybe move into this house. The house is 18 years old, and yes it does have a drainage system under the slab.

[mzm]

Thanks for the info. I am not too confortable with these percentages. I am waiting till tomorrow to speak with some local mitigators.

[Pat]

You need professional help :-))

If might be able to install a sub-soil abatement system. You effectively venilate the subsoil. You hook up a pump and pump air into the drainage field at various locations. Then you try to go to the other side and suck out air. But you need a pretty good, rough stone bed under the house. See if you can find someone who knows how to handle it. Then you seal the basement walls, too. You also have to examine your make-up air. If your dryer is on the first floor and you turn it on, where is the air coming from. You don't want to draw up basement air and bring that into the living space. Same for furnace (esp. forced air), air conditioning, etc. etc.

You might also be able to ventilate the heck out of the basement and just keep it from coming up. Might work in warmer climates but not in colder ones.

If you can get a good abatement plan, you'll be fine. But it'll cost money, so get an estimate before you buy. You'll need to talk to the seller. That's the GOOD news.

The bad news is that radon comes from underground rock formations. If you have it in one area, you'll probably have it in other areas that are nearby. So if you want to live in that area, you'll have to deal with it.

I don't want to be all gloom and doom. I just think you should examine it before you decide. Professional help is available. So, if you're not in love with the house and not willing to invest some time (and maybe money) to see if this house is feasible, cut your losses and move on. If you are, it makes sense to do your homework BEFORE you buy.

Breathe deeply and put your emotions about homebuying aside, if you are buying. Spend the time (and money) to get the reports and information you need before you buy. If a report comes back bad, don't be afraid to walk from a just because you've invested money in it. That's part of the process. But if the reports are good, you know you're making a good choice.

[Phisherman]

Personally I'd move on and select another house. Keep in mind that radon levels vary from season to season and levels are usually highest in the lowest part of the house.

[Tom The Great]

Talk to your neighbors. Find out who they recommend, check with the BBB for any potential contractors, and read the EPA site. I belive it has suggestions about getting guarentees about a reduction level.

Good luck,

tom

[krw]

My raised ranch in NY had 12pCi/L radon in the basement. A sub- slab pump brought it down to under 3pCi/L.

[Tom The Great]

Doing simple math, that is right in the middle of the EPA's suggested

50-99% reduction. Very nice.

later,

tom @

[krw]

Yep, I was told by the mitigation company that the test used would likely show 2pCi/L if the unit was left outside.

Yep. Even nicer, it brought it under 4pCi/L so I could unload the dump on the relocation company. ;-)

[Tom The Great]

Ha ha ha ha

later,

tom @

[hallerb]

Uless yor living in a sealed basement its not too bad. The requirement for testing is house closed up.

normal living going in and out etc etc keeps levels down.

incidently in a sub surface system they just pull vacuumn in the drainage system, no new air is added.

The idea is radon moves to where the lowest pressure is, the vacuumned drain system. the basement being higher pressure gas doesnt move there.

oddly enough the lifetime risk for non smokers is really low, like one additional lung cancer in 100,000 people or more.

but for smokers the radon is terrible combo with smoking. like 10 more cases in a 100,000

of course smokers really dont care about their health or that of people around them:(

ALL radon mitigation efforts should include crack sealing etc as part of the larger job of reducing radon/

Hows the condition of the home eyond this issue?

Remember ususaally its the SELLERS resposiblity to fix the radon and have it retested before sale