As you may have heard from us before, testing your home for radon is an extremely important action to take for your lung health. Radon being the second leading cause of lung cancer (second only to smoking) is something we should all be mindful of no matter where we reside. Once you have taken the crucial first step in testing your home for radon some of you may get an undesirable result in the form of an elevated radon test result. Having your home test high for radon can be a very stressful thing, so what is the next step? In this article, we are going to go over the easiest and least stressful plan of attack to rid your home of radon gas.
1.) Learn More About Your Test Reading
Once you have received your test results, give your local radon mitigation expert a call and have them explain what those results mean. If you live in the U.S, the EPA recommends taking action if your home tests at 4.0 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) or above. The World Health Organization however has taken a more cautious approach to its recommendation and sets its action level at 2.7 pCi/L.
2.) Find the Right Radon Mitigation Company to Work With
If you live in an area that is known to have a high probability of elevated radon levels there will be many different radon mitigation companies to choose from.
In our experience, a good radon company has the following:
Reputation
A truly great radon company has the proof to back its claims up. Check the companies Google, Home Advisor, Angie’s List, Social Media, and Better Business Bureau reviews to read about prior customer experiences. Chances are if the company has poor reviews or no reviews at all you may end up unsatisfied with the finished product.
Experience
Radon mitigation is different for every home, so a one size fits all system is not something that should exist. Companies with lots of experience have seen all types of homes and have the knowledge required to do each job right the first time. Experienced companies also have the ability to provide more placement options for the system which is important for the aesthetics of the home.
License and insurance
Due to the nonexistence of state regulations (in Wisconsin) requiring radon companies to hold a license, there are many “Chuck-in-a-truck” type installers trying to get into the radon business. Companies who are not certified for radon mitigation by organizations such as AARST and the NRPP may end up installing a system that doesn’t work properly, or even cause irreparable damage to your home with no insurance to reimburse you.
3.) Have a Radon Mitigation System Installed
Once you have picked the right company to install a radon mitigation system in your home, it’s time to start the installation. As mentioned before, there are multiple options for mitigation depending on the home. The three main factors a good radon company will consider with regard to placement of the system are aesthetics, effectiveness, and EPA/AARST/NRPP standards.
When the radon technician enters your home for the first time, ask them to show you multiple options for installation and their thought processes behind each location. You may then choose which spot you are most comfortable with having the system placed. In many homes, the only option is the run the radon system from the basement to the exterior of the home to vent above the roofline. However, if the home has an attached garage and unfinished basement sharing a common wall with the said garage, the system can be run up through the garage to vent through the roof for a more aesthetically pleasing option.
4.) Keep Up With Retesting and Minor Maintenance
After you’ve had a radon mitigation system installed in your home and retested with acceptable results, you can finally relax for a while. Radon systems do not require too much maintenance from the homeowner, the main things we recommend that you do are:
- Retest the home every two years to ensure that the system is still working as it should (EPA Recommendation)
- Keep an eye on the manometer (U-tube) that is installed on the system to show that the fan is still creating vacuum pressure under the slab of your home. Watch the video below to learn more about the U-tube on your system
So as you can see, maintaining your radon mitigation system is very simple and painless. If you have any issues with your system such as a loud fan, or a loss of vacuum pressure, give your installer a call!
5.) Inform your Friends and Family
Radon gas is not something to take lightly and unfortunately much of the public is unaware of its dangers. If you have a good experience with the company that installed your system, tell your friends and family! A referral to a radon company can save lives!
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