Radon gas poses serious health issues, regardless whether you will be living in the house or want to sell it to another family. Since radon can be hard and expensive to get rid of, some homeowners try to look for less expensive and easier methods to eliminate it. One idea that people think of is reducing the humidity levels in the house, expecting the radon levels to reduce too. This is where the use of a dehumidifier comes into play. This article gives information regarding the use of a dehumidifier to deal with radon gas.
Is a Dehumidifier Useful in Reducing Radon Gas Levels?
Studies show that radon removal methods like active soil depressurization (ASD) not only reduce radon levels in your house but also help dehumidify the home. On the other hand, a dehumidifier will not have a huge effect on radon gas levels in your house. In fact, a dehumidifier can only achieve 8% to 25% of the total moisture capacity eliminated by ASD. These statistics show that a dehumidifier might not be very effective in reducing the levels of radon gas.
To reduce radon levels in the house, you need a powerful fan plus a closed and unidirectional vent system that will help push the radon out. It is clear that a dehumidifier is not powerful enough to do this. A dehumidifier has two main sections and its front part is made to draw in room temperature and run it through cold coils so the water can be condensed and collected into the container. Once the air is processed, it is reheated and blown back into the room.
Therefore, it does not make a lot of sense that a dehumidifier can remove radon gas. As much as you would want this to be true, it is not possible. Radon is a gas, meaning it does not end up in the water hose or water collection container. Even if the gas was separated in the dehumidifier, it would still be pushed into the same air through the back.
Radon Testing by Professionals
Radon testing is conducted using both short-term and long-term methods. Short-term tests need a minimum of 48 hours of data collection in the house but can take a week to complete. Long-term tests, on the other hand, last for more than three months.
Although short-term tests are conducted fast, they do not tell the entire radon story. Since radon levels fluctuate after some time, it is good to have several data points, which can be averaged out. Another thing is that most radon test kits have been found to be inaccurate by about 25%. In addition, some home sellers think they can trick radon testing when doing a real estate transaction. Also, trying to time a radon test to the elements like wind strength, outside temperature, and barometric pressure can be quite frustrating.
Radon Remediation by Experts
As previously mentioned, using a dehumidifier can be very ineffective for getting rid of radon in the house. Therefore, it is important to consider using the help of professionals to eliminate radon.
After conducting the test, a radon mitigation professional determines the kind of mitigation system that they are going to use to eliminate the radon. Most radon mitigation plans use a fan to pull out air from the soil and exhaust it into the outdoors using a pipe. This pipe can be run inside or outside the house and it discharges outside. While this is being done, cracks and openings in the foundation will be sealed. Sealing is great because it limits radon flow and makes the mitigation process quite effective.
What is the Cost of Radon Remediation?
The cost for radon removal depends on the radon removal system used and the way your house is built. However, costs range from $800 to $2,000. Working with a qualified radon expert can help you get the best price for the removal.
From the information given in this article, it is clear to say that a dehumidifier does not help so much with radon gas removal. Radon gas also rises and falls inside the house and it can be a bit hard to gauge the seriousness of the radon gas problem you are having. If your house has serious radon issues, you might need to look for professional help instead of seeking inexpensive options like using a dehumidifier. Professionals will come and do a test in your house to evaluate the radon levels you are dealing with then come up with a remediation plan to get the problem solved as soon as possible.
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