f you know a little bit about radon, you know that it can get into your home through cracks in the foundation of your home.
Because of that, we are often asked if coating basement floors can help mitigate radon.
Many people who ask this question aren’t sure if they have a radon problem or not, they just want to get ahead of it if they do.
Our first recommendation is to test your home for radon to see if you have elevated levels.
If you do have elevated levels, you should install a radon mitigation system with a trusted company like Pine Breeze Mitigation.
But, does an epoxy coating on your basement floor help in the fight against elevated levels of radon?
In the article below, we will talk about epoxy coatings and other floor sealing systems and their impact on radon transmission into your home.
CAN RADON ENTER MY HOME THROUGH MY BASEMENT’S CONCRETE SLAB?
The only way to know if radon is entering your home is with special instruments or test kits.
Radon is a tiny atom, so it can move through many materials, including concrete.
If air and moisture move through your unsealed concrete slab, that air will transport radon gas, if it’s present in the soil.
Having open cracks and joints in your concrete slab will make the transmission of radon gas into your home even easier.
Will Sealing My Basement Floor Lower Radon Levels?
Unfortunately, the only answer we have to this question is maybe.
Again, the only way to ensure you are removing radon from your home is with a mitigation system.
Sealing the basement floor can help, but just sealing the cracks is unlikely to reduce your radon levels in the long term.
Sealing all cracks and applying non-porous, thick epoxy coatings would be a better step.
Keep in mind, though, that the acrylic and other soak-in sealers marketed as radon mitigation systems are untested solutions.
Some states have even issued consumer notices warning against their use.
According to the EPA, basement coatings should be coupled with a sub-slab depressurization system.
A sub-slab depressurization system will prevent radon from entering the home by drawing the radon from beneath the house and venting it with a fan to the outside air.
Once it’s outside, it’s diluted beyond any harmful amount.
CAN I SEAL MY BASEMENT FLOOR MYSELF AND LOWER RADON LEVELS?
The answer to any do-it-yourself radon mitigation solution should always be no.
Remember, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer, and lung cancer kills more Americans than any other cancer.
Radon mitigation should be left to the professionals.
We’ve also already mentioned that many DIY solutions marketed to homeowners have consumer notices issued by state and federal agencies warning against their use.
And, the successful application of any high build coating system isn’t easy.
It requires:
- The preparation of the concrete surface using methods that are difficult and dangerous for homeowners
- Filling of all cracks and construction joints with appropriate materials.
- Mixing, spreading, and rolling out high-quality, 100% solids resin systems that will not shrink or create porous conditions during their curing process.
Also, the costs of doing a high-quality system as a DIY project is going to be labor-intensive, time-consuming, and still very costly.
You aren’t saving much, if anything, versus hiring a licensed, professional floor coatings company.
And, when it’s all said and done, we’ve already mentioned that sealing the floor most likely will not be enough to reduce the radon levels to safe levels.
Radon mitigation will more than likely still be required.
Pine Breeze Mitigation Is Here To Help
This article should answer the question of whether or not you should seal your basement floor to protect against radon.
Sealing your basement floor is an excellent first step. However, you will still need a radon mitigation system if there are elevated levels o radon in your home.
Pine Breeze Mitigation can test your home for radon.
And, if necessary, they can install a radon mitigation system for your home.
Radon poisoning is very real and very dangerous, so every home should be tested for radon.
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