Discovering that your home has high radon levels can be a source of immediate anxiety. After all, radon is a colorless, odorless, radioactive gas that stands as the second leading cause of lung cancer worldwide. However, there is a silver lining: radon is one of the most manageable environmental hazards to fix. So, how does radon mitigation work?
What Is Radon Mitigation?
At its simplest, radon mitigation is any process used to reduce radon gas concentrations in the breathing zones of occupied buildings. Because radon is pulled into a home from the soil due to a natural vacuum effect (where the air pressure inside your home is lower than the pressure in the soil beneath it), mitigation focuses on reversing that pressure or giving the gas a different path to follow.
The Gold Standard: Active Soil Depressurization (ASD)
The most common and effective method for fixing high radon levels is Active Soil Depressurization. This system doesn’t try to “filter” the air inside your home; instead, it stops the radon from ever entering in the first place.
How Does Radon Mitigation Work?
So, you’ve recently received a high radon test result, and you know the solution lies in radon mitigation. But how does a radon mitigation system work, and what should you expect when you decide to get rid of radon for good?
If you hire a professional to install a mitigation system, the process usually follows a specific technical blueprint designed to bypass your living space.
1. The Suction Pit: The technician begins by drilling a hole through your basement floor or slab. They remove a few gallons of soil from beneath the concrete to create a “suction pit.” This small void creates a centralized area where the radon gas can collect.
2. The Vent Pipe: A PVC pipe is inserted into this hole and sealed airtight. This pipe runs from the sub-slab area, up through the house (often through a closet or garage), or out the side of the house and up past the roofline.
3. The Radon Fan: This is the “active” part of the system. A specialized, continuously running fan is installed in the piping, usually in an attic or on the exterior of the house. The fan creates a permanent vacuum beneath the slab. Because the air pressure under the house is now lower than the pressure inside the house, the radon is “sucked” into the pipe rather than seeping through cracks in the floor.
4. Safe Exhaust: The fan pushes the radon gas up the pipe and vents it safely into the atmosphere above the roofline, where it quickly dissipates and becomes harmless.
Common Ways to Get Rid of Radon
While Active Soil Depressurization is the most popular, the “right” way to get rid of radon depends on your home’s construction:
- Drain Tile Suction: Some homes have perforated drain tiles around the foundation. A mitigation system can sometimes be “tapped” into these tiles to draw radon from the entire perimeter of the home.
- Sump Pit Suction: If your home has a sump pump, the pit can often be capped and sealed, turning it into the primary suction point for the radon system.
Can I Fix Radon Myself?
Many homeowners wonder if they can simply “air out” the house or seal cracks to fix the problem.
Why it doesn’t work: While sealing foundation cracks is a good practice, it is rarely a standalone solution. Radon is a gas… It can move through pores in concrete and microscopic gaps that caulk can’t reach. And while opening windows will lower radon levels temporarily, it is not a permanent or energy-efficient solution. In some cases, opening basement windows can actually create a “stack effect” that pulls more radon in.
In the end, radon mitigation requires specialized knowledge of airflow, pressure diagnostics, and local building codes. A poorly installed system can actually increase radon levels or backdraft carbon monoxide from your furnace into the home.
What to Expect After Radon Mitigation
Once a system is installed, you should notice a few things:
- A U-Tube Manometer: This is a small, clear tube filled with colored liquid installed on your vent pipe. It doesn’t measure radon levels, but it shows you at a glance that the fan is working by creating a pressure imbalance in the liquid.
- Post-Mitigation Testing: You should always re-test your home 24 to 72 hours after the system is turned on. This confirms the system is performing as intended and that levels have dropped below the EPA’s action level of 4.0 pCi/L.
- Quiet Operation: Modern radon fans are designed to be quiet. You might hear a soft hum, but it shouldn’t be louder than a standard refrigerator.
Take Control of Your Air Quality With Radon Murphy
Radon may be invisible to the senses, but it shouldn’t be ignored. While you can’t see, smell, or taste this silent gas, you have the power to control it and protect your home’s air quality. As your local mitigation experts, we’re here to turn that uncertainty into peace of mind by providing professional, reliable solutions tailored to your space.
Don’t leave your family’s safety to chance… Take the first step toward a healthier home and contact Murphy Radon today for a consultation.