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A Consumer’s Guide to Radon ReductionConsumer’sThe ContractAsk the contractor to prepare a contract before any work starts. Carefully readthe contract before you sign it. Make sure everything in the contract matches theoriginal proposal. The contract should describe exactly what work will be doneprior to and during the installationof the system, what the system consistsof, and how the system will operate.Many contractors provide a guaranteethat they will adjust or modify thesystem to reach a negotiated radonlevel. Carefully read the conditionsof the contract describing theguarantee. Carefully consideroptional additions to your contractwhich may add to the initial cost ofthe system, but may be worth theextra expense. Typical options might include an extended warranty, a service plan,and/or improved aesthetics.Important information that should appear in the contract includes:The total cost of the jobes and permit fees; how much,job,, including all taxtaxeshowequired for a deposit; and when payment is due in full.any,, is rrequirequiredif anyThe time needed to complete the work.work.An agreement bbyy the contractor to obtain necessarwagreementnecessaryy permits and follofollowrequired building codes.equiredA statement that the contractor carries liability insurance and is bondedand insured to protect yyouou in case of injurinsuredprotectinjuryy to persons, or damage topropertyk is being done.properopertyty,, while the worworkA guarantee that the contractor will be rresponsibleesponsible for damage during thejob and clean-up after the job.Details of any guarantee to rreduceeduce radon below a negotiated level.belowlevel.Details of warranties or other optional features associated with thefeatureshardwarhardwardwaree components of the mitigation system.A declaration stating whether any warranties or guarantees araree transferableour home.if yyouou sell yyourA description of what the contractor expects the homeowner to dohomeowner(e.g., make the work area accessible) befork begins.workareabeforee worwork6U.S. EPA, 402-K-06-094, Revised December 2006

A Consumer’s Guide to Radon ReductionConsumer’sWHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A RADONREDUCTION SYSTEMIn selecting a radon reduction method for your home, you and your contractorshould consider several things, including: how high your initial radon level is,the costs of installation and system operation, your house size, and yourfoundation type.Installation andOperating CostsThe cost of a contractor fixing a homegenerally ranges from 800 to 2500,depending on the characteristics of thehouse and choice of radon reductionmethods. The average cost of a radonreduction system is about 1200.Most types of radon reductionsystems cause some loss of heated orair conditioned air, which couldincrease your utility bills. How muchyour utility bills increase will depend on the climate you live in, what kind ofreduction system you select, and how your house is built. Systems that use fans aremore effective in reducing radon levels; however, they will slightly increase yourelectric bill. The table on page 16 lists the installation and average operating costsfor different radon reduction systems and describes the best use of each method.U.S. EPA, 402-K-06-094 Revised December 20067

A Consumer’s Guide to Radon ReductionConsumer’sRADON REDUCTION TECHNIQUESThere are several methods that a contractorcan use to lower radon levels in yourhome. Some techniques prevent radonfrom entering your home while others reduceradon levels after it has entered. EPA generallyrecommends methods which prevent the entryof radon. S oil suctionsuction, for example, preventsradon from entering your home by drawingthe radon from below the house and venting itthrough a pipe, or pipes, to the air above thehouse where it is quickly diluted.Any information that you may have aboutthe construction of your house could helpyour contractor choose the best system.Your contractor will perform a visual inspection of your house and design a systemthat considers specific features of your house. If this inspection fails to provideenough information, the contractor may need to perform diagnostic tests duringthe initial phase of the installation to help develop the best radon reduction systemfor your home. For instance, your contractor can use chemical smoke to find thesource and direction of air movement. A contractor can learn air flow sources anddirections by watching a small amount of smoke that he or she shot into holes,drains, sumps, or along cracks. The sources of air flow show possible radon routes.A contractor may have concerns about backdrafting of combustion appliances whenconsidering radon mitigation options, and may recommend that the homeownerhave the appliance(s) checked by a qualified inspector.Another type of diagnostic test is a "soil communication test." This test uses avacuum cleaner and chemical smoke to determine how easily air can move from onepoint to another under the foundation. By inserting a vacuum cleaner hose in onesmall hole and using chemical smoke in a second small hole, a contractor can see ifthe smoke is pulled down into the second hole by the force of the vacuum cleaner'ssuction. Watching the smoke during a soil communication test helps a contractordecide if certain radon reduction systems would work well in your house.Whether diagnostic tests are needed is decided by details specific to your house,such as the foundation design, what kind of material is under your house, and bythe contractor's experience with similar houses and similar radon test results.8U.S. EPA, 402-K-06-094, Revised December 2006

A Consumer’s Guide to Radon ReductionConsumer’sHouse Foundation TypesYour house type will affect the kind of radon reduction system that will work best.Houses are generally categorized according to their foundation design. For example:basementbasement, slab-on-grade (concrete poured at ground level), or crawlspace(a shallow unfinished space under the first floor). Some houses have more thanone foundation design feature. For instance, it is common to have a basementunder part of the house and to have a slab-on-grade or crawlspace under the restof the house. In these situations a combination of radon reduction techniques maybe needed to reduce radon levels to below 4 pCi/L.Radon reduction systems can be grouped by house foundation design. Find yourtype of foundation design above and read about which radon reduction systemsmay be best for your house.Basement and Slab-on-Grade HousesIn houses that have a basement or a slab-on-grade foundation, radon is usuallyreduced by one of four types of soil suction: subslab suctionsuction, drain tile suctionsuction,sump hole suctionsuction, or block wall suctionsuction.A ctivctivee subslab suction (also called n) is the most common andusually the most reliable radon reductionmethod. One or more suction pipes areinserted through the floor slab into thecrushed rock or soil underneath. They alsomay be inserted below the concrete slabfrom outside the house. The number andlocation of suction pipes that are neededdepends on how easily air can move inthe crushed rock or soil under the slab,and on the strength of the radon source.Often, only a single suction point is needed.U.S. EPA, 402-K-06-094 Revised December 20069

A Consumer’s Guide to Radon ReductionConsumer’sA contractor usually gets this information from visual inspection, from diagnostictests, and/or from experience. A radon vent fan connected to the suction pipe(s)draws the radon gas from below the house and releases it into the outdoor airwhile simultaneously creating a negative pressure (vacuum) beneath the slab.Common fan locations include unconditioned house and garage spaces, includingattics, and the exterior of the house.Passive subslab suction is the same as active subslab suction except it relies on naturalpressure differentials and air currents instead of a fan to draw radon up from belowthe house. Passive subslab suction is usually associated with radon-resistant featuresinstalled in newly constructed homes (see p. 14). Passivassivee subslab suction is generallynot as effective in reducing high radon levels as active subslab suction.forated pipe to direct water away from theSome houses have drain tiles or perperforatedfoundation of the house. Suction on these tiles or pipes is often effective inreducing radon levels.One variation of subslab and drain tile suction is sump hole suctionsuction. Often, whena house with a basement has a sump pump to remove unwanted water, the sumpcan be capped so that it can continue to drain water and serve as the location for aradon suction pipe.Block wall suction can be used in basement houses with hollow block foundationwalls. This method removes radon and depressurizes the block wall, similar tosubslab suction. This method is often used in combination with subslab suction.Crawlspace HousesAn effective method to reduce radon levels in crawlspace houses involves coveringthe earth floor with a high-density plastic sheet. A vent pipe and fan are used todraw the radon from under the sheet and vent it to the outdoors. This form of soiloperly applied is the mostsuction is called submembrane suction, and when prproperlyeffectiveduce radon levels in crawlspace houses. Another less-favorableeffectivee way to rreducelevelsoption is active crawlspace depressurization which involves drawing air directlyfrom the crawlspace using a fan. This technique generally does not work as well assubmembrane suction and requires special attention to combustion appliancebackdrafting and sealing the crawlspace from other portions of the house, and mayalso result in increased energy costs due to loss of conditioned air from the house.In some cases, radon levels can be lowered by ventilating the crawlspace passively(without the use of a fan) or actively (with the use of a fan). Crawlspace ventilationmay lower indoor radon levels both by reducing the home's suction on the soil and bydiluting the radon beneath the house. Passive ventilation in a crawlspace is achieved10U.S. EPA, 402-K-06-094, Revised December 2006

A Consumer’s Guide to Radon ReductionConsumer’sby opening vents, or installing additional vents. Active ventilation uses a fan to blowair through the crawlspace instead of relying on natural air circulation. In colderclimates, for either passive or active crawlspace ventilation, water pipes, sewerlines and appliances in the crawlspace may need to be insulated against the cold.These ventilation options could result in increased energy costs for the house.Other Types of Radon Reduction MethodsOther radon reduction techniques that can be used in any type of houseinclude: sealing, house/room pressurization, heat recovery ventilation, andnatural ventilation.S ealing cracks and other openings in the foundation is a basic part of mostapproaches to radon reduction. Sealing the cracks limits the flow of radon intoyour home thereby making other radon reduction techniques more effective andcost-efficient. It also reduces the loss of conditioned air. EPA does not recommendthe use of sealing alone to reduce radon because, by itself, sealing has not been shownto lower radon levels significantly or consistently. It is difficult to identify andpermanently seal the places where radon is entering. Normal settling of yourhouse opens new entry routes and reopens old ones.oom pressurization uses a fan to blow air into the basement or living areaHouse/rouse/roompressurizationfrom either upstairs or outdoors. It attempts to create enough pressure at the lowestlevel indoors (in a basement for example) to prevent radon from entering into thehouse. The effectiveness of this technique is limited by house construction,climate, other appliances in the house, and occupant lifestyle. In order to maintainenough pressure to keep radon out, the doors and windows at the lowest level mustnot be left opened, except for normal entry and exit. This approach generallyresults in more outdoor air being introduced into the home, which can causemoisture intrusion and energy penalties. Consequently, this technique should only beconsidered after the other, more-common techniques have not sufficiently reduced radon.ecoentilator (HRHRV ), also called an air-to-air heat exchangerA heat rrecoecovvereryy vventilatorHRVexchangerchanger, can beinstalled to increase ventilation which will help reduce the radon levels in your home.An HRV will increase ventilation by introducing outdoor air while using the heatedor cooled air being exhausted to warm or cool the incoming air. HRVs can bedesigned to ventilate all or part of your home, although they are more effective inreducing radon levels when used to ventilate only the basement. If properly balancedand maintained, they ensure a constant degree of ventilation throughout the year.HRVs also can improve air quality in houses that have other indoor pollutants.There could be significant increase in the heating and cooling costs with an HRV,but not as great as ventilation without heat recovery (see p.16).U.S. EPA, 402-K-06-094 Revised December 200611

A Consumer’s Guide to Radon ReductionConsumer’sentilation occurs in all houses. By opening windows, doors, andSome natural vventilationvents on the lower floors you increase the ventilation in your house. This increasein ventilation mixes outdoor air with the indoor air containing radon, and canresult in reduced radon levels. However, once windows, doors and vents are closed,radon concentrations most often return to previous values within about 12 hours.Natural ventilation in any type of house should normally be regarded as only atemporary radon reduction approach because of the following disadvantages: loss ofconditioned air and related discomfort, greatly increased costs of conditioning additionaloutside air, and security concerns.CHECKING YOUR CONTRACTOR’S WORKBelow is a list of basic installation requirements that your contractor shouldmeet when installing a radon reduction system in your home. It isimportant to verify with your contractor that the radon mitigation standardsare properly met to ensure that your radon reduction system will be effective.You can also check with your state radon office to see if there are staterequirements that your contractor must meet.Radon rreductioneduction systems must be clearly labeled. This will avoid accidental changesavoidto the system which could disruptitsfunction.disruptThe exhaust pipe(s) of soil suction systems must vventent aboface of the rroofoofabovve the sursurfaceound, and at least 10 feet away from windows,moree aboabovve the grground,fromwindows,and 10 feet or mordoors, or other openings that could allow the radon to rreentereenter the house, if theallowexhaust pipe(s) do not vventent at least 2 feet aboabovve these openings.The exhaust fan must not be located in or below a livable area. Fbelowlivablearea.Foror instance, itshould be in an unoccupied attic of the house or outside — not in a basement!If installing an exhaust fan outside, the contractor must install a fan that meetslocal building codes for exterior use.Electrical connections of all activeduction systems must be installedactivee radon rreductionaccording to local electrical codes.accordingA warning device must be installed to alerou if an activkingalertt yyouactivee system stops worworkingproperlyxamples of system failure: a liquid gauge, a soundproperlyoperly. EExamplesfailuree warning devices arare:alarm, a light indicatorindicator,, and a dial (needle display) gauge. The warning device mustbe placed wherd easilywheree it can be seen or hearheardeasily. Your contractor should check that thewarning device works. Later on, if yyourour monitor shows that the system is notworks.showsworking properlyworkingproperlyoperly,, call a contractor to havhavee it checked.12U.S. EPA, 402-K-06-094, Revised December 2006

A Consumer’s Guide to Radon ReductionConsumer’sA post-mitigation radon test should be done within 30 days of system installation,but no sooner than 24 hours after yyourour system is in operation with the fan on, if ithas one. The contractor may performk andperform a post-mitigation test to check his worworkeness of the system; how everecommend that yyouou also get anthe initial effectiveverer,, it is rrecommendeffectivenesshowindependent follow-up radon measurement. Having an independent tester performfollow-upmeasurement.Havingperformthe test, or conducting the measurement yyourselfourselfmeasurementourself,, will eliminate any potentialconflict of interest. To test the system's effectiveness, a 2-7 day measurement isinterest.effectiveness,measurementrecommended. Test conditions: windows and doors must be closed 12 hours beforwindowsbeforeecept for normal entry/exit.and during the test, exexceptentry/exit.M ake surour contractor completely explains yyourour radon rreductioneduction system,suree yyourw it operates, and explains how to maintain it. Ask for writtenhowhowdemonstrates hooperating and maintenance instructions and copies of any warranties.instructionsLIVING IN A HOUSE WITH A RADONREDUCTION SYSTEMMaintaining Your Radon Reduction SystemSimilar to a furnace or chimney, radon reduction systems need some occasionalmaintenance. You should look at your warning device on a regular basis to makesure the system is working correctly. Fans may last for five years or more(manufacturer warranties tend not to exceed five years) and may then need to berepaired or replaced. Replacing a fan will cost around 200 - 350 including partsand labor. It is a good idea to retest your home at least every two years to be sureradon levels remain low.Remember, the fan should NEVER be turned off; it must run continuously for thesystem to work correctly.The filter in an HRV requires periodic cleaning and should be changed twice a year.Replacement filters for an HRV are easily changed and are priced between 10 and 25. Ask your contractor where filters can be purchased. Also, the vent that bringsfresh air in from the outside needs to be inspected for leaves and debris. The ventilatorshould be checked annually by a heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning professionalto make sure the air flow remains properly balanced. HRVs used for radon controlshould run all the time.U.

Choose a qualified radon mitigation contractor to fix your home. Start by checking with your state radon office (see p. 17). Many states require radon professionals to be licensed, certified, or registered. You can also contact private radon proficiency programs for lists of privately certified radon professionals in your area.