What is a radon mitigation? 

A radon mitigation system lowers the amount of radon in your home, making your home safe and radon free.  This can be accomplished in several ways depending on the construction of the home or office building.  Homes and buildings with a basement may utilize subslab suction, drain tile suction, sump hole suction or block wall suction.   Crawlspace homes utilize a submembrane depressurization.

Basement and Slab on Grade Active subslab suction is the most common and usually the most reliable method of reducing Radon.  Suction pipes are inserted through the floor slab into the gravel or soil underneath.  Pipes may also be inserted below the concrete the concrete slab from outside the house.  The number and location of the suction pipes depends on how easily air can move in the crushed rock or soil under the slab, and on the strenght of the radon source.  A fan connected to the pipes acts like a vacuum cleaner and draws the radon gas from below the building and releases it into the outdoor air.  Passive subslab suction is the same concept, however air currents are used instead of a fan to draw the radon.  Passive subslab suction is generally not as effective in reducing radon as active subslab suction.  Drain tile suction is often effective in reducing radon levels if the drain tiles form a complete loop around the foundation of the building.

Click on the picture to watch a        video about Radon Reduction.      Sources: Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection : Bureau of Radiation Protection. http://www.dep.state.pa.us/brp/Radon_Division/Radon_Homepage.htm

Sump hole suction is a variation of subslab and drain tile suction.  When a building has a basement with a sump pump to remove unwanted water, the sump can be capped so it can continue to drain water and serve as a location for the radon suction pipe.

Block wall suction can be used in basements with hollow block foundation walls.  This method removes radon from the hollow spaces within the basement's concrete block wall and is often used with subslab suction.

Crawlspace

Submembrane Depressurization can be used in reducing radon levels in crawlspace houses.  This involves covering the earth floor with a heavy plastic sheet.  A vent pipe an fan are uses to draw the radon from under the sheet and vent it to the outdoors. 

Contact us to give you an estimate for a radon mitigation in your home or office building.