How to Remove Radon Gas

This house is a unique situation and will give you some ideas on how to remove radon gas from multiple scenarios. This house has a basement, a crawl space and a sump pit. We installed 2 separate exhaust fans systems and came out successful. We always recommend seeking professional advice when dealing with harmful materials. This video will help make sense of how the abatement system could possibly look like.
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I'm Kody Horvey, owner of Up To Kode; a full service carpentry, contracting and consulting company that proudly serves Red Deer and all of Central Alberta.
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[@brettdavis9575]

Lol everyone bashing the poor guy. He said from the start he's not a pro and just trying to help a friend. He knows an expensive pro job would pass code and work better. His methods we're obviously effective cutting the level to 1/8th what it was. He could have just never tested and left it alone for his friend to be breathing deadly air and you all wouldn't be trolling him.

[@KeithWeber]

Hey that's MY house !!!! Thanks again for helping us Kody. The radon readings are nonexistent now

[@uptokode]

That’s awesome!! Glad you saw this and I’m happy the reading are staying steady.

[@KeithWeber]

Heck ya I'm getting tips for my channel:)

[@jesinbeverly]

And this is what really matters.. How you got there is less important. good job.

[@aayesher9400]

Missed opportunity to say you can see your house from here

[@markhoffman1646]

Great job. You did it very economically without going overboard

[@TheBoomtown4]

Haha! Hard to pick a winner but maybe the sump pump covered in tuck tape all hodge podge with some metal duct pipe taped to it was the funniest part?

[@bostonjackson9384]

If it works, it works. The meter doesn't lie.

[@TheBoomtown4]

Yep, and if he creates a negative air pressure from the tuck tape leaking and it starts pulling products of combustion out of the hot water heater draft hood, hopefully the carbon monoxide detector doesn’t lie either.

[@tracker335]

It works , thumbs up !

[@uptokode]

Nice!

[@justayoutuber1906]

This has a huge number of violations. Your rise/run is wrong, the connections are wrong, the pipe type is wrong. What a mess.

[@Pinsk3]

my house in oregon is 30-40 pCi/I...thats "pretty scary" not 4.

[@petebusch9069]

I'm a home inspector, keep doing this shit so I can stay in business.

[@fastrivers812]

What would you inspect for if the radon measurements are now 0? The pipe is working, the fan is working, and so is the plastic apparently.

[@petebusch9069]

@@fastrivers812 I'm not sure what your asking but I doubt you got your radon level to 0. I would inspect the installation that can be wrong, I just found one with the fan located in the basement which is completely wrong.

[@daves3819]

Very creative install. I've been researching and working on mold and radon mitigation in crawlspaces for more than 10 years. The main issue I have is with the use of sched 40 and sched 80 PVC pipe. I guess people use this just in case pressures exceed 600 psi! :) Use of these pipes is grossly over kill and unfortunately the customer is the one who pays. I even saw one fellows KZbin where he pulled out sched 40 and replaced with sched 80 .... Good Grief!! There needs to be building codes and products developed specifically for radon mitigation that helps reduce costs for the average homeowner not drive costs so only those who can afford to have this work done. The only recommendations I would have on this install are 1) As per electrical code you have to have access to the electrical panel. The way the pipe is run it is in front of the screws for the top part of the panel, and 2) if this home is heated with a gas furnace you may want to check to ensure that the radon fans aren't creating a vacuum in the house such that it is drawing furnace exhaust (including carbon monoxide) back into the house.

[@uptokode]

Great comment! I like your thinking.

[@williamsacks]

Thanks Kode!

[@brianschnurr3254]

Really informative, awesome video!

[@terryheller6510]

A reading of 4.18 pCi/l is not "pretty scary, especially in an crawl space with a gravel floor. The action level is 4.0 so this house was just barely over that. Also the fan should not be in the crawl space and you should have used PVC pipe. With the fan in the home all pipe beyond the fan is under positive pressure and the duct work you used will leak even though seams appear to be taped. I applaud your effort but you should have watched some youtube videos yourself before doing this.

[@uptokode]

Good points!

[@SimulationEvolve]

To be there pCi/l doesn't exactly mean much 2 pCi/l can be just as deadly because Radon isn't actually the problem its what comes from Radon (the short-lived daughters of radon)

[@kyledunfee4936]

I work in HVAC and deal with the radon pipe in my way all day always in PVC. The metal pipe is only used for heating and cooling

[@EternalResonance]

Definitely a helpful vid for alternatives. I saw a Ted tall on the topic and this is on its level or better

[@marchetta67]

Longtime subscriber. Love the quality information that your vids provide.

[@uptokode]

Very happy to hear that! Thank you

[@jacobtimberlake5032]

marchetta67 you should hire a pro my dude this isn’t even close to up to code even with the level being a measly 4.18

[@kookia213]

I do wonder. If the space where you stood (with the gravel underneeth the house) could have "breeth". Meaning, if the house's first floor was build on pools, and underneeth? => all wide open. Would the radeon gas still enter the house?.

[@mardigrasw]

Does the tape work on block walls?

[@uptokode]

I never trust tape especially against block or concrete. I would use acoustical sealant

[@mikegreen1095]

Not passable to building code

[@chrisingram9798]

In the grand scheme, the purpose is to just move the radon that leaches up from the ground outside to the atmosphere where it can dissipate. This might not be the industry norm for mitigation but they are getting the gasses lifted past the home and that is all that counts. Job well done.

[@uptokode]

You get it!

[@ericc9268]

Comparing what you installed to how it's done by a licensed professional seems quite different in some regards. I just had mitigation performed in a split level home that required the installation of a crawlspace membrane as well as a slab system in the slab portion of the basement. I also have a corentium detector but did not use it in any official capacity for testing. I honestly had to force myself to watch the rest of the video after seeing the pipe that you used and how it was sealed. This stuff can be done from a DIY approach but a lot of research before proceeding to determine best practices beforehand should be performed. At the very least have the home tested by a licensed nrpp professional with tests that must be calibrated before and after the mitigation. Kudos for having the stones to attempt it and get it that far, but I seriously would have a trusted professional come out to evaluate any weak points and make recommendations as well as perform real testing. If they ever sell this property they will more than likely run into problems with this install from a buyer and inspector that knows what they're looking at. Good luck!

[@bostonjackson9384]

Did your licensed professional run the ducting under the membrane?

[@ericc9268]

@@bostonjackson9384 They did, yes.

[@bostonjackson9384]

@@ericc9268 Thanks for your prompt response. I'm going to pull my membrane up and put the perforated vent pipe underneath it. It seems to make more sense.

[@ericc9268]

@@bostonjackson9384if by ducting you mean the radon system pvc pipe, they put the pipe coming from the radon fan in the attic under the membrane and then sealed it.

[@bostonjackson9384]

@@ericc9268 I am assuming where you said "attic" where you mean "crawlspace". The membrane is in the crawlspace.... they must have put perforated pvc underneath the crawlspace membrane, and then connected that pvc to some vertical ducting and a fan. They are sucking the radon out from under the crawlspace membrane and relocating it out your roof via the attic.... am I correct with all of this or am I misunderstanding something?

[@saintjohnwilson1]

What was the radon level reading upstairs ?

[@jacobtimberlake5032]

Johnny Dee most likely a two generally the level cuts in half by each floor you go up bc radon is unstable and goes through its half life in roughly 3-5 days and it’s the heaviest noble gas

[@bostonjackson9384]

@@jacobtimberlake5032 I have read that radon is 7.5 times heavier than air.

[@jjk2one]

That new floor off gasses. What to do

[@acmichels1970]

This is a mess. Lots of problem areas. Please get some training and consult with a professional first!!!!

[@henriboyea4239]

The smartest comment in this video was to let a Professional handle your mitigation. Radon is a Class-A radioactive carcinogen responsible for 21,000 lung cancer deaths/yr. in the US, and 3,200 in Canada. Protocols and Standards for proper testing and mitigation have been developed and refined over 40 years, and it is NOT ok to completely ignore them when helping out a friend. There is a very high likelihood of system failure here, and any competent home inspector will reject every bit of this if your friend ever tries to sell the home. Additionally, depending on what State or Province you are in, you may have violated laws or regulations governing radon mitigation, radon testing, and performing electrical work without a License. As I see that Kode is located in Canada, but the video shows radon measurements in pCi/L, as in the US, rather than Bq/m3, as in Canada, I will address my comments to viewers in both countries. A few of the deficiencies noted (roughly in order): 1) Metal dryer duct is not approved for radon mitigation systems. Sched. 40 PVC or equivalent, with solvent-welded joints, is. 2) Fans and positively-pressurized sections of the vent pipe may NOT be within the envelope of the house; i.e. in or under living areas in the US. This is allowed in Canada. 3) The duct in the crawlspace has improper pitch and low points which create water traps and eventually fill up with condensation, restricting airflow. 4) There are unsealed joints and seams in the duct, and tape fails over time, especially in the presence of moisture (condensation) 5) While I cannot read the entire label, I am pretty sure the fan used is not one designed for radon mitigation, and it is way oversized for that crawlspace, which wastes energy and increases the risk of backdrafting gas appliances and pulling conditioned air from the house. 6) The electrical wiring is not properly secured. 7) Radon measurements should be taken in occupiable areas, and NOT in crawlspaces. 8) The Corentium is a nice homeowner radon monitoring device, but is not an NRPP approved device for Professional or Real Estate testing, and mitigation decisions should not be based on the results. 9) You taped plywood to the floor to seal a sump? Plywood warps in the presence of moisture, and tape does not adhere to concrete over time, especially in the presence of moisture. 10) Fan is in basement: see point #2. 11) Fan is mounted horizontally, violating manufacturers installation instructions, and creating potential for the bottom of the fan housing to fill with condensation. Also, fan motors/bearings are designed to run with the fan mounted vertically. 12) Duct tape is not a suitable method to attach piping to a radon fan. Rubber Fernco couplings with hose clamps are designed to isolate vibration and prevent leakage. 13) Venting radon under the deck is not acceptable. Every Protocol and Standard that has ever existed in the US requires vent pipes to extend 6-12" above the edge of the roof. Canada allows venting at ground level, but venting below a deck exposes those on the deck to concentrated radon exhaust, and creates potential for radon to re-enter the home through doors or windows. 14) Vent piping may not extend across an electrical panel. I believe this violates the Electrical Code as well as Radon Mitigation Standards. 15) Once again, electrical wiring is not properly secured. 16) Neither of the vent pipes has a required fan performance monitoring device, which let's one know if fan performance changes over time, indicating possible problems. I am glad the radon concentrations have been reduced in this house for now, at least according to the homeowner monitoring device, but you have installed systems almost guaranteed to fail, and to cause problems with the resale of this home. It is nice that you are concerned about radon, and wanted to help out a friend, but next time take your own advice and call a Professional who has knowledge and training. I speak from 22 years of experience as a Radon Professional.

[@OneclickOutside]

I did a test in my basement out of curiosity, but taking my chances. I put radon on my asbestos sandwiches for lunch.

[@jjk2one]

Radon is a catch phrase for superfund site plumes

[@zx10rpower17]

💯💯💯👏 As for the electrical panel; there needs to be 3ft of working space around the panel, and at least 6.5ft head room space. That duct goes right in front of the panel by the main feeders. If there were ever a problem with the panel, you would most likely have to rip that duct work apart just to service the whole panel. There is a reason why codes were set and written in place. IT'S FOR PEOPLE'S SAFETY!!! Code books are hard to read on purpose. They don't want DIYers to just be able to pick up a code book and go through the book and "think" they understand what they just read. Saying that you aren't a pro doesn't excuse you from doing terrible hack work just so you can save a couple bucks. This guy should be ashamed that he possibly put this home owner's lige in danger. I really hope there aren't children living in this home.

[@onelifesworth7259]

&henriboyea4239 Wow. So much helpful info. You will be helping all that care to read your comment. The work done in this home has been temporarily effective at reducing the chosen measure, but may have or surely has created other (lesser?) issues as you and others have noted. Would you say it is a waste of hours and materials if a professional can’t be accessed /afforded for many months or even a year or more? (My friend’s system cost around 10k and seemed smaller and less involved then this home. What ball park cost would a inspection passable system likely be for this home in 2023? Short term it was an interesting(?) and seemingly successful experiment but eventually this house will be on the market and as you and others have said will have to be done properly, for the safety and legality of all involved. Seems radon testing and best building practices should be part of new home builds passing inspections, especially in areas with a history of radon issues. Must be by now. (!)

[@radonman6800]

It was easy?! A for effort.

[@jacobtimberlake5032]

That’s extra illegal😂