Understanding Radon Testing | Ask This Old House

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Күн бұрын

In this video, This Old House Host Kevin O’Connor talks about radon testing, safe levels, and mitigation with home technology expert Ross Trethewey.
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Ross Trethewey explains why homeowners should test for radon and shares a few professional and DIY options.
What is Radon?
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas produced by the breakdown of uranium. Uranium is found in rocks and soils in the ground, and it rises and uranium decays. It’s everywhere, and not usually a problem, however it can concentrate in a home as it rises. It can cause a range of health issues at unsafe levels, and it’s the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers.
Radon Testing
It’s important to test for radon levels in a home. Today, there are radon test kits that make monitoring radon levels very easy. Short-term test kits monitor the radon levels over three days. The user installs them in their basement and mails them to a test lab after three days. Long-and-short-term electronic radon test. These measure the radon level in the house, providing long-term averages and short-term levels. There are also monitors with particulate matter detectors, as well.
Why Use Long-Term Testing?
Short-term testing is a quick way to test for dangerous levels. However, long-term tests provide more feedback over a wide range of conditions. Radon is never static, which means its levels peak and subside depending on conditions such as the amount of groundwater pushing it upward, the exhaust fans on in the home, and poor chimney ventilation.
What Are Safe Levels?
Radon is measured using a unit known as picocuries per liter, or pCi/L. Safe levels of radon are below 4.0 pCi/L. Short-term tests may never reach dangerous levels, but long-term tests can show major peaks that occur in certain conditions.
How To Mitigate Radon
A popular solution for high radon levels is to install an active sub-slab depressurization system. These systems involve installing a tube below the slab and into the gravel layer, and the tube continues up to the attic where a fan sits. The fan sucks the radon gasses out of the ground and prevents it from seeping into the basement.
Where to find it?
Radon fans [homedepot.sjv.io/EKdm1W] are used in radon mitigation to reduce the concentration of radon gas in a building.
Radon electronic testers [homedepot.sjv.io/QydoLa] are a great option for continuous radon monitoring.
One time radon testing home kits can be obtained through the American Lung Association [bit.ly/47FGO0c].
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Understanding Radon Testing | Ask This Old House
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Пікірлер: 28

@walter.bellini 6 ай бұрын

Very good video thank you for the info

@Mike_Ums 4 күн бұрын

Oh. Radon now. That’s good.

@XzTS-Roostro 6 ай бұрын

What if you have a single-story gone with no basement but an underground in-garage storm shelter?

@GodisAgapelove4172 2 ай бұрын

So if I buy this kit will it save me from spending $160 for a professional raydon test?

@TheNotho 6 ай бұрын

I noticed during the warm season daily radon levels are higher in my basement than in the cold season

@marcusbrown2640 2 ай бұрын

That makes sense. Most Gases are expansive

@kencarr5618 2 ай бұрын

The norm is higher in the colder months. Cold outside air pushes down through the soil and the stack effect in the home pushes radon up into the home.

@pirana6 6 ай бұрын

Is this a larger issues in different locations? In the Northwest we barely hear about this

@Chickennss 6 ай бұрын

Yes. It is a regional thing.

@StatlerNWaldorfSalad 6 ай бұрын

There are EPA maps for each state showing the average radon levels per county broken down into 3 Zones of potential radon levels. Just because you live in a certain zone does not directly indicate the radon levels of your house, it is completely dependent on the geology below your house combined with the negative pressure your house creates. Houses or apartments right next to each other can potentially have drastically different radon levels. Only way to know for sure is to test.

@burnsaga 4 ай бұрын

You kept saying 'basement' but radon exposure can still be an issue if you don't have a basement

@Cravz69 6 ай бұрын

I just had this put in our new house. Two crawlspaces piped together. $8700 total.

@tonyzone8999 Ай бұрын

Do they finance

@Cravz69 Ай бұрын

@@tonyzone8999 No idea, sorry. I try to pay cash for everything as it typically give the best price. In this case, they came down from $9300 to $8700. Worth it to me. The cheapest bid was just under 7K, but with cheaper material and not as good of a sealed installation. Hope this helps.

@Atreid3s Ай бұрын

Seems like you got ripped off. $8700 for drilling a couple holes and installing some pvc pipe?

@Cravz69 Ай бұрын

@@Atreid3s As I stated, I had lower bids, but I chose this one due to the higher thickness membrane, more thorough installation (sealing), and warranty. It’s worth my family’s health for a little more $, and it’s essentially capsulated now. We went from 8.0, to .0.3 in both crawl spaces. Money well spent.

@Atreid3s Ай бұрын

@@Cravz69 what membrane?

@eagles5769 6 ай бұрын

How long do these radon mitigation systems last? Or when does the fan need replaced? Mine is 13 years old. The fan is noisy, but still seems to work. Got a quote years back for $500 to replace the fan.

@robopaul9 6 ай бұрын

Buy a new fan (should be roughly $100 - $150). You can probably buy the same model. You can easily replace the fan yourself because radon mitigation systems are installed with the expectation to replace the fan in the future.

@eagles5769 6 ай бұрын

@@robopaul9 Thank you. The person I spoke to made it sound like it was proprietary. I'll check it out.

@dougnewton708 6 ай бұрын

@@eagles5769 try a passive system first (without fan); you can always add the fan later if passive is not effective. I installed just the pipe in my basement sump vented it out and the pressure differences between outside and inside of house were sufficient to drive radon levels from 17 picoCuries/L to less than 2.0.