5 things you can do when your home tests high for radon gas

As you may have heard from us before, testing your home for radon is an extremely important action to take for your lung health. Radon being the second leading cause of lung cancer (second only to smoking) is something we should all be mindful of no matter where we reside. Once you have taken the crucial first step in testing your home for radon some of you may get an undesirable result in the form of an elevated radon test result. Having your home test high for radon can be a very stressful thing, so what is the next step? In this article we are going to go over the easiest and least stressful plan of attack to rid your home of radon gas.

​Step 1:  Learn More About Your Test Reading

Once you have received your test results, give your local radon mitigation expert a call and have them explain what those results mean. If you live in the U.S, the EPA recommends taking action if your home tests at 4.0 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) or above. The World Health Organization however has taken a more cautious approach to their recommendation and sets their action level at 2.7 pCi/L. 

What is a picocurie? In layman's terms, a picocurie is the way we measure the rate of radioactive decay of radon. To get a little more technical, the Kansas State national radon program describes a picocurie as “one trillionth of a curie, 0.037 disintegrations per second, or 2.22 disintegrations per minute. Therefore, at 4pCi/L (picocuries per liter - the EPA's recommended action level), there will be approximately 12,672 radioactive disintegrations in one liter of air during a 24-hour period.” (Kansas State University, "Radon Basics"). As a general rule of thumb, consulting a radon professional is recommended for any radon test result you receive-whether it is elevated or lower than the recommended action level.

Step 2:  Find the Right Radon Mitigation Company to Work With

If you live in an area that is known to have a high probability of elevated radon levels (Check out this radon map to see what radon zone you live in) there will be many different radon mitigation companies to choose from.

How can you differentiate each company and choose the best one?

In our experience, a good radon company has the following:

• Reputation- A truly great radon company has the proof to back their claims up. Check the companies Google, Home Advisor, Angies List, Social Media, and Better Business Bureau reviews to read about prior customer experiences. Chances are, if the company has poor reviews or no reviews at all you may end up unsatisfied with the finished product. 

 

• Experience- Radon mitigation is different for every home, so a one size fits all system is not something that should exist. Companies with lots of experience have seen all types of homes and have the knowledge required to do each job right the first time. Experienced companies also have the ability to provide more placement options for the system which is important for the aesthetics of the home. 

 

• License and insurance - Due to the nonexistence of state regulations (in Wisconsin) requiring radon companies to hold a license, there are many “Chuck-in-a-truck” type installers trying to get into the radon business. Companies who are not certified for radon mitigation by organizations such as AARST and the NRPP may end up installing a system that doesn’t work properly, or even cause irreparable damage to your home with no insurance to reimburse you. In addition to our state business license, Lifetime Radon Solutions, Inc. is also AARST/NRPP certified and fully-insured. 

 

• Proper testing equipment - There are multiple options for testing a home for radon. The most common options are charcoal test kits, digital testing monitors, and liquid scintillation kits. While each of these options are effective, they each have their own situation based benefits. If you are in the process of selling or buying a home, the digital testing monitor is the only option you should have done because it is the option with the fastest turnaround and is the most accurate test option available (provided that it is calibrated yearly). Charcoal and liquid scintillation radon test kits are good options for retesting homes and homeowners on a budget. When vetting radon companies, make sure they have access to digital testing devices as well as test kits to ensure that you receive the proper type of testing post-mitigation. 

 

• A responsive staff - This one seems like a no-brainer, but unresponsiveness can be a big issue in the radon mitigation business. Lifetime Radon has a large full-time office staff eager to help customers with any questions or concerns they have about their system and the right amount of technicians in the field ready to dispatch to your home for assistance.  

 

• Warranties - Similar to roofing and window companies, you want to make sure that this investment you are making to improve your home is backed by a solid warranty. The most common part of a radon mitigation system that can fail is the fan. Lifetime Radon uses Festa Radon Fans which are german engineered, handcrafted in the US and backed by the best warranty in the business. Ask what type of fan the company uses and what their warranties are like, and get something in writing. 

 

• Fair pricing - Radon mitigation systems are not sold at one single price for every home, however, the pricing should be standard for the work that is to be done. Pricing depends on the type of home, type of system (garage or exterior), and type of fan. Be wary of extraordinarily low prices because some unsavory companies like to add on far too many additional prices once the install has started. Unfortunately, they do so knowing full well that the initial price quoted was never going to be the final price.  Lifetime Radon hasn’t raised their pricing in over 6 years. We take the approach of treating our customers like we would like to be treated if we were having a contractor bill us for a project on our own homes. 

Step 3:  Have a Radon Mitigation System Installed

Once you have picked the right company to install a radon mitigation system in your home, it’s time to start the install. As mentioned before, there are multiple options for mitigation depending on the home. The three main factors a good radon company will consider with regard to placement of the system are aesthetics, effectiveness, and EPA/AARST/NRPP standards. When the radon technician enters your home for the first time, ask them to show you multiple options for install and their thought processes behind each location. You may then choose which spot you are most comfortable having the system placed. In many homes, the only option is the run the radon system from the basement to the exterior of the home to vent above the roofline. However if the home has an attached garage and unfinished basement sharing a common wall with said garage, the system can be run up through the garage to vent through the roof for a more aesthetically pleasing option. Click HERE to read more about garage vs. exterior venting options. 

Step 4:  Keep Up With Retesting and Minor Maintenance.

After you’ve had a radon mitigation system installed in your home and retested with acceptable results, you can finally relax for a while. Radon systems do not require too much maintenance from the homeowner, the main things we recommend that you do are:

• Retest the home every two years to ensure that the system is still working as it should (EPA Recommendation) 

 

• Keep an eye on the manometer (U-tube) that is installed on the system to show that the fan is still creating vacuum pressure under the slab of your home. Watch the video below to learn more about the U-tube on your system

So as you can see, maintaining your radon mitigation system is very simple and painless. If you have any issues with your system such as a loud fan, or a loss of vacuum pressure, give your installer a call!

Step 5:  Inform your Friends and Family

Radon gas is not something to take lightly and unfortunately much of the public is unaware of its dangers. If you have a good experience with the company that installed your system, tell your friends and family! A referral to a radon company can save lives! Thank you for taking the time to read up about radon mitigation! You will not regret this crucial home improvement project once it’s installed. Stay safe!

Andrew Kreklow

Lifetime Radon Solutions