Last Updated on June 11, 2024 by Kravelv
Discovering how to remove radon from your home is crucial, as this hazardous, radioactive gas can infiltrate from the ground, posing serious health risks such as lung cancer if ignored. This guide will lead you through vital steps to detect and eradicate radon, securing a safer living space. Explore the significance of radon testing and effective mitigation techniques to safeguard your household from this invisible threat, ensuring healthy indoor air quality.
Key Takeaways:
- Radon is a dangerous, odorless gas that can cause lung cancer, and testing is the first step in addressing it.
- If high radon levels are detected, hiring a professional radon mitigation contractor is recommended for effective removal.
- A radon mitigation system typically involves installing a vent pipe and fan, sealing cracks, and improving ventilation.
- Regular maintenance and post-mitigation testing are essential to ensure the system continues to function properly and radon levels remain low.
What is Radon?
Radon is a radioactive gas that is colorless, odorless, and tasteless, making it difficult to detect without proper testing. It is produced from the natural decay of uranium found in soil, rock, and water, and it can enter homes through cracks and gaps in the foundation. Long-term exposure to high levels of radon increases the risk of lung cancer, making it essential to test and mitigate radon levels in residential areas to ensure a safe living environment.
Modern research has shown that 40% of the total radiation dose form by inhalation of natural radioactive gas Rn. Exposure to radon in higher concentrations and over a long period, especially in areas with uranium mineral deposits, may increase the chance of developing cancer lungs.
Radon belongs to the same group of cancer causes as asbestos and tobacco smoke. Based on this, radon is one of the significant health risks to the population.
Below, read more about the possibilities of removing radon gas from your house.
Factors affecting indoor radon concentration
Radon enters the indoor space from these sources:
- by diffusion from the soil,
- diffusion from building materials,
- by diffusion from the water used in your house,
- from the atmosphere through vents,
- Through cracks in floors or upstairs at the joints of structures, cavities around pipes and cables, small hollow pores in walls, and through the sewer.
Significant factors are the quality of construction, type of construction, ventilation, and seasonal climate change.
Because of the harmful effects of radon, an important task is – protecting and removing radon gas. In today’s conditions, many human activities lead to increased radiation of radon gas and its side effects.
Preventive protection procedures are procedures to reduce the concentration to an acceptable level, and can be:
- radon collection and drainage system,
- improved ventilation under the floor,
- formation of overpressure in the building,
- closing openings and cracks,
- Improved ventilation in the building.
6 Steps on How to remove radon from your home
Step 1: Testing for Radon
Testing for the presence of radon in your house is the first thing you should do when attempting to get rid of it. You may get radon testing kits at your neighborhood hardware shop or on the internet. The test requires you to take samples of the air in your house using the provided kit over the course of a few days, after which you will send the kit to a lab for examination. The laboratory will provide you with a report detailing your home’s radon level upon completion of the test.
Step 2: Hiring a Radon Mitigation Professional
If the results of the test reveal that your house has high levels of radon, the next step is to call a professional radon mitigation contractor. You can mitigate radon in a number of ways. These specialists have the training and knowledge necessary to evaluate your property and figure out the strategy that will be most effective in getting rid of the radon.
Step 3: Radon Mitigation System Design
The radon mitigation contractor will create a customized radon mitigation system for your dwelling as part of their service. In most cases, the system will require the installation of a vent pipe and fan in order to remove the radon from underneath your house and discharge it into the air outside. In order to stop radon from getting inside the house, the mitigation system could also comprise caulking any fractures in the foundation or the walls.
Step 4: Radon Mitigation System Installation
Following the completion of the radon mitigation system’s design phase, the contractor will carry out the system’s installation. Depending on the degree of difficulty presented by the system, the installation procedure might take anywhere from one to two days to complete.
Step 5: Post-Mitigation Testing
After installing the radon abatement system, it’s crucial to conduct additional testing to ensure it’s effectively reducing radon levels. Keep the test kit at home for a few days before sending it to a lab for analysis. After installing the system, the laboratory will give you a report containing information about the amount of radon present in your house.
Step 6: Radon Mitigation System Maintenance
Regular maintenance of your radon mitigation system is crucial for its efficient operation. Follow instructions from the contractor, which may include changing the filter, checking the fan, and monitoring the system’s performance.
DIY Ways of Removing radon gas from Houses:
If you want to star removing radon gas in your own, you need to take the following procedures:
- making a plate as a membrane for a part with reduced pressure (the purpose of this system is to form a vacuum area under the foundation, where radon collects and drains through pipes outside to a safe place).
- use of mechanical barriers to the entry of gases (plastic foils and sealing foundations and cracks stop the entry of radon).
- Degradation of the air distribution system so that polluted air is not used.
Drainage of polluted gases outside the building is done through pipes. In most family houses, one drain pipe is sufficient. If the floor is permeable, more drain pipes are required. There are active and passive under pressure systems. If you need to know more about this, please see this link.
You need to have:
- Gas-permeable layer (layer usually 10 cm thick of clean, coarse gravel)
- Plastic foil (above the gas-permeable layer to prevent gas from entering the building)
- Ventilation pipe
- Sealing and closing cracks (all openings on the concrete bottom are closed to prevent gas from entering the building)
Increased air circulation under the floors, when the building has free space below ground, leads to dilution of radon.
How to Remove Radon from Home FAQs
How dangerous is radon?
Radon, a carcinogenic gas, is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, after smoking. Testing and removing radon from your home is essential as prolonged exposure can harm your health.
How do I know if my home has radon?
Tests are the only way to determine whether or not radon is present in a residence. You may get radon test kits either online or in the hardware store in your neighborhood. Take air samples in your home using the provided kit over a few days, then send it to a lab for examination.
Can I remove radon from my home myself?
Although possible, it’s not recommended to remove radon from your home by yourself. Hire a skilled radon mitigation contractor to properly remove radon, as it involves complex systems and procedures. Radon is a radioactive gas that can cause lung cancer.
How long does it take to install a radon mitigation system?
Installing a radon mitigation system usually takes one to two days, depending on its complexity.
How often should I test for radon?
Test your home for radon every two years, or more often if you’ve altered the foundation or ventilation. Radon is a radioactive gas that can cause lung cancer. If you are buying or selling a house, it is critical that you get the property tested for radon.
Final Words
In conclusion, eliminating radon from your home is vital for protecting your health and the health of your loved ones. Radon in high concentrations can be dangerous, thus it is essential to take preventative measures as soon as possible. First, test your home for radon levels. If high levels are detected, hire a qualified radon mitigation contractor to eliminate the radon.
By following these measures, you can ensure your home is healthy and safe. Keep in mind that radon is a sneaky killer; thus, you shouldn’t put off taking action until it’s too late.
