Radon Mitigation Strategies
Radon gas is a real problem especially in Southwest Michigan. Luckily, there are three strategies to reduce radon to safer levels in your home.
The first strategy and most common approach is sub-slab depressurization. This is a radon mitigation strategy that is used to impact the pressure underneath the concrete slab of the home. An extraction point is installed to a point drilled through the slab and piped up to an inline radon fan. This radon fan creates negative pressure underneath the slab of the home. The radon gas follows the path of least resistance and is safely vented above the roof line. In cases of a dirt floor, a membrane is installed to encapsulate the dirt area of the crawlspace. The membrane is then sealed to the foundation walls air tight and connected to the radon reduction system. This creates negative pressure under the membrane safely venting the radon gas above the home. Using this strategy we can also tie into the drain tile systems that may be present under the slab. Depressurization is the most common and efficient way of completing a radon mitigation.
The second Strategy is filtration. As radon comes into your home it breaks down into other radioactive elements. These elements are called radon progeny, radon daughters, or radon decay products. These are the radioactive elements that can cause lung cancer. These radon decay products can be filtered. ALS Property Associates, Inc. uses an electronic furnace filter called the Breathe EZ Air Cleaner. This air cleaner replaces your current furnace filter and doesn’t require any ductwork modifications. It uses an electrical current to capture the radon decay products as they are circulated through your home’s HVAC system. This strategy does not lower radon levels, but only the radon decay products that can cause lung cancer. Filtration is also a second line of defense and typically installed along with a sub-slab depressurization system.
The third and final strategy to reduce radon levels is ventilation. One way of doing this efficiently is installing an Energy Recovery Ventilator. This system brings fresh conditioned air into the home and stale air out. The unit is set to a slight positive pressure to pressurize the home. The positive pressure helps keep radon gas down along with ventilating the radon gas already present significantly lowering radon levels. Energy Recovery Ventilators (ERV’S) are great for indoor air quality and always a positive for any home.
It is important to have qualified radon professional inspect and recommend what is the best approach to reduce the radon levels in your home. Please feel free to give ALS Property Associates, Inc. a call if you have any questions or would like to schedule a free consultation.