Radon is a radioactive noble gas that occurs naturally as a by-product of the natural decay process of uranium or thorium. Radon is odorless, colorless, tasteless, and impossible to detect without specific tests, but it’s shown to have a direct impact on public health, increasing the incidence rates of lung cancer.
Radon gas is formed along the decay chain of radioactive elements, a reaction that is usually happening in the underground. Areas where these elements are present in the rock and soil beneath emanate a higher concentration of radon.
Because of its gas state, radon can easily leave the soil, leak into water supplies, infiltrate the upper layers of soil and accumulate inside buildings. From here on, if humans are exposed to radon in high concentrations, they are much more susceptible to developing lung cancer.
Types of Radon Mitigation Systems
Since it was discovered that radon infiltrates in buildings, tests were developed to ensure that homeowners and businesses can verify the radon levels. This way, measures can be taken to keep these levels under control.
Radon mitigation systems are developed to keep radon away from the indoor air the inhabitants breathe regularly. Isolating the source of radon is not always feasible, and its levels vary a lot, depending on weather conditions and other factors. That’s why having a permanent mitigation system in place is the best way of preventing the health hazards of this gas.
We will further present the main types of radon mitigation systems, and how they reduce the radon concentration in your home or office.
Passive Radon Mitigation
A passive radon mitigation system uses a pipe to redirect radon from underneath the house to the exhaust vent without having an integrated fan to make the process faster and more effective. The principle of a passive system is called the stack effect and relies on pressure differences to move the gas outside.
This kind of system will be influenced by weather and air pressure conditions and it’s usually not effective enough to keep the radon concentration levels safe at all times. This kind of inconsistency is unreliable, especially in areas where radon is present above the average levels.
Active Radon Mitigation
An active mitigation system can keep the radon levels in your home below the hazardous level by using an electric fan to push the gas-filled air into the exhaust venting system. The ventilator runs permanently, keeping radon from building up underneath the house and from infiltrating inside.
A passive mitigation system could potentially be converted into an active one by simply installing a fan inside the pipes, but this is a good solution only if the existing system is installed correctly and an electric outlet reaches the fan with ease.
Comparing the two main types of radon mitigation solutions, passive ones simply don’t offer advantages that surpass the security provided by an active, running system. When you weigh in the disadvantages, active systems clearly win: you are practically choosing between an unreliable, but silent and no energy-consuming passive piping and an efficient system that produces minimal noise and uses very little energy.
Dilution
Diluting the air will reduce the radon levels you have indoors. This can simply be done by allowing outside air to come in through open doors and windows, but this system is highly unsustainable, especially in the colder seasons when radon concentrations tend to rise because of pressure differentials.
What to Look for in a Radon Mitigation System
When buying a new home or when tackling the radon issue for your existing one, choose a system that can be easily installed by a team of specialists. The best course of action is to follow the recommendations of a team that knows how to manage radon leakage and has experience installing and maintaining radon mitigation systems.
If your home already has a passive elimination system for radon, consider transforming it into an active one with the addition of a fan.
Depending on how your home was built, you can also discuss solutions like crawl space depressurization, soil suction, and others.
Maintaining Your Radon Mitigation System
Regular maintenance is needed with radon mitigation systems, as with any security installments that prevent hazards. Just as you regularly check the well-functioning of your smoke alarms, you should also remember to check your radon mitigation system.
First of all, you need to be able to test your indoor air for radon gas levels. This can be done with store-bought kits or by hiring a company specialized in radon mitigation. This hassle and inconsistent monitoring can be replaced by installing a system with a built-in radon sensor.
To keep your indoor air healthy and drastically reduce your exposure to radon, be in touch with a local mitigation specialist like Advanced Radon Systems.