Radon is Radioactive
- Radon is an odorless, invisible, radioactive gas that is naturally released from rocks, soil, and water.
- Radon is produced by the natural decay of uranium in rocks, soil, and water.
- Radon can enter homes through small cracks and holes and can build up in our homes.
Our Services
Radon Mitigation
Radon Resistant New construction and retrofit radon mitigation that diverts radon out from beneath your home or business. Or if you have a system we offer radon fan replacement.
Sump Pump Installation or Replacement
Installation of submersible sump pumps and discharge piping or replace the present one you have in sump basin.
Crawlspace
Installing and sealing vapor barrier to prevent soil gasses from entering living space, improving indoor air quality.
Radon Testing
We offer a 48 hour in home Radon testing for Homeowners and Real Estate Transactions in Wyoming.
What is radon mitigation?
Radon mitigation is a process used to reduce radon gas levels in buildings, particularly homes, to protect occupants from the harmful effects of radon exposure. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that can seep into buildings through cracks in the foundation and accumulate to dangerous levels.
One common method of mitigation involves installing a system that creates negative pressure under the building’s foundation, using a fan to draw radon gas from beneath the house and vent it outside. This prevents radon from entering the living spaces and ensures the air inside the home remains safe to breathe.
Where are radon mitigation systems installed?
Radon mitigation systems are typically installed in areas where radon gas is most likely to enter a home, such as the basement or crawl space. The system usually includes a vent pipe that extends from the ground below the foundation to above the roofline, ensuring radon gas is safely expelled outside. The Radon fan that depressurizes under the home can be installed in the attic or outside the home. This setup helps to divert radon from beneath the house and release it into the open air, keeping indoor air safe and radon levels low.
Our Radon Mitigation Projects
Radon Resistant New Construction
Radon mitigation in new construction involves integrating design features and building practices that prevent radon gas from entering homes and buildings from the ground. These proactive measures help ensure indoor air quality and safeguard occupants’ health. Key strategies include:
- Soil Gas Collection Matting: Installing Soil Gas Collection Matting beneath the foundation creates a pathway for radon to move freely and be diverted before it enters the home.
- Vapor Barrier: A high-density polyethylene sheet is placed on top of the soil gas collection piping/matting. The Vapor Barrier ensures the negative pressure created by the Radon fan is more effective. By preventing the Radon from seeping through the Vapor Barrier diverts more of the soil gas into the system, increasing the efficiency of the Radon mitigation system.
- Sealing and Caulking: All openings in the concrete foundation floor and walls, such as around pipes, joints, and cracks, are sealed to minimize radon entry points and also increasing the efficiency of the Radon mitigation system.
- Vent Pipe: A vertical PVC pipe runs from the Soil Gas Collection Matting Riser through the building to the roof. This pipe allows radon to safely escape into the atmosphere.
- Ventilation Fan: In active radon mitigation systems, an in-line Radon fan is installed in the vent pipe, in the attic or outside the building, to create a low-pressure zone and actively draw radon from beneath the building and exhaust it outside.
- Electrical Junction Box: An electrical junction box is installed in the attic or another appropriate location to facilitate the installation of a vent fan if needed in the future, converting a passive system to an active one.
By incorporating these features into new construction, buildings are better protected against radon infiltration from the outset. These measures are cost-effective during construction and ensure long-term health benefits for occupants. Regular radon testing is still recommended after construction to verify the effectiveness of these mitigation strategies.
Existing Buildings
Radon mitigation in existing homes involves retrofitting structures with systems and techniques to reduce radon levels, thereby ensuring safer indoor air quality. This process typically follows a series of steps:
- Radon Testing: Initial testing is conducted to determine the radon levels in the home. If radon concentrations are above the EPA action level of 4 pCi/L, mitigation is necessary.
- Sub-Slab Depressurization: The most common method involves drilling one or more holes through the basement floor slab and installing PVC pipes. These pipes connect to a fan that draws radon gas from beneath the slab and vents it outside above the roofline.
- Crawlspace Ventilation: For homes with crawlspaces, this technique involves installing a sub-membrane depressurization system. This system involves placing a plastic sheet over the crawlspace floor and sealing to the foundation wall and venting the radon gas collected under it to the outside.
- Sealing Cracks and Openings: All cracks, gaps, and other openings in the foundation and lower floors are sealed with caulk or other appropriate materials to reduce radon entry points. While this method alone is not sufficient, it enhances the effectiveness of other mitigation techniques.
- Ventilation Improvements: Increasing the ventilation in the home by installing air exchangers or improving existing ventilation systems can help reduce radon levels by diluting indoor radon with outdoor air.
- Drainage System Integration: Existing sump pumps or drain tile systems can be adapted to help vent radon. This might involve sealing the sump pit and connecting it to the radon mitigation system.
- Fan and Piping Maintenance: Active systems require periodic maintenance of the fan and inspection of the vent pipes to ensure they remain functional and effective.
Professional radon mitigation contractors typically carry out these interventions, ensuring compliance with safety standards and building codes. Post-mitigation testing is essential to confirm that radon levels have been successfully reduced to acceptable levels. Regular monitoring ensures that mitigation systems continue to operate effectively over time.
What is a sump pump?
Sump pumps can play a crucial role in radon mitigation systems, particularly in homes with basements or crawl spaces prone to moisture accumulation. A sump pump is used to remove excess water from beneath the house, which helps maintain a dry environment and prevent radon from entering through water intrusion points.
Here’s how sump pumps are integrated into radon mitigation:
Sealing the Sump Pit: The sump pit, where the sump pump is installed, is sealed with an airtight cover to prevent radon gas from escaping into the home. This cover often includes a venting system that connects to the radon mitigation piping.
Installing the Vent Pipe: A vent pipe is connected to the sealed sump pit cover, which is part of the radon mitigation system. This pipe runs from the sump pit, up through the house, and exits above the roofline to safely vent radon gas outdoors.
Creating Negative Pressure: A fan is installed in the vent pipe to create negative pressure beneath the foundation. This negative pressure draws radon gas from the soil and directs it through the vent pipe, preventing it from entering the living spaces of the home.
Maintaining Water Removal: The sump pump continues to perform its primary function of removing water, which helps to maintain a dry environment and further reduce radon infiltration.
By integrating a sump pump with a radon mitigation system, homeowners can effectively manage both water and radon gas, ensuring a safer and healthier indoor environment.
Why do crawlspaces need to be sealed?
Crawlspaces need to be sealed to prevent radon intrusion because they are common entry points for radon gas, which can seep into homes through gaps and cracks in the foundation. Air pressure differences between the crawlspace and the living areas of the home can cause radon to be drawn upward. This is especially true in colder climates where warm indoor air rises, creating a vacuum effect that pulls soil gases, including radon, into the crawlspace and then into the home.
Slab penetrations need to be sealed for the same reason. Here are examples of areas may that need to be sealed.
By redoing the perimeter and penetration’s seal, we were able increase the manometer reading (airflow in inches of water column) from 1.1″ to 1.25″.
Proper perimeter and penetration’s seal is important to the efficiency of the radon mitigation system.
Learn more at radonawareness.org.
Where to start?
Radon testing is the only way to know the radon levels in your home.
We offer a 48 hour in home Radon testing for Homeowners and Real Estate Transactions in Wyoming. Testing Radon in water is also something we can do in Wyoming.
You can also purchase your own radon monitors for your home (this is an affiliate link).
Your state or county may also provide radon testing kits- Wyoming Free Radon Testing Kits.
North Point Radon's Service Area
Northern Colorado
Western Colorado
Southern Wyoming
Western Nebraska
