Radon in basement/open windows

[cheechi]

..a proper mitigation system.

The system consists of cutting a hole in the slab foundation, inserting a PVC pipe, sealing the gap around the pipe, and running the pipe outside of the house. Somewhere near the top of the pipe is an exhaust fan.

This creates a low pressure path for the radon to flow through.

just pointing out that if you were ever to set up an AC unit meant to vent out a window (not a window unit, but one that sits on the floor in the room near a window) you are effectively doing the same as this AND getting cold air in the summer.

Because we are in an area that is between zone 3 and 2, we thought it was worth doing. With a full basement, partly finished, they chose the finished area to do the test. There is some exposed concrete in that room but ~5 sqft. The test was run over 2 days and came back <1 pci so even if it was flawed it didn't concern us greatly.

That finished area has an AC unit like I described. It also happens to have heat and dehumidifier settings. I ran dryer duct from it out to what's probably an old dryer duct in the wall, cost me $20-30 all in as the house already had that AC unit. the 'right way' involves making sure things are sealed and done a certain way and I'm not arguing that, but in the real world if you aren't in zone 1, consider it an excuse to get an AC unit for your basement and be happier.

 

[tcianci]

Remember too that if you have a forced draft heating appliance,(furnace, boiler, water heater or clothes dryer) you are exhausting air out of the house every time they run.

 

[D45]

I was told it also greatly depends on what material is under the foundation

Houses with sand under the concrete tend to have more issues with radon that houses that have gravel underneath

My house was built in the late 1970s, using sand under the basement concrete

Radon levels were high and would not pass inspection, so the loan company said no way. The owner installed a $1000 mitigation system, in to the sump pump basin with the sealed lid

Cut the readings by 85%

I should also add, that the house did not have a radon mitigation system prior to me buying it

Both husband and wife died of cancer........coincidence or not?

They did not smoke and did not work in a factory/mill

 

[CJ7VFR]

Remember too that if you have a forced draft heating appliance,(furnace, boiler, water heater or clothes dryer) you are exhausting air out of the house every time they run.

100 percent true!

I remember when my wife and I were looking at this house (which we bought) back in February 2010, both realtors said we had to have the Radon tested.

So a radon guy came to the house put the hockey puck measuring thing in the basement and told the owners of the home to keep all the basement doors and windows shut up tight, and to not go into the basement for three days, and to NOT run the oil fired furnace for the three days during the test!!

February in New Jersey gets down below freezing every day/night, and the radon testing people actually wanted the owners to not run their furnace and thus not have any heat or hot water for three days. Yeah, right. They told us they ran the furnace as they normally would, because they were not going to freeze in the house, or have to go somewhere else to take a hot shower.

When the test came back from the "lab", which I really think is some high up NJ politicians nephew's basement, it came back as under the 4.0 whatever you call the measurement, which pissed off the radon guy because it meant the house did not need a system.

He actually went back to both my real estate lawyer and the sells lawyer to say we had to have the test done again because he thought the reading should be higher.

Both lawyers told the guy to go pound sand. His test showed that the home, when used normally, had no risk of high levels of radon. But this radon jerk kept it up until the sellers lawyer threatened to sue him for harassment.

It's really nothing but a money making scheme, and is used to scare people into thinking they are going to die if they don't get it installed right away.

Jim

 

[MichaelBikel]

100 percent true!

I remember when my wife and I were looking at this house (which we bought) back in February 2010, both realtors said we had to have the Radon tested.

So a radon guy came to the house put the hockey puck measuring thing in the basement and told the owners of the home to keep all the basement doors and windows shut up tight, and to not go into the basement for three days, and to NOT run the oil fired furnace for the three days during the test!!

February in New Jersey gets down below freezing every day/night, and the radon testing people actually wanted the owners to not run their furnace and thus not have any heat or hot water for three days. Yeah, right. They told us they ran the furnace as they normally would, because they were not going to freeze in the house, or have to go somewhere else to take a hot shower.

When the test came back from the "lab", which I really think is some high up NJ politicians nephew's basement, it came back as under the 4.0 whatever you call the measurement, which pissed off the radon guy because it meant the house did not need a system.

He actually went back to both my real estate lawyer and the sells lawyer to say we had to have the test done again because he thought the reading should be higher.

Both lawyers told the guy to go pound sand. His test showed that the home, when used normally, had no risk of high levels of radon. But this radon jerk kept it up until the sellers lawyer threatened to sue him for harassment.

It's really nothing but a money making scheme, and is used to scare people into thinking they are going to die if they don't get it installed right away.

Jim

I understand that this can be lucrative for others but my situation is a little different, or at least I feel it is. My shop is in the basement, whenever I get a free moment i'm down there working on something. I don't smoke, drink, eat fast food, cook on anything but stainless for the most part, and have clean water. All of those factors lead me to believe that if/when I end up with lung cancer, its going to be from working with metal (welding/sanding) or from the radon in my basement. Don't get me wrong, I am always watching out for people trying to make a buck being dishonest but I would also like to cover my *** when it comes to my health.

I have actually arranged to talk with a pulmonologist and other professionals to get actual facts and form my own opinion on the matter.