Radon mitigation is the only way to reduce levels of radon in the home. Radon reduction is particularly important if there are smokers in the home and if test results indicate levels of 4.0 pCi/L or more. All of the major health organizations (the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Lung Association, the American Medical Association, and the EPA and WHO) agree that long-term exposure to radon is a public health hazard and a leading cause of lung cancer in smokers and non-smokers alike. The good news is that health benefits occur as soon as radon gas levels are reduced. That means it is never too late to make an effort to remove radon gas from your Colorado home.
Radon mitigation starts with radon testing in your home. You can purchase a radon test kit from local retailers, get one from your county health department, or hire a home inspector to perform the test for you. Colorado residents can even order a kit online through the state Department of Public Health and Environment. Tests are simple and easy to use and provide you with vital information that you can then use to make a decision about managing radon in your home.
If radon levels are high, it’s time to explore mitigation options. When installed and maintained properly, these passive techniques are very effective at reducing radon levels in the home. Radon reduction systems can be installed at the time of construction or many years after construction.
Radon resistant features post-construction will vary depending on the home’s design and radon test levels, but they all involve:
This is accomplished through the use of vent pipes and fans. “Sub-slab depressurization” systems are the most common radon reduction measures and some of the most effective. In these systems the vent pipe starts in the soil under the slab of the home’s foundation where it collects radon gas before it has a chance to enter the home and then vents the gas outside and far away from the home’s exterior so it can’t re-enter the home. Despite starting underneath the foundation, this type of radon mitigation system does not require significant changes to the home.
Sealing cracks and openings in the foundation is usually part of radon mitigation, but it does not have any significant impact on radon levels on its own. It should only be used as part of a complete radon mitigation system for best results.
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