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Initial test shows elevated radon level. House is 1/2 slab and half vented crawl space(36 inches tall). There is some gravel in the crawl covered by plastic sheeting. A 5 gallon pickle bucket with a sump pump is piped to the exterior. I have never noticed the pump to run but it will kick on it I raise the float. I do not think there is any drain pipes leading to the 5 gallon bucket. What is the conventional wisdom ? Encapsulate the crawl ? Concrete the floor over the plastic? Put in a real sump ? Insulate the crawl and make it a conditioned space. Foundation specialist or insulation specialist ? Concrete guy and/or radon guy. Appreciate any of the wisdom you guys have Thanks, Bill | ||
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This Space for Rent |
Radon gas is heavier than air and will settle in the low point of the house. IMO, If your crawl is the lowest point then there isn’t much to worry about unless you are trying the sell the house. When we sold our house in Colorado, our basement tested for Radon. We indeed up sealing all the cracks and joints in the slab and installed a motorized vent up and out the wall. The vent pipe went to the sump pit which was sealed as well. I don’t think adding a slab in the crawl space is necessary. Perhaps some cross ventilation or a squirl cage vent on top of a pipe stack to the crawl space may be sufficient. Just my $0.02. We will never know world peace, until three people can simultaneously look each other straight in the eye Liberals are like pussycats and Twitter is Trump's laser pointer to keep them busy while he takes care of business - Rey HRH. | |||
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Certified All Positions |
Due to my reno work, I deal with radon on a regular basis. I have questions. Who did the "initial test," and what device did they use? What was the actual number? How long did the test run for? The vented crawl space is at the same level as living space? Or is the rest of that level unoccupied basement? Meaning no bedrooms or finished spaces. How many other floors above? Was radon tested in the living areas? When was the home built? Where are you? Can you seal a gravel floored vented crawl space from radon - no not without a lot of work. You can however seal the living spaces. Basically, a high level of radon in a crawl space that is vented, is not a factor in itself without knowing if the home construction above it is vulnerable. Radon is heavier than air, so if you insulate and bottle up the crawl space you'll be pushing radon into the home through imperfections. If anything, seal the "roof" of that crawlspace by foaming any imperfections and penetrations. Then either spraying foam or using sheet foam and batts. If I were working on your home, I'd want to test multiple areas for radon, and look for air leaks with an infrared camera. Seal any accessible cracks and utility penetrations, and test again. Evaluate the insulation of the home. If there is too much air moving up through the home, it's pulling radon with it. You can improve insulation and test again. Typically this means doors and windows too. But it all depends on conditions and exactly how high the level is. Sometimes you can't do much to the living spaces, because people don't want to tear rooms apart just for radon. In that case we'd go straight for a radon fan, but not put in the crawl space. Some area of the home has a utility closet, you want that radon pipe going into the slab. Ideally, the radon pipe can go next to the main waste stack, as there is typically sand around the stack and that sand acts as a channel. Arc. ______________________________ "Like a bitter weed, I'm a bad seed"- Johnny Cash "I'm a loner, Dottie. A rebel." - Pee Wee Herman Rode hard, put away wet. RIP JHM "You're a junkyard dog." - Lupe Flores. RIP | |||
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Doesn't radon come from decaying rock? Pouring a slab of concrete seems counter productive. | |||
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Radon is everywhere really. It's actually in the rocks a lot of concrete is made from. There are sealing products for exposed concrete, but in most homes the concrete itself isn't the issue, it's the gaps and cracks. The current line is "no level of radon is considered safe." OK, true, but you can take one of the meters I use, and put it just about anywhere and get a reading of 1. So the "actionable level" is above 4. Picocuries per million is the unit I think. The highest level I've seen in a while was a home built in the 30's, with a basement at about 28. Arc. ______________________________ "Like a bitter weed, I'm a bad seed"- Johnny Cash "I'm a loner, Dottie. A rebel." - Pee Wee Herman Rode hard, put away wet. RIP JHM "You're a junkyard dog." - Lupe Flores. RIP | |||
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Thanks for the reply. I have not cross tested this digital radon meter. Had it for 48 hours. Tested the Living Room and one Bedroom
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8 isn't bad. Do you have kids? Arc. ______________________________ "Like a bitter weed, I'm a bad seed"- Johnny Cash "I'm a loner, Dottie. A rebel." - Pee Wee Herman Rode hard, put away wet. RIP JHM "You're a junkyard dog." - Lupe Flores. RIP | |||
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Seeker of Clarity |
Ours was 64. I'll add to your thoughts, that if you measure in the summer, the reading will be WAY lower than if you measure during a cold period due to the stack effect and the house essentially vacuuming soil gas into the home.  | |||
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Do you live outside Chernobyl? Oi. Arc. ______________________________ "Like a bitter weed, I'm a bad seed"- Johnny Cash "I'm a loner, Dottie. A rebel." - Pee Wee Herman Rode hard, put away wet. RIP JHM "You're a junkyard dog." - Lupe Flores. RIP | |||
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Member |
So, I have a question about this... if I decide to sell my house and they are going to do a radon test should I move all my Sig pistols with night sights to some other location? My Native American Name: "Runs with Scissors" | |||
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No, night sights and other luminous devices are a different type of radiation. Arc. ______________________________ "Like a bitter weed, I'm a bad seed"- Johnny Cash "I'm a loner, Dottie. A rebel." - Pee Wee Herman Rode hard, put away wet. RIP JHM "You're a junkyard dog." - Lupe Flores. RIP | |||
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| Seeker of Clarity |
Western PA. | |||
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I'm Fine |
We have a full basement slab. I drilled through the wall and put a vent in that sucks air from the gravel area beneath the slab and vents it up by the roof line. If you know what is beneath the slab (gravel or sand) you could do the same. Maybe start by just venting the crawlspace and retesting. It's pCi/L. I did my thesis on radon in groundwater during college. It can come in through the rock beneath your home (stack effect) or if you are on well-water, it can come in that way and be off-gased when you heat the water up and spray it out through the shower head, etc. Granite and Limestone can have high levels, so it covers a decent bit of the country... ------------------ SBrooks | |||
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