Fortunately,
a properly installed radon mitigation system only requires occasional maintenance
and can become a part of your home maintenance schedule easily, by checking your system’s warning device regularly, ensuring that your fan is properly running and testing your home every few years to make sure radon levels …
Why is my radon mitigation system so loud?
Excessive noise and back pressure is created when too much air is moved through the pipe
. According to the best standard, a 3” pipe should move no more than 34 CFM before the system is too noisy and loses efficiency.
What is the life expectancy of a radon fan?
Fans may last for
five years or more
(manufacturer warranties tend not to exceed five years) and may then need to be repaired or replaced. Replacing a fan will cost around $200 – $350 including parts and labor. It is a good idea to retest your home at least every two years to be sure radon levels remain low.
Can I unplug my radon mitigation system?
Your home will be retested to make sure the radon levels have been effectively reduced. Your fan needs to run continually, so
don’t turn it off or unplug it
. We recommend you check your U-tube once a month to ensure that the fan is working properly.
What should my radon mitigation system read?
The readout on the manometer should be
between 0.5in – 1.75in
. In most cases these are acceptable levels indicating, your system is operating correct. When your Radon system is shut off the fluid should rest at zero if it does not then your manometer is low on fluid.
Should radon fan run constantly?
Your radon fan should never be turned off.
It should constantly be running in your home to ensure that the system is working properly
. After a radon system installation, a post-mitigation test for radon should be performed within 30 days of install.
How often should I replace radon fan?
Radon fans are a vital part of the system and since they are electronic they are more susceptible to a wide range of problems. Most fans only have a 5 year manufacturer’s warranty but they often last
20 years or more
.
How effective is radon mitigation?
Techniques to lower radon levels are effective and can save lives.
Radon levels in most homes can be reduced by more than 80%
for about the same cost as other common home repairs such as replacing the furnace or air conditioner.
How long does it take for a radon fan to work?
Depending on the type of system, you’ll want to wait
at least 24 hours
for radon levels to be lowered. The retest should be done within 30 days of the installation. Your radon contractor may perform their own test, but the EPA cautions against the mitigation contractor testing and evaluating their own work.
How can I make my radon mitigation system quieter?
Open face fiberglass insulation can be placed on top of the membrane or in the joist cavities above the suction location to dampen the noise
. The smaller the pipe size drawing air from under the membrane the quieter the air flow noise.
Can you hear a radon fan?
Radon mitigation fans are powered by water-hardened motorized impellers for water resistance and rated for outdoor use. But
sometimes you might hear it making noise
. The fan’s bearings that help to lubricate the motion and reduce the noise start to go bad.
Should I hear water in my radon pipe?
Is that water in my radon pipe I hear?
Yes, it probably is
. If a swishing or gurgling sound is heard in the radon pipe, then it has partially or even completely filled with condensation. Water from rain, snow, and condensation is normal in any radon system but special measures need to be taken to deal with it.
What should radon suction be?
Your radon mitigation’s manometer readout should be
between 0.5in-1.75in
on the Manometer (U shaped- looks like a thermometer). This is NOT the level of Radon in your home. It is simply the amount of vacuum your mitigation system is generating.
What does a radon fan do?
The purpose of a radon fan is
to create a negative pressure beneath the sub slab
(the “sub slab” is a term used for the concrete floor in a basement. The fan creates a negative pressure below that). Creating this negative pressure, will draw the radon to the pipe, since the gas takes the path of least resistance.
How many suctions are needed for radon mitigation?
Why would a home require
two suction points
in the basement floor instead of one? It all has to do with the aggregate under the cement slab. A radon mitigation system will collect the radon efficiently when there is 4” to 6” of at least pea size gravel under the basement slab.
What are symptoms of radon exposure?
- Persistent cough.
- Hoarseness.
- Wheezing.
- Shortness of breath.
- Coughing up blood.
- Chest pain.
- Frequent infections like bronchitis and pneumonia.
- Loss of appetite.
How do you read a radon tube manometer?
Can radon penetrate concrete?
Radon, soil gasses, and water vapor will easily pass through any openings, cracks, gaps, drains, or thin concrete (rat slabs) in the basement
.
Where should a radon fan be placed?
A radon fan must be installed
in a non-livable area of the house
. This cannot be a basement or crawl-space area!! A radon fan may be installed in a garage, house attic, or outside the house. The radon fan’s exhaust pipe must be run to a minimum height of 10′ from the ground.
What is the element radon?
radon (Rn), chemical element,
a heavy radioactive gas of Group 18 (noble gases) of the periodic table, generated by the radioactive decay of radium
. (Radon was originally called radium emanation.) Radon is a colourless gas, 7.5 times heavier than air and more than 100 times heavier than hydrogen.
Is radon gas harmful?
Breathing radon over time increases your risk of lung cancer
. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. Nationally, the EPA estimates that about 21,000 people die each year from radon-related lung cancer. Only smoking causes more lung cancer deaths.
Does opening windows reduce radon?
Opening windows improves air circulation and ventilation, helping move radon out of the house and mixing radon-free outside air with indoor air
. Make sure all your basement windows are open. Homes tend to have lower air pressure than their surroundings, which draws radon into the basement.
Does air purifier help with radon?
Air Purifiers are great for mold, dust, allergies, bacteria and viruses, and odors, but many people do not know that
they can also help with toxins, gases and chemicals such as radon
. The most important type of air filter to reduce radon levels is an activated carbon filter.
Can you vent radon out the side of my house?
The vent pipe discharge point is under the overhang and approximately 3 feet from the window. EPA’s Radon Mitigation Standards require vent discharge points to be above the roofline, and
no less than 10 feet sideways or 2 feet above any windows or vents
.
