Installation Procedure

The manner in which a mitigation system is installed depends on the house.  The objective is to remove the radon gas from under the basement slab or from the crawl space before it finds its way into the house.

If the house has a basement, some or all of the following steps would be involved.  If the basement has a sump pump, an air tight cover would be installed to minimize energy penalties and increase system performance. 

If the basement is not finished, the wall/floor joint and cracks would be sealed with caulk. 

The manner in which the radon gas is removed from under the floor is to install a system that creates vacuum and pulls the radon and other soil gases to a collection point.  This is done by coring a three to four inch hole through the basement floor and installing a piping system with an in-line fan to create the vacuum.  The radon that is discharged to the atmosphere is much more concentrated than the indoor level.  Therefore, it is required that the discharge be above the roofline and that the suction fan be located outside the living area of the house.

If the house has a gravel or dirt crawl space, a plastic barrier, secured to the foundation walls is placed over the crawl space surface.  The vacuum-inducing piping system then extends from beneath the plastic barrier to above the roof line.

Either system will have a system indicator called a UTube to show that the system is operating.  It is important to remember that the UTube only tells you whether or not the system is operating; it does not indicate radon levels.  The UTube will either be equal or unequal.   

If the house is slab on grade, the piping system would be installed in the utility area or in a closet.