This article is sponsored by, Custom Home Building Camp

What Home Buyers should tell their builder about Radon.

Radon-resistant measures can be installed for very little extra money or effort during home construction

It seems Radon appears in the news every few months or so.  The last “Radon Scare”  suggested that granite counter tops were a serious source of radon.  This claim was proved incorrect by the EPA.

The fact remains that Radon is believed to be the second leading cause of lung cancer in America and the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers.

Radon comes from the natural decay of uranium that is found in nearly all soils. It typically moves up into the home through cracks and other holes in the foundation and it can be present in any home

What to ask your builder.

Most home buyers never perform a radon test. The truth is radon-resistant measures, can be installed for very little extra money or effort.  By insuring their is home “prepped” for a radon mitigation system the home buyer can test their home a few months after occupying and if the levels are high the complete remediation system can be installed relatively inexpensively.

According to EPA, nearly one out of every 15 homes in the U.S. has elevated radon levels. EPA publishes a map at www.epa.gov/radon that shows radon potential by county, Zone 1 having the highest potential and Zone 3 the lowest. Regardless of the potential, elevated levels of radon gas have been found in homes in every state. (Zone Map is shown below).  The EPA recommends radon levels should be less than 4 pico curries per liter (pCi/L)

Reducing Radon.

Basic radon-resistant construction involves the following elements of a passive (i.e., no electrical power required) soil-gas collection and venting system (Figure 1):

A. Gas Permeable Layer – Place a drainage bed, usually a 4-inch layer of clean gravel, beneath the slab or flooring system to allow the soil gas to move freely underneath the house.

B. Plastic Sheeting – Place plastic sheeting—on top of the gas permeable layer and under the slab to help prevent the soil gas from entering the home. In crawlspaces, place the sheeting over the crawlspace floor.

C. Sealing and Caulking – Seal all openings in the concrete foundation floor to reduce soil gas entry into the home.

D. Vent Pipe – Run a 3- or 4-inch gas-tight line, usually PVC pipe (commonly used for plumbing), from the gas permeable layer through the house to the roof to safely vent radon and other soil gases.

E. Junction Box – Install an electrical junction box in case an electric venting fan is needed later.

In most cases the passive venting system reduces the radon levels to acceptable readings, but if the levels still exceed 2 pCi/L, the passive system is easily turned into an active system by adding a fan to the vent pipe in the attic.  Your builder should have already made sure a junction box, or electrical outlet, is installed near the vent pipe, so a fan can be installed quickly and easily.

What does it cost?

Cost can vary, but installation cost of  the passive system will be between $400 and $600 and to complete the active system, with a fan,  will add another $300-$500.

If you would like more information on radon,  visit www.epa.gov/radon.