Can Radon Come Back After Mitigation?(Solved)

Can Radon Come Back After Mitigation?

Radon in plumbing can also refer to constructing a radon drain made from spiral steel wire wound into coil rings with joints between them.

The radius of the coils allows for the passage of water traveling at high speeds and pressure without turbulence.

Yes, Radon can come back after mitigation if your system boasts poor maintenance or has new radon sources entering the building. This can happen due to your property’s topography and your system’s location.

The best way to avoid this is by properly maintaining a radon mitigation system and keeping it in working order.

If you are worried about damage, contact an HVAC contractor specializing in radon mitigation services.

They will be able to assess the condition of your home or business and offer any advice necessary for improving indoor air quality.

They will repair any signs of radon entering your home or business and restore your radon mitigation system to its full functionality.

One of the most common problems is a blockage. If your system is old or if you have purchased new appliances, you will likely have to clean the unit regularly.

If not, dust can clog the pipes and reduce airflow past the filter. This will allow radon to build up in your home or business and poison your family and staff.

Another common problem is when the pipe has come loose. While you can design the radon system to fit together tightly, the simple aging of your pipes can make them lose their seal.

While this can happen anywhere, these problems are most common in basements where much of the duct-work is in an area prone to flooding.

If one pipe is damaged or lost, it is a good idea to check all of them.

Should The Radon Mitigation System Run All the Time?

Radon mitigation systems are typically designed to run continuously to ensure that radon levels in the home remain below safe limits.

However, the exact operating conditions and requirements for a specific radon mitigation system will depend on the system’s design and the home’s radon levels.

In many cases, the system will only be able to operate continuously in a given year because of time constraints related to building maintenance periods.

For example, working electric heaters often have a required interval where you turn them off and allow them to cool.

The radon mitigation system must understand such constraints, and you can configure it with appropriate start/stop times for short periods during the year.

Another common reason for not continuously running radon mitigation systems is that it is too expensive. With the proper design, you can minimize the cost.

However, in many cases, it may not be economical to run the mitigation system 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

For situations where it is not practical to have a radon mitigation system running continuously.

You can set up some mitigation systems with multiple stages of operation that will only use energy when an event triggers the need for mitigation.

For example, a mitigation system might only operate when a heat cycle begins or the basement temperature reaches 10 degrees C.

In these conditions, the cost of running the mitigation system will be significantly lower.

What Is Radon Mitigation?

Random mitigation is the process of reducing radon gas levels in a building. This gas comes from radioactive decay deep in the Earth.

The gas enters buildings through cracks and holes in walls, floors, and other foundation openings, especially those that lead to crawling spaces or basements.

There are three main ways to reduce radon gas:

1. Mechanical ventilation separates radon from the air by drawing indoor air through a soil suction pipe (vent pipe) and sending it outside.
2. Passive sub-slab depressurization systems (SSPDS) are installed under the floor to separate radon from the air in a home.
3. Active sub-slab depressurization systems (ASPSD) apply a fan to draw radon gas away from the house actively.

If you live in an area with high radon levels and the main source of radon is the soil in the ground, then you can install the systems to help reduce the amount of radon in your home.

However, some areas are known to have naturally high radon levels no matter what you do. These areas are known as high-risk zones.

If you live in a high-risk zone and wish to install a mitigation system, you must follow specific installation rules, as high radon levels can be dangerous.

If you live in an area with high radon levels and there is nothing you can do to reduce the amount of radon in your home, consider moving.

How Do I Know If My Radon Mitigation System Is Working?

Factor	Explanation
Check Your Manometer	Inspect the liquid in the tube,If it’s bubbling and boiling at the top, your system should be working. If it’s not bubbling and boiling, you will have to shut off your system for a day or two for moisture to dry out.
Measure Radon Levels	Take measurements before installation of the radon mitigation system and Take measurements after installation. Compare before and after measurements to see if there has been any change in radon levels in your home. If there is no change, then check back in 2 weeks. If radon levels have gone down after 2 weeks, the system has worked.
Radon Source	Cause the change in radon levels and Block the source, Use a sump pump to decrease radon accumulation in your basement and crawlspace. Sump pumps remove radon-laden water through the drainage system in your crawlspace, Radon levels tend to be higher in basements than in crawlspaces, so you will want to measure both areas. If you discover the sources of radon in your home, take steps to fix these problems.
Document What You’re Doing	Keep records of when you take measurements and how low the radon levels are. You can use these records to show that you are taking steps to reduce the radon problem in your home.

What Causes Radon Levels to Increase?

Causes	Explanation
Weather	They tend to increase in the winter and decrease in the summer.
Area geology	They tend to increase in areas with limestone, like the East Coast and Western Europe. They tend to decrease in areas that have granite, like the North and South Central United States
Environmental factors	They are often higher when there is a lot of rain or snow on an area’s soil, as moisture causes radon gas to seep into groundwater. They may also be higher in locations outside the soil, such as oceans and lakes.
Ventilation	They are typically lower in areas with more ventilation, as ventilation causes the expelling of radon gas from the soil and air. They tend to be higher in areas with windows, specifically those that offer ventilation.
Building Attributes	They tend to rise in buildings with flat roofs and are are higher on lower floors of buildings with slanted roofs. An example of an element contained within a compound is Chromium which is contained within chromium oxide.
Water Source	They may increase in areas that have low levels of magnesium and uranium. High levels of radon gas in the soil may indicate to geologists that there is a water source nearby that is a byproduct of uranium. Radon may be higher in areas with high levels of carbon dioxide.

Do Radon Mitigation Systems Smell?

Radon mitigation systems don’t have an odor, but reducing radon levels in a building can cause musty smells to develop.

Increased humidity in the air causes musty smells, resulting from the house sealing up tight while removing radon.

The walls of a building are typically made of sheet rock and may contain gaps where pipes and wires run through.

These gaps are often challenging to seal while performing the radon mitigation and may be an essential factor in how badly the house smells.

Suppose you’re living in a house that you have sealed up tight while radon mitigation is taking place. In that case, you will likely experience increased humidity levels, especially during summer.

This increased humidity can cause musty smells in the house, especially in places where air leaks through these gaps.

Before sealing up the gaps in your home, consider if you have a serious smell problem.

If you have a smell problem, the most reputable radon mitigation companies can fix it for you for a reasonable price.

If not, try using an air freshener or simply opening windows and doors to increase air circulation in your home.

What Does a Radon Mitigation System Cost?

The cost of a radon mitigation system varies with a few factors, including the size of the house, the level of radon, the type of mitigation system installed, and the location.

A radon mitigation system can range from $750 to $5,000 per home. However, some systems can cost as much as $10,000 per home because they treat the entire house.

Many of these radon mitigation systems qualify for a federal tax credit, which could cover up to 50% of the cost of the system.

Some state and local governments may also offer tax incentives and rebates toward purchasing and installing a radon mitigation system.

Check with the radon mitigation contractor you hire to determine how much the system will cost and what assistance you may be eligible for.

The radon level determines the type of system you install in the home and the location since some systems only work in certain areas.

The most known radon mitigation system is a sealed well pipe that lines the basement. You can install these pipes between the soil layer and the concrete slab.

You can bury them below ground level with the radon-absorbing material you place above ground.

What Can Cause A False High Radon Reading?

Cause	Explanation
Poor Ventilation	It can result in higher radon levels in a building, leading to a false high reading.
Weather Conditions	It can fluctuate based on weather conditions. For example, high winds and heavy rain can dilute radon levels, while low air pressure can lead to higher levels.
Measurement Error	Improper use of a radon detection device or human error in recording the results can lead to a false high reading.
Short-Term Test	It can vary daily, so a short-term test may not accurately reflect the long-term average levels.
Interference From Other Sources	Other sources of radiation, such as uranium or radium deposits in the soil, can interfere with radon measurements, leading to a false high reading.
False Positives	It can increase in some cases due to the decay of uranium in the soil, which leads to a false high reading. If homeowners are concerned about this possibility, they may want to hire a professional testing company to run tests and obtain results.
Surface Water	Certain surface water can cause high radon levels and lead to a false high reading. Homes near these sources may want to test their water and find the source before hiring a professional testing company to conduct tests.

Does Radon Come Through Drains?

Yes, Radon gas can enter a building through the water supply, including drains and other plumbing fixtures, as radon can dissolve in water, and you can release it into the air when the water is used.

However, the radon levels in the water are not likely to be high enough to cause health effects in most people.

In residential buildings, the radon level in drinking water supplies is monitored, and water that tests positively for radon is not distributed.

Some systems use a radon monitor that continuously checks for elevated radon levels and progressively turns on the “radon warning” feature when levels are above a certain level.

The average radon level in the water supply for indoor use is about 100 Bq/L (100 picocuries per liter).

Because the water in the United States contains a small amount of radon, and because of the concentration of radon in the air, it is impossible to drink “radon-free” water.

The amount of water that you would need to consume to expose it to radon at the radiation limit is 2,000 L per day, which is over eight times the normal intake.

Can Radon Go Through PVC Pipe?

Yes, Radon can penetrate through PVC pipes. This is because PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) consists of long chains of carbon-hydrogen bonds that, when ionized, can form a weak hydrogen bond with radon.

Radon then gets stuck in the pipe as it attempts to move on to the following molecule.

You may consider not using PVC pipes if you live in an area where radon concentrations are high or will become so soon, such as near a well or any water leak.

In the soil, radon can also turn into a gas and diffuse into building interiors if it has a source of water. When this happens, everyone in the house is exposed to a high radon concentration.

You can detect radon using similar methods to diagnose leaks and cracks in pipes.

You can see if your pipes have blockages or defects by checking for water pressure changes when you open a faucet and the flow through the pipe is interrupted.

You can also place a radon detector in the plumbing pipe, such as a charcoal or gas diffusion tube. If you place the detector upstream, you can tell if there is a leak and where it is coming from.

In addition, you can check if there is radon in your water supply by using a drinking water radon test kit.

You can also hire a professional to check for leaks and cracks in your plumbing pipes that radon may have caused. If you don’t detect a radon leak, your entire household and you will replace your pipes.

Conclusion

Radon gas is a colorless, odorless gas found naturally in the soil. Exposure to this gas can lead to health effects, including lung cancer and lung disease.

Radon levels in the air and water supplies are not high enough to be dangerous for most people.