Radon Update – Mitigation System Installed

We had the radon mitigation system installed during our new addition remodeling.  The complete system consists of the following:

1. They sealed off the sump pump pit and installed a submerged pump.
2. They drilled a hole in the basement floor and installed a PVC pipe into the hole.  The pipe runs all the way to the roof where it vents
3. They added a fan in line with the PVC pipe up in the attic.  The fan runs all the time and forces air out of the roof vent

Before the system was installed our radon numbers in the basement were mostly above 4 pCi / L.  There was a brief time last summer when they dipped below 4 pCi / L but then they went up much higher.  As soon as the sump pump was sealed off and the PVC pipe was installed, but before the fan was turned on, the radon concentration reading dropped quickly (within days) down to 2 pCi / L.  It stayed at 2 pCi / L until the fan was turned on and then after that it dropped within days down to 1 pCi / L.  It briefly dropped to 0 pCi / L but then came back up.  All measurements were made with the Safety Siren device described in a previous blog entry.

Here is a chart showing the radon measurements over time.  I pretty much recorded a reading whenever I noticed the reading change.

As long as I’m writing this article I’ll give a quick plug to the company that did the installation.  It was Radon Specialists of Wisconsin.