Radon is a radioactive gas that rises into homes from uranium in the soil underneath the building. This gas can pass through a home’s foundation and may lead to lung diseases, including lung cancer, for those inside.
Although it can pass through the foundation, the cement and other materials still slow radon entry into the home. However, when a home has a crawl space with soil floors, there is no barrier to prevent or slow the entry of radon into the house. We’re here to help you understand what risk your crawl space poses for you and your loved ones.
The first step to determine your risk is to test your home. Because radon is odorless and invisible, the only way to know your home’s radon level is to test for it. This can be done free and fast with Utah Radon Services! Request your free test here.
If your home test is high for radon, it is time to look into radon mitigation. Crawl spaces require more complex systems, so it’s important to have a radon expert look at your home to determine the best method for mitigation.
The best way to prevent radon entry is to seal the ground AND install a radon mitigation system. Unless a portion of the crawl space is not accessible, these actions should be done at the same time. Properly sealing the crawl space can make a direct impact on the radon level in your home. Plus, it helps prevent energy loss—consider it a win-win!
Step One: Sealing the Crawl Space
The first step is to seal any exposed soil in the crawl space with an airtight membrane called a vapor barrier. Before this can be installed, everything must be removed from the area. If the ground is a gravel surface or very rocky, we may install an additional layer of paper down before placing the membrane to prevent tearing. Next, the membrane is secured to the foundation walls and sealed to create an airtight barrier that blocks the radon gas from entering your home.
Step Two: Installing a Radon Mitigation System
Once the crawl space is sealed, we install a radon mitigation system directly into the soil under the vapor barrier. This creates a vacuum that constantly pulls the radon from the ground and vents it out above the roof of the house.
If your home has a crawl space with concrete floors, all cracks and construction areas will be sealed. Then, a radon mitigation system is installed by drilling a hole in the concrete to get to the soil underneath. Your home may require multiple suction points to effectively pull the radon from the soil beneath the home.
A radon expert must design a system that works for your home and will reduce the radon levels below the action levels recommended by the World Health Organization and Environmental Protection Agency. Contact the experts at Utah Radon Services for additional information.
If you have discovered or are worried about a radon problem in your home, you may be looking into methods to reduce radon. There are several radon reduction techniques available to you, but we should first review why radon reduction is important. What Is radon gas and why is it dangerous? As uranium in soil […]
Radon is a radioactive gas that cannot be seen, tasted, or smelled. In the United States, exposure to radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in smokers and the leading cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. Agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and World Health Organization (WHO) have strong stances about radon […]
Radon mitigation systems can be installed in a house to reduce radon levels, but what about condos and townhomes? Before we get into the details, let’s first understand what radon is and how it enters a home. What Is Radon? Radon gas is a naturally-occurring, radioactive gas that occurs when uranium in soil decays. This […]
