2021-05-11

Radon Mitigation: How to reduce the effects of radon from the ground

Radon – An invisible health hazard

Radon is a radioactive gas, which is invisible and completely odourless and is created by decaying or deteriorating Uranium deposits within the rock or soil. The radon gas molecules stick to the dust particles in the atmosphere which can then be inhaled into our lungs causing long term health conditions. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), indoor radon is the second most common cause of lung cancer after smoking.

Where does radon come from?

Radon is everywhere and can come from the ground, from construction materials and water sourced from ground water. It is most common for radon to enter into the living environment from the contamination in the ground. Some construction materials that were used in the early to mid-1900’s may have contained particles which can cause or lead-to high levels of radon gas in poorly ventilated properties.

Radon measuring and mitigation

To ensure that you don’t have hazardous levels of radon in your living environment or workplace, a radon test must be performed. If the radon level exceeds 100 Bq/m³ in the living environment, WHO recommends property owners to take measures to reduce the radon concentration. For workplaces, the recommended threshold value varies in different countries. In the UK, the recommended threshold is 300 Bq/m³. If the radon concentrations is above this level, an employer shall take action to remedy it. Radon testing must then be repeated to confirm that the levels have fallen below 300 Bq/m³.

How to reduce Radon levels coming from the ground

Depending on whether you are doing remediation on a ground slab or in the crawl space (Sub-floor void), the methods differ.

Radon reduction on a ground slab

To reduce the radon coming from the ground, a radon extractor is installed inside the property. This in combination with sealing holes or cracks in the ground slab and the walls against the ground – especially where pipes and other pipes enter the building to minimise the points of easy access for gas penetration.

Short version – how to install a Radon extractor:

Step 1: Drill a hole through the ground floor / basement slab in the foundation of the house.
Step 2: Connect the extraction pipework system to the previously referred to floor drill hole opening with the other end attached to the airtight Radon extractor unit, which can be installed at a convenient location within the property.
Step 3: The Radon extractor will then will pump the air containing high radon gas levels through ventilation points to the external environment where the contamination can quickly dilute to safe levels.

Reduce radon in a crawl space

Step 1: Clear the ground from organic matter and debris
Step 2: Lay out a drainage hose in the crawl space
Step 3: Enclose the ground using plastic and make sure it is airtight.
Step 4: Install and connect an airtight fan to the drainage hose. The fan must be intended for radon decontamination.
Step 5: Make sure that the fan extracts the radon and ventilates it away from the house.

Further information and assistance are available on request.

Products for radon mitigation in the ground

Our Radon Extractor RS 400 is suitable for decontamination of radon in crawl spaces. Since crawl spaces also frequently suffer from moisture-related problems, you could install a crawl space dehumidifier that combines both dehumidification and radon mitigation at the same time. Our crawl space dehumidifier CTR 300TT2 is an excellent choice for these situations since they are constructed to remedy problems related to moisture, odour, and radon.