Radon in Homes - Mitigation - DIY & Professional
Radon is a Natural Gas that is radioactive, invisible, heavier than air & odorless and it's the second cause of lung cancer in North America after smoking, as well as causing other serious health issues. Here you can find all the Ecohome construction guides for how to reduce the level of radon in homes.
Related products
About
Radon in Homes - Mitigation
Build Better, Renovate Better, Live Better - with EcoHome...
Protecting your home from radon gas, a naturally occurring radioactive element, is a critical step in ensuring a safe and healthy indoor environment. Testing is the only certain way to know your level of exposure. As homes become more airtight for energy efficiency, it is essential to manage indoor air quality with balanced ventilation systems, such as a Heat Recovery Ventilator (HRV) or Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV), to reduce the buildup of various contaminants. However, for radon, the primary concern is preventing the gas from entering from the ground in the first place. If you live in an area susceptible to radon, often regions with granite or shale bedrock across the USA, Canada, and parts of the UK and Europe, testing is essential. If high levels are present, you must take effective steps to mitigate or remove radon from your home's crawlspace, basement, or ground-floor living space.
Understanding Radon: What It Is and How It Enters Your Home
Radon is a colorless, odorless radioactive gas that results from the natural decay of uranium found in nearly all soils and rocks. The primary health risk associated with long-term radon exposure is an increased risk of developing lung cancer, making it a serious indoor air hazard recognized by organizations like the World Health Organization, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Health Canada. Radon gas moves up from the ground into the air and can enter your home through any opening where the house contacts the soil. Common entry points include cracks in foundation slabs and walls, construction joints, gaps around service pipes, sump pits, and even well water. Because of a slight air pressure difference between your home and the soil (known as the stack effect), your house can act like a vacuum, drawing radon gas inside.
How to Accurately Test for Radon Gas Levels
Since you cannot see or smell radon, you must perform a test to determine the concentration inside your home. There are two main types of do-it-yourself testing options: short-term tests, which are placed for 2 to 90 days, and long-term tests, which run for over 90 days. Long-term tests are recommended by most health agencies as they provide a more accurate picture of your home's average radon level over different seasons and weather conditions. You can also hire a certified radon measurement professional to conduct testing for you. It is important to know the action level in your country; for example, the EPA recommends taking action at or above 4.0 picocuries per liter (pCi/L), while Health Canada recommends mitigation at levels above 200 becquerels per cubic meter (Bq/m³).
Effective Radon Mitigation Techniques for New and Existing Homes
If testing reveals elevated radon levels, proven mitigation techniques can reduce concentrations by over 90%. The most common and reliable method is active soil depressurization (ASD), or sub-slab depressurization. This system involves inserting a small suction pipe through the foundation slab into the gravel or soil beneath, which is connected to a fan that runs continuously to draw radon gas from under the home and vent it safely outside, away from windows and openings. For new construction in radon-prone areas, a passive radon mitigation system can be affordably installed during the building process, which can be easily converted to an active system if needed. Sealing foundation cracks and openings is a necessary secondary step but is not sufficient on its own as a mitigation strategy. We also have Canada's and the USA's most comprehensive high performance and sustainable prefabricated and modular homes directory available here, searchable by Province or State, as well as the largest online directory of green construction contractors here on EcoHome.