Please know that I am not a radon expert, though I know a heck of a lot more about it than I did a couple of months ago. This is simply an update on our radon issues.
What we’ve been told is that if the radon reading is 4 or above, a remediation system needs to be installed. We were also told that it was close to impossible to get the numbers inside the house below 2. In our area, apparently the radon numbers outside are about 2. I found this info on the internet:
The average outdoor radon level is approximately 0.4 pCi/L. Indoor areas are typically 1.3 pCi/L in the United States. If home levels are at or exceed 4.0 pCi/L, homeowners should take steps to mitigate radon in their home.
https://www.soils.org/about-soils/contaminants/radon/#:~:text=The%20average%20outdoor%20radon%20level,mitigate%20radon%20in%20their%20home.
I think it was January 2 that the radon man came out and installed our system. We will always keep a radon meter in our home. In fact, we have three now – one in the basement family room, one in the basement bedroom and one in the main bedroom upstairs.
Our house has a French drain that goes around the two sides for sure . . maybe around the front, but I don’t think it goes around the back. I could be wrong but I do know it’s on the two sides. We knew where one pipe came out – on the north side of the house – but we never could find the south side pipe. Before the radon man came, Vince had done a lot of research on on using the French drain for the system but he had talked to probably five “experts” in Missouri and all of them acted like he was crazy wanting to use the French drain, yet everything he read seemed to suggest those who used French drains had excellent results. Vince set up an amateur system and used a small, very inexpensive greenhouse fan and PVC pipe to make a stack and immediately the levels in the house went down from 5+ to below 1.0. Vince was impressed but he radon man wasn’t so impressed.
We thought we had gravel under the foundation but all the radon man hit was sand, which didn’t give him much hope of a successful mitigation. He installed his system and Vince turned off his little fan and our levels went up. The radon levels went up and when they got to level 2, Vince hooked his system back up and they almost immediately dropped back down to below 1.
The system Vince hooked up is about the fartherest point from electricity and he was using a heavy duty extension cord but Jeremy came over and helped Vince find the pipes for the French drain on the south side of the house Vince dug that area up, capped the end of the line and installed his little greenhouse fan and this is the current reading in the basement family room. It’s much closer to electrical outlets will the vent pipe will be much less in the way using the south drain.
.10 is an unbelievably low number, especially since our mid-afternoon temp is 32 degrees. Probably most of the houses here, even those that have not needed a radon mitigation system, have higher numbers than that. I’m so thankful that Vince insisted on doing more and I’m thankful Jeremy put that French drain in and was able to help find the pipe.
The Short Term Average number alternates with the 7 Day Average and the 7 day average right now is .58. So long as the numbers all stay below 2, I’ll be happy but I have a feeling they’re going to stay below 1.
Linda B says
Just got the results of our radon test emailed this morning. It came out as below the detectable levels so we are happy. I just wish I had done the test at the previous house we lived in for 31 years. Thank you for all the input about radon. One less thing to worry about.
judy.blog@gmail.com says
Great! Glad yours is good.
Ginny says
Thank God Vince is so handy and knowable on how to take care of this for you. I live in Connecticut and we have radon in this state too. We have in our water and had to have a water filtration system put in.The radon was found in the home inspection and the previous owners installed the system as part of our purchase. I pay over $1300 to have the system serviced annually.
judy.blog@gmail.com says
Is the service for the water or air? If it’s the air, what do they do to service it? The only thing we know about is keeping the fan running and if it goes out, Vince will change it. Our neighbor has a system and they don’t even monitor it. I can’t imagine not knowing every day what the radon numbers are in our house but that’s probably just me being crazy.
Ginny says
The service is for the water. We have 3 large tanks that the the water from our well go through, each has a filter system made of carbon inside. They remove the last tank more up the other two and install a new tank in the first position. They test the water after the tanks are changed. The big cost is the disposal of the tank with the radon in it. We have no public water where I live everyone is on their own well. We were told that the water will release radon when is coming out of the faucet. I hated the idea of radon pouring over me or my family while showering. I was uncomfortable running water period and we were drinking bottled water. But after your story I want to buy 2 radon monitors for the house 1 for upstairs and 1 for downstairs.
judy.blog@gmail.com says
Thanks for the detailed explanation. When the radon man was here last, he ate with us and while eating, we got to talking about water and I think he said he’s never had to install a water system. I hope our community water supply is checked but who knows? I asked him . . what happens when you drink the water and he said he thought the problem arose more from steam (shower, boiling water, etc.) and then those particles are breathed in but I have no idea if he actually knew since he’s not been involved in water purification.
That’s what we did – bought three monitors – one for the downstairs bedroom, one for the downstairs family room and one for the master bedroom upstairs. I figured the basement bedroom would have the highest level because three of the walls are concrete outside walls and no windows but it has the lowest levels. Weird.
Rebecca says
So Vince with his “unimpressive” system did more for you than the professional who charged for his service? Sheesh.
Vince is a good man to have around. Think you’ll keep him?
judy.blog@gmail.com says
Yes, Vince’s system cost less than $50. The “real” system cost more than at least two of our vehicles are worth. 🙂
Danielle says
Yay Vince!!!!