We Offer Financing!
How to Reduce Radon Levels in Your Home Safely
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that can enter a home through openings in the foundation. You cannot see, smell, or taste it, so testing is the only way to determine the radon level inside your home.
If a test shows elevated radon, the most reliable way to lower the level is a professionally designed mitigation system. Opening windows may change the reading temporarily, but it does not prevent radon from entering the home. Sealing cracks, running the HVAC fan, and using an air purifier are also not substitutes for professional radon testing and mitigation.
What Radon Level Requires Action?
Radon is measured in picocuries per liter of air, written as pCi/L. The Environmental Protection Agency recommends fixing a home when one long-term test or the average of two short-term tests confirms a level of 4 pCi/L or higher. The EPA also recommends considering mitigation when levels are between 2 and 4 pCi/L because no amount of radon exposure is completely risk-free.
If your first test is elevated, follow the test instructions and arrange the appropriate follow-up test or professional measurement. Radon levels naturally fluctuate, so one reading may not represent your long-term average. A qualified tester can help you confirm the result without delaying action unnecessarily.
Can You Reduce Radon Levels Quickly?
Increasing outdoor-air ventilation may temporarily lower the radon concentration inside a home. However, the effect usually ends after the windows or doors are closed. Ventilation can also affect a radon test, so do not open windows or change normal ventilation while completing a test that requires closed-house conditions.
The appropriate response to a high result is to confirm the level and schedule a mitigation assessment. If the reading is especially high or you are unsure how to proceed, contact a radon professional for guidance rather than experimenting with the foundation or venting system.
Dor-Mar can evaluate the building, identify possible radon entry routes, and recommend a system suited to the foundation. A professional radon mitigation assessment provides a clear plan for lowering the level over the long term.
What Does Not Remove Radon From a Home?
Several commonly suggested quick fixes may sound reasonable but do not provide dependable radon mitigation.
Running the HVAC Fan
A standard forced-air HVAC system mostly recirculates indoor air. Running the fan may mix the air between rooms, but it does not stop radon from entering through the foundation or vent the gas safely outdoors.
Using an Air Purifier
Air purifiers are designed to capture particles, not radon gas. Some filters may capture a portion of the airborne particles created as radon decays, but they do not remove the source of the radon or replace a mitigation system. Dor-Mar offers other indoor air quality services for pollutants and comfort concerns that require different solutions.
Running a Dehumidifier
A dehumidifier removes moisture from the air. It does not remove radon gas. Humidity control can make a basement more comfortable and help manage moisture, but it should not be treated as radon reduction.
Sealing Cracks by Itself
Sealing accessible cracks and openings may support a mitigation system, but sealing alone rarely provides consistent radon reduction. Radon can enter through openings that are difficult to see or reach, and pressure differences can continue drawing soil gas into the building.
Creating a DIY Exhaust System
Do not place a household fan over an open sump pit or a hole in the basement floor. An improperly designed fan or discharge point can increase exposure, create electrical or moisture problems, interfere with combustion equipment, or allow radon to reenter the home. Radon fans, piping, suction points, and exhaust locations must be selected and installed for the specific building.
How Does Professional Radon Mitigation Work?
People often search for ways to remove radon, but mitigation does not promise to eliminate every trace of the gas. The goal is to prevent radon from accumulating indoors and reduce the measured level as much as reasonably possible.
The most common approach is active soil depressurization. A contractor creates one or more suction points beneath the foundation and connects them to sealed piping. A radon fan draws soil gas from below the home and releases it outdoors through an approved discharge location before it can enter the living space.
The correct method depends on the home. A mitigation plan may include:
- Sub-slab depressurization for a basement or slab foundation
- A sealed membrane and sub-membrane suction for a crawl space
- A sealed sump cover incorporated into the mitigation system
- Sealing selected cracks and penetrations to improve system performance
- Specialized ventilation when appropriate for the building
A technician should inspect the foundation type, sump system, crawl space, drainage features, and possible vent routes before determining the design. Dor-Mar’s Central Ohio radon services include testing and mitigation recommendations for the conditions found in the home.
How to Lower Radon Levels in a Basement
Basements are frequent radon entry areas because they are in direct contact with the soil. Radon may enter through floor cracks, wall joints, gaps around utility penetrations, sump pits, floor drains, or porous foundation materials.
For many basement homes, active sub-slab depressurization is the primary mitigation method. The fan creates lower pressure beneath the slab than inside the basement, directing soil gas into the vent pipe instead of allowing it to move through foundation openings.
An airtight sump cover and targeted sealing may be included when they support the system design. Simply covering the sump or caulking visible cracks without creating controlled suction beneath the slab may not lower radon enough.
Can an HVAC System Mitigate Radon?
A typical furnace and air conditioner do not provide radon mitigation because they recirculate most indoor air. This is why turning on the HVAC fan is not a reliable answer to high radon levels.
In some homes, a heat recovery ventilator or energy recovery ventilator may be part of a radon-reduction strategy. These systems exchange indoor and outdoor air while limiting energy loss. Whether ventilation is appropriate depends on the radon level, home construction, climate, existing HVAC equipment, and pressure balance. It must be designed correctly and its performance confirmed through testing.
An HVAC-based ventilation strategy should not be assumed to replace soil depressurization. A radon professional can determine which method or combination of methods is appropriate.
What Happens After a Mitigation System Is Installed?
The home should be retested after installation to confirm that the system reduced the radon level. The installer should also explain how to read the system indicator, recognize a fan or power failure, and arrange future testing.
Radon systems require little day-to-day attention, but they should not be ignored. Check the system indicator periodically, keep the fan powered, and retest the home as recommended. Renovations, foundation work, HVAC changes, or alterations to the drainage system may affect radon levels and can make additional testing worthwhile.
Schedule Radon Testing and Mitigation
If your home has an elevated radon result, Dor-Mar can help you confirm the level and determine the appropriate next step. Professional testing and a system designed for your foundation provide a dependable path to reducing radon exposure.
Contact Dor-Mar for testing and radon mitigation in Central Ohio.
Radon Reduction FAQs
