Do you have an unsafe radon mitigation system?
“Caveat Emptor” Caveat Emptor is a neo-Latin phrase meaning “let the buyer beware.” We use this phrase often in light of a warning, that a buyer should put in due diligence, to understand what they are getting before making a purchase. This could refer to either a product, a service rendered or the reputation of a seller or service provider.
When someone takes action to reduce high radon levels in their home, the general course of action is to have a radon mitigation system installed. The typical person really has no idea if their radon mitigation system was installed correctly, in a safe manor or not. Additionally many people who have radon mitigation systems installed in their homes don’t even know if those systems are effectively removing the radon to an acceptable level or not (see 10 Reasons to Test and Re-Test for Radon.)
The problem of unsafe radon mitigation systems is exacerbated by the fact, that many if not the majority of radon mitigation systems, are installed as part of real estate transactions and paid for by the sellers, who most of the time, in my experience, are looking for the lowest cost radon mitigation contractors they can find.
Most of the radon mitigation systems I install are paid for by the seller of a home and usually the only question they have about the installation is, “what will it cost?” That is all they really care about in most cases. For this e reason the radon mitigation business is extremely competitive, price wise. Some radon mitigation companies cater to the demand for low cost systems, and have developed reputations of using cheaper and substandard materials and installation methods, saving them costs in materials and labor, allowing them to undercut their more ethical competition.
Two primary reasons for unsafe (improper) radon mitigation systems:
- Cutting corners to save time and materials cost.
- Ignorance and or laziness; just plain not knowing or not bothering to figure out the proper way to do it.
I believe in most cases the reasons for unsafe radon mitigation systems fall into the category of selfishness (lack of concern for the safety of others) and greed. This could be the radon mitigation contractor who cuts corners by not using quality materials or proper and safe installation procedures to achieve higher profits. This could also be a person selling their home, who wants the absolute cheapest system regardless of quality or safety – in this case the installation contractor is also complicit.
Ignorance may be the reason in some cases either by a do it your self homeowner or an unexperienced contractor. However, with the voluminous amount of information readily available on the proper installation of radon mitigation systems, there is really no excuse in most situations for ignorance. When ignorance is the reason for an unsafe mitigation system is installed, it is most likely due to the lack of concern for proper and safe installation. Ignorance is overcome with proper instruction which can be obtained with a little effort.
Please leave your questions, comments or stories of unsafe radon mitigation systems below for the help and learning of others. For additional information you may want to see “Improper and Unsafe Radon Mitigation Systems” a page on this website that contains pictures and examples of unsafe radon mitigation systems that I’ve come across my self or examples found on the web.
Lori R. wrote me. “I am at the lower end of an apartment complex. A mitigation system was just installed and vents into my attic. My heating and air return is in the same closet as the attic access which access is just a piece of plywood over a big hole and does not even lay flat or sealed at all. It will suck the closet door shut if I open it while the heat pump is running so there is no question that it is pulling air from the attic too. The floor is freezing now as well. I have on two pairs of bedroom shoes and still can’t rest my feet on the floor because it is so cold and that is with a thick rug too. The bottom of the pipe on the mitigation system is not sealed either and I can see down in the floor. They said they were testing for radon in order to refinance so apparently it did not pass. This can’t be healthy but I don’t know how to get help as management is not concerned. any suggestions?”
I’m sorry Lori, you are in a difficult situation as a tenant. From what you describe it appears there are at least a couple of problems here. First no radon system should vent into an attic. All radon mitigation systems should vent to the exterior of the building, in most cases above the roof and the highest part of the roof if possible; and it should vent in such a way that the radon laden air will not re-enter the building, either into a window opening, fresh air intake vent, or any of the attic vents. That exhausted air from a radon vent pipe is not only laden with high radon gas, most of the time it is also laden with high levels of moisture. I have seen a couple of passive radon vent pipes (with out an fan installed) that vented into an attic and there was significant mold on the wood structure of attic above the vent pipe from moisture that rose out of pipe even without a fan installed. And the radon pipe should also be well sealed where it penetrates the floor. If you can see down into the hole around the pipe that is not proper. I recommend you call your local department of health for advice on your situation. You also could print out this replay and submit to management and it may help. You could ask the management to give you copies or a written letter stating the radon level in your building. In some places, like New York, if the radon level tests above 20 pCi/L in some types of buildings the land lord is required to notify the tenants of a potential health risk and they are highly encouraged to take action to correct the high radon problem. Hope this helps.