Upon detecting radon in a home the first step in resolving the issue is to have a radon mitigation system installed. The type of mitigation system installed depends on the building’s foundation. As with any appliance, some level of Radon System Maintenance Pittsburgh PA will be necessary to ensure proper working condition.
Types of mitigation systems include:
- Positive Pressure Mechanical Ventilation -; These systems vent to the outside of the building. The location of the exhaust vent varies depending on the home.
- Basement or slab-on-grade foundation -; This foundation type typically uses the sub-slab depressurization system. The installation requires a hole four to six inches wide to be drilled through the basement floor or slab and a shallow area beneath the floor or slab to be excavated. A PVC suction pipe is then inserted and connected to a fan which creates a vacuum. The radon gas is vented to the outside of the home through a pipe.
- Crawlspaces -; Homes on crawlspaces typically use the sub-membrane depressurization method. With this method, a polyethylene sheet is laid on top of the soil and a perforated PVC pipe placed beneath the plastic. The pipe is connected to a fan creating a vacuum that collects the radon and then exhausts it outside.
Radon System Maintenance Pittsburgh PA should be conducted to ensure that indoor radon stays below 4 pCi/L. The system should be retested as soon as possible after installation to verify the radon has been lowered below 4pCi/L. This should be done no sooner than 24 hours after installed and no later than 30 days post-installation. Going forward, a retest should be conducted every one to two years.
Radon System Maintenance Pittsburgh PA should include an inspection of the system’s fan, which typically last three to five years. It is important to replace the fan as soon as possible once it ceases to work. Regular system maintenance and cleaning of the fan components extends the lifespan of radon mitigation systems.
Periodically check the system’s manometer tube as part of the routine Radon System Maintenance Pittsburgh PA program to ensure it is working correctly. The manometer is a U-shaped tube with a colored oil inside, usually red, that indicates if the fan is working. There will be marks on the tube indicating where the oil should be. One side should be higher than the other. If they are equal, the fan has stopped working.