OUR SERVICES
SERVICES TO MAKE YOUR HOME
RADON FREE
Radon is real, and it's harmful!
No need to panic, we can fix it.

RADON: IT'S OUR BUSINESS

What is Radon?

Radon is a radioactive gas that comes from the ground. It is produced from naturally occurring Uranium that has existed for millions of years. This gas can seep into our homes where we could potentially breathe it posing a risk of getting lung cancer. Radon gas is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, according to the US EPA. It is estimated that 21,000 deaths per year are attributed to radon gas. All of those deaths are preventable! We specialize in radon reduction system installations that will take care of your radon problem quickly and painlessly. Just give us a call for more information. Call us even if you just have questions. We are always here to help!

Radon in Ohio?

Yes, unfortunately there is radon gas in Ohio. In fact, almost the whole State of Ohio is known as a Zone 1 Area, which means we have some of the highest levels of indoor radon gas in the nation! Elevated levels of radon gas in our homes depends upon numerous factors including the age, type and location of the home, as well as some basic construction details. However, it is estimated that over 50% of the homes in our area will test with elevated levels. There are some neighborhoods that we have seen every home have high levels, as high as 20 times the recommended levels. All homes have the potential to have high levels, even if there is no basement, so we recommend that all homes be tested for radon gas. If your home tests high, have no fear, it can easily be repaired!

Sub Slab Depressurization:

Reducing your families exposure to radon gas is our primary goal. Our systems are up to 99% effective in reducing indoor radon levels. Since radon gas comes from the ground, we use a suction in the ground to get rid of it. The process involves creating mild suction/vacuum in the soil underneath the home to collect the radon gas before it enters the home. This process is called "Sub Slab Depressurization", or "Under Slab Suction". This process is basically the same from house to house. Certain details about the house will dictate how the system is installed.

Suction Point

The process starts with drilling a 4" to 5" hole through the slab, generally 10" to 12" from the foundation wall in most basements. This will be where the system creates its suction. This hole location is called the "suction point". A small pit will be hand excavated under the slab through this hole creating an area for excellent vacuum pressure. PVC pipe will be installed and sealed into the suction point with a strong silicone type adhesive.

Suction Pipe

A white PVC pipe, 3" diameter, schedule 40 thickness, will be installed into the suction point. The pipe will be routed up the basement wall and through the rim joist. At that point the pipe may exit to the outside of the home, or into the garage area, or in some cases through closets or hidden chase areas. Most suction pipes are located in a basement area. If the home does not have a basement, it may be located on a first floor slab area, or even a crawlspace area.

External Systems

This is a typical external type system installed on a single story home. The suction pipe is routed from the basement to the outside of the home at ground level. The fan is the rounded area near the base of the home. It is designed for radon mitigation and suitable to mount outdoors. The fan is mounted to the pipe with flexible rubber couplings to help eliminate vibrations and to make it easier to service. We always use "white" couplings (not black) for a better appearance. Notice that the vent opening at the top of the pipe is above the gutter height of the house. It is required that the vent opening be at least 10 feet off ground level, above the eave, and also certain distances away from open-able windows. We take great pride in locating outside mounted systems and will work with you to find an aesthetically pleasing location.

Internal Systems

This photo shows the suction pipe routed through the attached garage on an internal system. The pipe is all white so it blends with most garage walls and we make every effort to mount the pipe as close to the wall as possible. The pipe is typically schedule 40 S&D PVC, which is very thick walled pipe, and very durable. There should be no concern for any type of damage from normal use of the garage area. Noise will also be very minimal, almost silent. The red part in the middle of the pipe is the vacuum manometer. This is a gauge that measures vacuum in the pipe and serves as a visual monitoring device for the fan. If the gauge reads "0" then it means the fan has either been accidentally turned off, or has failed. This is an important part to the system because you most likely won't "hear" the system running, and a visual monitor will help you to know that the system is running.

Attic Pipe and Fan

Here we see the mitigation fan and exhaust pipe mounted in the garage attic space. You will notice that the fan is hard wired to a shut off switch, which is used for servicing the fan. You will also notice that the pipe is elevated and mounted securely to a 2x4. Notice the bracing under the fan and also the strapping securing the pipe in place. The pipe is also sloped away from the fan to aid in condensation drainage.

Roof Vent Pipe

This is a photo of the vent pipe on the rooftop. It looks just like some of the existing toilet stacks on the home and blends in well. The pipe is properly flashed with the proper roof boot so that there are no leak issues. There is an aluminum screen on the end of the pipe to ensure that no "critters", like birds and squirrels, will enter the pipe.

Sump Cover

Some homes have sump pit drainage systems and it may be necessary to install a special sealed cover in order for our mitigation system to work properly. The cover will prevent vacuum loss underneath the slab, and also prevent radon from re-entering the home. These covers are removable with basic hand tools to allow servicing of the sump pump. The installation of the cover will not affect the sump pump function because we do not disassemble or modify the pumping or pump in any way.any way.

Testing Monitor

We test for radon using only the most current technology available. There are several ways to test, the most common being a short term type test. For short term testing we recommend using only continuous monitor devices. These devices are computers that will report hourly as well as an average hourly radon measurement. We use Sun Nuclear model 1027 monitors for all of our short term testing. If you are not sure what type of test you should use in your specific situation, please call us for our recommendations and information. Please note: because we specialize in the "reduction" services for radon, we choose not to offer discovery testing services for real estate transactions to avoid any potential conflicts of interest. For this type of discovery testing, we recommend hiring a contractor who DOES NOT offer mitigation/reduction services.