A radon mitigation system is used to remove radon gas from an enclosed building. These systems can use either a passive or active approach to moving the radon gas out of the space and back into the open air.

Radon gas is a natural gas that is produced when uranium decays. The gas can be found in soil, rock, and water. When a home or building is placed on a foundation, the foundation is in direct contact with the source of radon gas. Over time and with environmental changes, the radon gas could collect in the lower level of the building and move upward through open spaces into the area of the home or building used most often.

Radon is always present in the air, but levels higher than 0.4 picocuries per liter of air are considered carcinogenic. This means the gas, when breathed regularly at higher levels, can cause cancer as reported by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Once a radon test has established the presence of radon gas in a home or building, the radon mitigation system will need to be installed to remove that gas. Depending on the levels of radon or the previous attempts at radon removal, a passive or active radon mitigation system could be chosen.

The passive radon mitigation system uses a pipe running from the lowest level of the building through the walls and out through the roof. This pipe collects the radon gas and allows it to naturally move into open air at the top of the building. Passive systems are often used as a first line of radon gas treatment or when levels of radon gas are relatively low. Some new constructions install passive radon mitigation systems even if the building is not in an area where radon gas is a problem.

The active radon mitigation system is more effective than the passive system. A fan is placed in the lowest level of the building. This fan causes a vacuum effect in the space that forces all of the air to move through the installed pipe. The radon is often completely removed with an active mitigation system.

Many radon mitigation systems will work hand in hand with sealing or soil treatment on the home or business. The sealing does not work alone to obstruct the radon gas from entering the building, but can block some of the gas from entering the space. The sealing simply refers to patching any cracks in the foundation or basement of the building where radon gas could be seeping in.

The soil around the building may also be holding on to radon gas. Mitigation systems often include soil treatment, which draws the radon out of the soil. The soil system is used as part of a complete radon treatment plan that includes the sealing and pipe installation.

Radon, a colorless and odorless gas found in the air, can concentrate in the home or business without the knowledge of those inside. The gas seeps into the space through cracks in the foundation and collects in the lowest levels of a building. The gas then moves through the home or business via air conditioning systems and natural air movement. When levels reach above a 2, the human body will be more susceptible to cancer, including lung cancer.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, there are levels of radon in every space at any given time. The most common source of this radon is the soil on which the foundation of the building is sitting. Uranium rock decays and emits radon into the soil. Over time, this radon gas moves up through the layers of soil and then passes into a crawl space or basement through cracks. These cracks do not have to be large as the gas does not need much space to move.

Radon can also be found in the water supplies of the home and business. Private wells and public water systems that use groundwater are most susceptible to high radon levels. While ingesting radon-laced water can increase the chance of stomach cancer, the highest threat comes when the water is used and the radon gas is emitted into the air. Radon can be removed was water systems using point of entry filtering.

The effects of safe radon levels on the body are still harmful, but often cannot be avoided. Smokers tend to have higher risks of lung cancer associated with even the smallest amounts of radon in the air. At a level of 0.4, three smokers out of every 1,000 smokers could get lung cancer linked to the radon levels.

The safe levels of radon are below 2 picocuries per liter. Any levels of radon below 2 are very difficult to correct in the home, but this does not mean a threat is not present due to the “safe” levels.

Smokers and Radon Levels

At 0.4 picocuries per liter, three out of every 1,000 smokers could contract lung cancer. The level 0.4 is the normal level of radon measured in outside air. When those levels are raised to 1.3 picocuries per liter, 20 smokers out of every 1,000 could contract lung cancer. This level is the common, and safe, level measured in most homes.

Non-smokers have a lesser chance of contracting lung cancer from safe radon levels. At 1.3 picocuries per liter, only 2 non-smokers per 1,000 are at increased risk of having lung cancer. This is more than 15 times lower than that of a smoker.

Radon is present in every home and every open space. The safe radon levels are those we are forced to live with because they cannot be removed successfully from the atmosphere. People who smoke have no safe radon levels. Even the smallest amount of radon in the air can increase the chances of contracting lung cancer.