We record higher and higher radon when we run the wood stove... no experiment records just personal experience!!!
Radon gas anyone?
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MacLawn
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Does anybody know if having crawl space spray foam insulated will stop radon?
tornadowatchranch
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couple of thoughts and my own experience with putting in my own system
You do not need a big hole saw for the concrete. I used my Harbor freight demo hammer drill with a 3/8 bit. I drilled about 20 holes in a rough circle and used hydraulic cement to seal around the outside.
You can buy a kit at Menards that has some couplings and a fan for about $125.
I got a lot of good info from this site
Do It Yourself Radon Mitigation Help Guide
This site has guides based upon the type of sub slab aggregate you have and other variables. I have sand which is harder to pull than your rock.
I have the same meter and it takes about a day to get a reading but sometimes 3.
My levels vary with the amount of rain we get here in Kansas. I have clay soil and after a period of rain the soil swells which (my theory) prevents if from going around the house so my levels go up.
Install of my system took about 7 hours working alone for 2 slab penetrations.
I have not seen it mentioned yet but the recommended level to mitigate is 4 or above.
You do not need a big hole saw for the concrete. I used my Harbor freight demo hammer drill with a 3/8 bit. I drilled about 20 holes in a rough circle and used hydraulic cement to seal around the outside.
You can buy a kit at Menards that has some couplings and a fan for about $125.
I got a lot of good info from this site
Do It Yourself Radon Mitigation Help Guide
This site has guides based upon the type of sub slab aggregate you have and other variables. I have sand which is harder to pull than your rock.
I have the same meter and it takes about a day to get a reading but sometimes 3.
My levels vary with the amount of rain we get here in Kansas. I have clay soil and after a period of rain the soil swells which (my theory) prevents if from going around the house so my levels go up.
Install of my system took about 7 hours working alone for 2 slab penetrations.
I have not seen it mentioned yet but the recommended level to mitigate is 4 or above.
robstaples
Gold Member
It's difficult to be certain with so many variables ,like how thick of foam, closed cell? , how much pressure build up. But some facts: radon is a big atom 86 protons and 220 weight,
And a half life of 3.8 days.
Compare a balloon of radon with a helium balloon, where helium is weight of 4. The helium diffuses thru a rubber balloon overnight but last several days in a mylar balloon, but with very little pressure differencial in mylar. If you could fill a rubber balloon with no leakage with radon say 1 gal size, it would be half the size or 1/2 gal after 3.8 days. And one quart after another 3.8 days. ( US imperial
)So radon goes away on its own , but you don't want it breaking down in your lungs.
I think your foam , if closed cell and 2+inches, and without cracks, would help significantly, if there is a pressure release for gas build up. Radon bubbles up from a solid - principle uranium and returns to a solid- lead. And a reasonable short life. Half life of uranium is like 4 billion yrs.
I rented a real time meter ( 1 minute) and found my source and mitigated it. Turned my in ground (pad) duct work into radon evacuation header. Works great but lost my force air heating system..
Tornadowatchranch,
I'm lucky my most likely source is an "unpaved" 7 ft sq but also will be where I put my suction after pouring the pad. Unlike most, I have a concrete roof to contend with. If I can get away with one suction point, that will be great. But if I need to add an additional suction on the far side due to shear size, it will be at least a foot from the wall due to our very wide footers.
when we built our all concrete house, I bought the biggest hammer drill I could find. I can drill a 1 inch hole through 8 inch wall in 60 seconds
I'm lucky my most likely source is an "unpaved" 7 ft sq but also will be where I put my suction after pouring the pad. Unlike most, I have a concrete roof to contend with. If I can get away with one suction point, that will be great. But if I need to add an additional suction on the far side due to shear size, it will be at least a foot from the wall due to our very wide footers.
when we built our all concrete house, I bought the biggest hammer drill I could find. I can drill a 1 inch hole through 8 inch wall in 60 seconds
Teg,
I'm not surprised a wood stove would do that. The fire draws a bunch of air making a negative pressure in the house. We piped outside air in to our fireplace and the air would howl out of the pipe! Our wood stove was located in our utility room where the dog door was located. The dog door would swing open a 1/4 in by the air rushing in.
I'm not surprised a wood stove would do that. The fire draws a bunch of air making a negative pressure in the house. We piped outside air in to our fireplace and the air would howl out of the pipe! Our wood stove was located in our utility room where the dog door was located. The dog door would swing open a 1/4 in by the air rushing in.
kcflhrc
Veteran Member
My uneducated guess would be if Radon can penetrate solid concrete then it can most certainly penetrate spray foam
tornadowatchranch
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I forgot to add....My levels started at 25 and went to 16 by just covering the sump and venting that to air outside--no pump at that time. They then went from an average of 16 to 2.5 within a week of adding a system that does NOT draw from sump. My window wells have black pipe from daylight to footer drain so a sump system would really just pull from the closest window well. The only reason I did 2 penetrations was I already had the pipe and it was cheap. If I were to do it again I would likely put in one with a coupling capped to add a second and then follow levels with that meter. If they don't go down enough then add the second. We see a lot of lung cancer in the hospital. Mostly smokers but not all. Makes you wonder!
Good luck with your project. I love projects that have nothing to do with my professional life.
Tornado
Good luck with your project. I love projects that have nothing to do with my professional life.
Tornado
RNeumann,
Do you build houses, or just when you built your own you implemented the under slab tubing? If I understand your system, you are pulling outside air from your perf pipe that exists to daylight? Wouldn't that pull mostly cold air under the slab and limit the negative pressure elsewhere?
What is your though regarding the sump size? For example, in a system that does not have the pre planned tubes. I've seen references where they recommend cutting a hole in the floor and removing 30 gal of soil/gravel. Then sealing the 4 in pipe over the void. I'm not sure how a large pit would perform any differently than a small pit/void
Do you build houses, or just when you built your own you implemented the under slab tubing? If I understand your system, you are pulling outside air from your perf pipe that exists to daylight? Wouldn't that pull mostly cold air under the slab and limit the negative pressure elsewhere?
What is your though regarding the sump size? For example, in a system that does not have the pre planned tubes. I've seen references where they recommend cutting a hole in the floor and removing 30 gal of soil/gravel. Then sealing the 4 in pipe over the void. I'm not sure how a large pit would perform any differently than a small pit/void
prichard
Veteran Member
We are hoping to have foundation built soon. Is there a way to check levels prior to building? Sensor in an upside down bucket?
We are just going to have a crawlspace with dirt floor. Is this only a concern on enclosed basements without ventilation? Is there a strategy if no slab?
We are just going to have a crawlspace with dirt floor. Is this only a concern on enclosed basements without ventilation? Is there a strategy if no slab?