Many people do not know that radon reduction methods can be planned for and even installed during new home construction. The best part about these radon reduction methods is that installation costs are generally much lower during construction compared to having to install a system afterwards. Careful planning allows a variety of strategies to be integrated to ensure the most effective radon reduction system possible.
The average cost to install a radon mitigation system in an existing home is about $1,200. Installing radon-resistant features during construction of a new home will cost less than half of that, ranging from $350 to $500. New homes constructed in areas of the state known to have high levels of radon should include these radon reduction methods:
- A passive sub-slab or crawlspace depressurization system.
- Foundation barrier techniques such as a layer of gas permeable material under the foundation (usually four inches of gravel), plastic sheeting over that material, and sealing and caulking of all openings in the concrete foundation floor or the floor above.
- Dedicated intake and/or combustion air for exhaust and combustion appliances.
- Installation of a gas-tight three- or four-inch pipe that runs from under the foundation (under the sheeting covering the soil in crawlspaces) through the house to the roof.
- A roughed-in electrical junction box for future installation of a fan, if needed.
Homes in these areas should be tested after occupation and if radon levels remain above 4 pCi/L, the passive sub-slab system should be converted to an active system by adding a fan. Adding this fan will help to reduce the radon levels to below 4 pCi/L.
A licensed contractor should install all radon reduction methods. This ensures all reduction methods adhere to IEMA & EPA standards. For questions regarding radon reduction methods, call us at 630-499-1492.
