If you’re from St. Louis, then there is a good chance you have heard of radon, had a radon test, have a mitigation system in your home, or need one of the following. Let’s jump into why installing a radon mitigation system is crucial and how professional radon contractors like Air Sense Environmental can guide you through the process. We will explore the different types of radon systems and how effective they are in reducing radon levels, some case by up to 99%. Stay educated and ensure your loved ones are safe from this silent threat.
How Do I Know If I Need a Mitigation System?
Radon isn’t just a silent guest in most houses – it’s a serious health risk that can harm your family if left unaddressed. The first step is understanding how radon enters your home and its potential health consequences is key. We will discuss professional testing methods for radon and why a radon mitigation system could be one of the best investments for your family’s well-being.
Trusting a professional for all of these steps is critical, the licensed team at Air Sense Environmental have gone through hours of extensive national training and perform over 100 radon test a month. Ensuring the levels are accurate, the correct area of the home is being tested, and the appropriate monitor being used is approved for your state or region.
The initial test takes 48-hours. The home DOES NOT have to be vacant and homeowners are allowed to live their daily lives as they usually do. Closed building conditions are required and your Air Sense Environmental radon tester will go over those details before the your test. Once the results are back, it’s simple. If your house has any level over a 2.5 pCi/L, mitigation is recommended. While no level is safe, the EPA suggest mitigation at all levels over a 4.0pCi/L.
My House Tested High! Now what?
The team at Air Sense Environmental will be by your side through the whole process. A mitigation professional will schedule an in-home consultation to discuss your home’s radon test results, pinpoint entry points, and recommend the best mitigation system for your needs. Working with a professional mitigation company like Air Sense Environmental ensure the effectiveness of your mitigation efforts, giving you peace of mind.
Are all systems the same?
No, not all systems are the same. In the St. Louis, MO area we see three common foundation types almost daily.
- Poured Basement Foundation- It is like it sounds, your basic concrete basement. While there is a lot more to that than it sounds. Certain factors go into this mitigation such as floor drains, drain tile systems, and sump basins to name a few. Cracks in the floor and walls can be entry points for radon and must be sealed prior to installation. This foundation will be depressurized using a sub-slab depressurization unit, which can be found in the video below. The system will remove the radon gasses from below the basement foundation and exhaust them to the outside elements above your highest roofline. Below is a recent radon mitigation system we installed in the St. Louis, Mo area.
- Crawl Space Encapsulation- The second most common type of foundation we see in the St. Louis area is a crawl space. This is where the house does not have a basement, but rather a dirt floor below the main level, surrounded by an elevated concrete footing. With this type of foundation, we have to encapsulate the entire crawl space and seal the exposed dirt from exhausting into the crawl space. Once encapsulated, the barrier is depressurized using the same radon fan we use on basements and the gasses are pulled to the outside of the home, just like the basement system. Below is a recent crawl space we mitigated for radon in the St. Louis area.
- Slab on Grade- While these foundations are not as common, we do run into these a lot in conjunction with a basement foundation. Most of the time these are found on homes where an addition has been added, a garage has been enclosed or finished, or sometimes the whole home is located on a slab. In this instance, we are able to core drill and mitigate the radon the same way we do with the basement foundations, but sometimes these may require a few more suction points.
How Effective Is Radon Mitigation in St. Louis?
One of the more popular questions we get and we have a very simple answer. Post test. At Air Sense Environmental we recommend post testing every radon mitigation that we install in the St. Louis Area. Not only is this for your peace of mind, it’s for ours too. Sometimes there are hidden entry points that allow radon into the home and could be missed. At Air Sense Environmental we guarantee a level below a 4.0 pCi/L or your money back. The health and well being of your home is our number one priority, so we want to make it sure it’s right. Once a safe level is proven, it is suggested that a radon test be performed on every active radon mitigation system every two years. Check out our radon testing blog post to learn how radon fluctuates with weather, pressure, and naturally occurring changes in the soil.
Before and After
Radon mitigation is proven to reduce radon levels up to 99%. Below you will find a recent case study we performed on a house in the St. Louis Area. As you can see our initial test found that the radon levels in the home were elevated at a 13.5 pCi/L or almost 4 times the EPA recommended limit. Once the test results were back, we were able to schedule our initial mitigation consultation with the home owner, discuss system options, radon entry points, and placement of the system. After 24-hours of an active system we deployed another radon monitor for our recommended post test. After the 48-hour test was complete, we were successful in mitigating this St. Louis area home from radon and providing the family with a peace of mind.
Interested In Radon Testing or Mitigation?
We appreciate you taking the time to read this weeks edition of The Radon Blog, powered by Air Sense Environmental. Have questions about radon testing or mitigation? Or maybe you are ready to schedule your radon test? Check us out below and let’s get to work on your home.
Curious how we combat radon? Check out our latest YouTube video on how we successfully tested and mitigated this St. Louis area home.
Air Sense Environmental Website
618-593-4815
