Protecting Family Health: Radon Mitigation for a Multi-Generational Home

When Kathy built her home in 1993, radon wasn’t on her radar. But after her husband’s passing in 2017 and with her son now living in the basement, she wanted to be sure her home’s air was safe. A mid-June charcoal test showed radon levels at 6.5 pCi/L; above the EPA action level of 4.0, which meant it was time to take action.

Our team designed a single-point sub-slab depressurization system, using the existing sump basin in the southwest corner of the basement as the extraction point. We sealed the sump with a new airtight lid and planned the exhaust routing to exit either out the back or west side of the home, minimizing both visual impact and piping length. A 16x20 BEZ air cleaner was also installed in the HVAC system to help improve overall indoor air quality. With this tailored radon mitigation setup, Kathy’s home now has a long-term solution to reduce radon levels, protect her family’s health, and ensure safe air for years to come.

This client noticed persistent humidity issues in his basement and suspected radon concerns lurking beneath their floors. Worried about the family's health, he sought assistance from Iowa Radon Defense. Upon inspection, the team discovered high radon levels and inadequate ventilation as the main problem. To address this, they recommended installing an Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV) to improve indoor air quality and a sump lid to prevent radon entry. This eager client is ready to safeguard the health of his loved ones, agreed to the solution. With Iowa Radon Defense's expertise, their home became a safer haven, free from radon worries and humidity worries.

This was originally designed as a 1 point system before the radon test results came back. The results shown levels of 20-21 from a post short term test. The customer called and asked what they should do so we added an additional extraction point to their project. It’ll be in the same room and still same system designed but Rusty, our Lead Technician will need to make a judgement call on where to put the second point in - reason why we recommend radon professionals for this. The client's husband was just diagnosed with lung cancer so they’re especially sensitive to this and every detail.

Radon Mitigation Upgrade for Historic or Old Victorian Home with High Radon Levels

This 1880s Victorian home had a single-point system installed in 2017, but even with multiple fan replacements, levels stayed around 6 pCi/L. No improvements with the indoor air quality. With three chambers, interior waterproofing tile, and an inaccessible crawlspace, the system simply couldn’t keep up. Our solution is a second sub slab extraction point on the NE corner, independent from the tile system, plus needed crack sealing and a clean exit route out the back to protect the home’s aesthetics. A 16x25 BEZ will also boost indoor air quality. This upgrade gives the best chance at lowering radon levels safely.

This installation was referred by one of satisfied clients, they needed help as their home does not have much space to place a system but they know we can work something out. We didn't disappoint once we saw the client's 3-chamber home. The client's crawlspace was decent enough to work with and did not give us a difficult time on how it should be placed. They even requested crawlspace encapsulation on the spot. Everything went well!