How can consumers mitigate radon on their own?

The following manual describes all aspects of designing and installing a radon mitigation system and can help you decide if you can do it yourself.

Protect Your Home From Radon: A Step-by-Step Manual For Radon Reduction,^© Colorado Vintage Companies, Inc., telephone (719) 632-1215, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Click here for information on the most recent edition of this book.

The best method to reduce indoor radon will depend on the design of the structure and how radon enters the building (see About Radon).

There are two common configurations of the basic mitigation system, one for basement and slab-on-grade homes and one for raised foundation (crawlspace) homes.  The following drawing and excerpts are from the EPA's Consumer's Guide to Radon Reduction.

Systems that remove radon from the crawl space or from beneath the concrete floor or basement slab also can be effective.  These systems are simple to install and do not require major structural changes.

Click here for information on how to fix your home. 

  

Are there radon tests consumers can do on their own?

Yes.  Short-term detectors measure radon levels for 2 to 90 days (usually 4–5 days), depending on the device.  Long-term tests determine the average concentration for more than 90 days.  Because radon levels can vary from day to day and month to month, a long-term test is a better indicator of the average radon level in your home.¹  Both test devices are inexpensive, relatively easy to use, and available through the mail as well as in hardware stores and other retail outlets.

Click here for information on radon test kits for the home.

You also can hire a trained contractor to do the testing for you.  In California, radon testing for real estate transactions must be conducted by a certified tester.² 

Click here to see if your tester is on the list and to identify certified laboratories and mitigators who can reduce the indoor radon concentration.

---

¹ No radon level is considered "safe," the risk being directly proportional to the concentration and duration of exposure: the higher the radon concentration and longer the exposure, the higher the lung cancer risk.  The 4 pCi/L "Action Level" was based on current mitigation technology, which almost always can reduce high radon concentration to below 4 pCi/L and to 2 pCi/L or below 70–80 percent of the time (http://www.epa.gov/radon/pubs/physic.html).

² An elevated indoor radon concentration does not have to stop a real estate transaction. Radon concentrations can be reduced to acceptable levels with relatively simple systems (http://www.cdph.ca.gov/HealthInfo/environhealth/Pages/RadonRealEstate.aspx).

 

 

When should a professional fix a radon problem?

Indoor radon levels can be reduced by installing a relatively simple system as outlined above.  You can do it yourself, if you are handy, or hire a certified radon contractor.  The EPA recommends that you consider using a qualified radon mitigation contractor to fix your home because lowering high radon levels may require specific technical knowledge and special skills.

Click here to read the EPA recommendation on why you should consider a certified contractor.

Click here for information on California Certified Providers of Radon Services. 

Click here to check if a state other than California certifies radon mitigators.