By
eHow Home & Garden Editor
Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Things You’ll Need:
- concrete patching compound to repair any cracks in foundation
- concrete sealing paint to minimize radon inflow
- contractor to install sub slab pressurization system
Step1
Test the level of radon gas in your home. If the level of radon in your home is above the EPA's suggested limit of 4 pCi/L you should mitigate (reduce) the level of radon in your home.
Step2
Evaluate your options based on the radon concentration in your home. There are several things you can do.
Step3
Seal all cracks and openings in your basement walls. This will reduce the amount of radon seeping into your home, but it isn't a total cure.
Step4
Increase the air flow through your basement (this can be as simple easy as leaving a window open and putting a fan in the basement). This will help remove concentrations of radon gas accumulating on the lower levels.
Step5
Use a house/room pressurization system to block the entry of radon into your home. This method uses a fan to blow air into the basement. In effect, it forces the radon gas out of your home.
Step6
Install a sub-slab pressurization system. This is considered the most effective way to mitigate against radon, but it's also the most costly. While a skilled do-it-yourselfer could install a system, often the best choice is to have a qualified contractor install the system. Depending on your style of home, an active sub-slab pressurization system will cost from $1,000 to $2,500.
Step7
Building a sub-slab pressurization system is a 3-step process. First, collection pipes need to be installed beneath the foundation. Then, the collection pipes must be connected to a riser pipe that runs vertically from below your foundation to the top of your home. Finally, a fan actively draws the air into a collector pipes and up the vent to where it can be dispersed into the atmosphere.