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Do It Yourself Radon
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| Do It Yourself Radon Reduction Nightmare I was contacted by a very concerned lady whose husband was in big trouble. He had insisted on fixing their radon problem himself. He found a "do it yourself radon mitigation fix it company" and bought their standard package. They spent a couple of long days installing it and got their system running. After a few days their radon monitor actually started to climb from the premitigation level of 15pCi/L. Well needless to say she was pretty upset with her "hubby do-it-yourselfer." When I came to take a look, I found a host of problems with the installation. I instructed the couple to put there monitor in the closet with the radon system for a few days in order to get a new reading...the level in the closet climbed to 41pCi/L which is more than 10 times the acceptable level. Now when I perform a post mitigation test on a new radon system I normally have the test placed in a location away from the suction point because I know that a radon system tends to work better closest to the suction point. Thus out of fairness for my customers health, I want to make sure that the system is reducing the radon level throughout the whole home. So their do it yourself radon mitigation system was actually increasing the level in the home. The radon fan they bought was not sufficient for there situation and not returnable. And finally after paying me $1200.00 to install a new system the level dropped to <0.4pCi/L., Moral of the story...make sure you do it right the first time!
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To install a DIY radon system requires a variety of skills and some very special knowledge. Yes a radon mitigation system is really quite simple by design, but a poorly installed system can actually make your level worse. Remember you are dealing with a lung cancer causing gas and there is also the possibility of creating a back draft situation with a radon system. This can cause a build up of elevated levels of carbon monoxide in your home. Well from my experienced point of view, You are going to need a little coaching to get it right the first time. Even after I attend classes to learn this trade, my first jobs were anything but smooth! Good thing I had some experienced advisers I could call for advice. That's what I would like to provide for those of you who still think they would like to do their own work.
Now I know that there are still a few of you that will give this a try anyway. For a straight forward mitigation, you will pay some where between $900-$1300 depending on which region of the country you're from. Choose a certified professional and they'll be done in a day. If you choose to d-i-y, plan on at least 2 days. My research on the internet has found that you might be able to put together what you need to fix your home for $300 - $400.
But most offers for do-it-yourself services are giving little or no customer service. Just pick your parts, cough up your credit card # and UPS will drop it off.
Why you need some one to help you...
When I arrive to perform a mitigation I always come with at least 2-3 different fans. There are times when I'm not able get much information and I'll bring along 4-5 different fans. Do you get the point, radon mitigation requires some expert advice to get the job done right the first time.
Radon reduction is more than just mounting the largest fan and sucking all the air out of your house, which is the approach of some. What does a proper mitigation accomplish?
- Lower your radon level well below the EPA's action level of 4pCi/L.
- Choose the most energy efficent fan for your situation.
- Adjust the system to lessen the effect of the heating and cooling costs of the building.
- Test to assure that all combustion appliances are venting correctly.
What Can I Do For You?
| A recent successful do it yourself radon mitigation..... My wife and I recently built a small retirement home and living in hurricane country we built it over a basement to use as a storm shelter. Shortly after moving in we bought a charcoal radon detector and put it in our basement. Much to our horror we found that we had a reading of 27.5pCi/L. After much research we got in touch with Val Reidman at indoor-air-health-advisor.com. After explaining our situation he told us in a reasuring voice that we could fix the problem by doing the work ourselves under his instructions. He mailed us a mitigation kit containing everything we needed except the 4 inch pvc pipe and fittings and patiently walked us through the entire job. When we were through we installed a radon detector and after 48 hours our reading was 1.0pCi/L two days later it is 0.7pCi/L. Needless to say we are very pleased with the results and feel we were very fortunate to have Val to assist us. His prices are very reasonable and we would recommend him to anyone with our problem. Bo A. Louisiana |
Since there is endless variety of home construction methods it is impossible to give a flat rate for a diy radon mitigation. But I can cut the price of a mitigation by between 50%-75% based on the assumption that you have the tools needed to perform the job. In order to do this I'll need some detailed information about your home and some of ideas on how you propose to run a 3" or 4" PVC through your home and out the roof. If you have an especially difficult basement I'll even provide you with some test equipment to perform diagnostic tests to determine the best system for your home.
If you would like to inquire further about a do it yourself radon mitigation, please fill the form out below and be assured that I truly want people to have safe homes free from the effects radon. My service ends when I have helped you to lower the radon levels in your home and if that means you need to call me on the weekends or nights so be it...we'll get it done.
If you would rather talk with me in person my cell phone number is...715-554-0460. You may call at anytime, if I'm in bed just leave a message and I'll return your call shortly. Also I answer all e-mails promptly if you haven't received a response it's possible that your spam blocker has canned my return e-mail. So don't hesitate to call if you really want to talk.
Regards,
Val Riedman #103414RMT http://www.radongas.org
Disclaimer
Even though I know my experience will greatly add to your success I am unable to guaranty that you will achieve the results you would like. In order to offer a guaranty I would have to make an in person inspection of your home and perform a soil communication test.
