How Radon Mitigation Works
Radon mitigation typically follows four steps: confirm the problem with a test, design a system based on the home's foundation, install a fan-powered vent pipe (active soil depressurization), and retest to confirm the level dropped below the EPA's 4 pCi/L action level.
1. Testing
A short-term test (2–90 days) or long-term test (over 90 days) measures radon concentration in pCi/L (picocuries per liter). The EPA recommends acting if a result comes back at or above 4 pCi/L, though it notes there's no fully "safe" level and levels between 2 and 4 pCi/L are worth considering too.
2. System design
A PA DEP-certified mitigator inspects the foundation type, basement, crawlspace, slab-on-grade, or a mix, and designs a system around it. Foundation type is the single biggest factor in system cost and complexity.
3. Installation
The most common method is active soil depressurization: a PVC pipe is run from beneath the slab (through a small hole cored in the foundation) up through the house and vented above the roofline, with an inline fan drawing radon-laden air out and venting it where it disperses safely outdoors instead of building up indoors. Cracks and openings in the foundation are also sealed to reduce the paths radon can enter.
4. Post-mitigation testing
Once the system is running, a follow-up test confirms the level has actually dropped below the action threshold. This is the step that verifies the job worked, rather than just assuming it did.
Have a radon test result from a York County property?
Tell us the number and where the property is. We'll follow up with next steps.
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