Do Ceiling Fans Reduce Radon? Top 36 Best Answers

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Can a fan get rid of radon?

In some cases, radon levels can be lowered by ventilating the crawlspace passively, or actively, with the use of a fan. Crawlspace ventilation may lower indoor radon levels both by reducing the home’s suction on the soil and by diluting the radon beneath the home.

What time of year is radon highest?

The reason that radon levels in the home can be higher in the summer and winter is two-fold. During the winter, the air in your home tends to be much warmer than the outside air, and this temperature difference creates a vacuum within your home.

Does opening windows help get rid of radon?

Opening windows improves air circulation and ventilation, helping move radon out of the house and mixing radon-free outside air with indoor air. Make sure all your basement windows are open. Homes tend to have lower air pressure than their surroundings, which draws radon into the basement.

What does a fan do to a radon test?

A radon fan is designed to mitigate and prevent radon gas from building up in your home. Using negative pressure, a radon fan keeps radon from rising through the foundation and into your home. Using a pipe and radon fan, radon gas is pulled from beneath your home and vented outside.

How do I get rid of radon naturally?

Other Ways to Reduce Radon
  1. Increase air flow in your house by opening windows and using fans and vents to circulate air. …
  2. Seal cracks in floors and walls with plaster, caulk, or other materials designed for this purpose.

What is Radon and How Do You Keep It Out Of Your Home?

When to take action, first test your radon levels at home. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends contacting a qualified professional to install a radon reduction (also known as radon abatement) system if your home’s radon level is at or above 4 pCi/L air. These are solutions for your home to reduce radon levels. The EPA also recommends taking steps to reduce radon if your home’s radon level is between 2 pCi/L and 4 pCi/L. If you are buying a new home, inquire about radon resistant features (external icon) to prevent or minimize radon entering your home and the need to install a more costly system in the future. If you smoke, quitting is still the best way to reduce your risk of lung cancer. Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW or visit CDC.gov/quit for free support and resources to help you quit smoking.

Radon Reduction System

Radon Reduction System

Photo courtesy of Protect Environmental

Contact your state radon agency or one of the EPA’s national radon competency programs to find a qualified outside professional to repair your home. Lowering high levels of radon requires technical knowledge and special skills. Contractors who don’t specialize in radon abatement could make the problem worse.

There are several proven methods to reduce radon in your home, but the most common has a vent duct system and fan that draws radon from under the home and vents it outside. Known as a floor pressure relief system, this system does not require any major modifications to your home. Sealing foundation cracks and other openings makes such a system more effective and less expensive. Similar systems can also be installed in homes with a crawl space. The right system depends on the design of your home and other factors such as: B. whether your house has a basement.

After you install a radon reduction system, retest your home to make sure it is working and consider retesting your home every two years to ensure radon levels remain low. Test your home again after each renovation.

Other ways to reduce radon

If your radon concentration does not exceed 4 pCi/L, you can take the following measures to keep the radon concentration in your home as low as possible:

Increase airflow in your home by opening windows and using fans and vents to circulate air. Natural ventilation in any type of home should not be considered radon mitigation as it is only a temporary radon reduction strategy.

Seal cracks in floors and walls with plaster, caulk, or other materials designed for this purpose.

Always retest radon levels after making any of these changes.

Radon abatement costs

The cost of reducing radon in your home depends on how your home was built and the magnitude of the radon problem, so the cost of fixing it can vary widely. However, most homes can be repaired for about the same cost as other common home repairs. Contact your state radon office external icon for more information, or obtain a quote or estimates from a qualified contractor external icon.

Additional Resources

Environmental Protection Agency Consumer Guide to Radon Reduction pdf icon[PDF – 413 KB]external icon

Is it OK to live in a house with radon?

Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer after cigarette smoking. If you smoke and live in a home with high radon levels, you increase your risk of developing lung cancer. Having your home tested is the only effective way to determine whether you and your family are at risk of high radon exposure.

What is Radon and How Do You Keep It Out Of Your Home?

Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer after cigarette smoking. If you smoke and live in a home with high levels of radon, you increase your risk of developing lung cancer. Examining your home is the only effective way to determine if you and your family are at risk of high levels of radon exposure.

Radon is a radioactive gas that forms naturally when the radioactive metals uranium, thorium, or radium decay in rock, soil, and groundwater. Humans can be exposed to radon primarily through breathing airborne radon, which enters through cracks and crevices in buildings and homes. Since radon occurs naturally from the earth, people are always exposed to it.

The US Environmental Protection Agency and the Office of the Surgeon General estimate that radon is responsible for more than 20,000 lung cancer deaths in the US each year. When you breathe in radon, radioactive particles from radon gas can become trapped in your lungs. Over time, these radioactive particles increase the risk of lung cancer. It can be years before health problems appear.

People who smoke and are exposed to radon are at a higher risk of developing lung cancer. The EPA recommends taking steps to reduce radon in homes with radon levels of 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) of air or above (a “picocurie” is a common unit of measurement of the amount of radioactivity).

Your chances of developing lung cancer from radon mainly depend on:

How much radon is in your home – the place where you spend most of your time (e.g. the main living and sleeping areas)

The time you spend in your home

Whether you are a smoker or have ever smoked

It doesn’t matter if you’re burning wood, coal or other substances that add particles to the air in the room

You are more likely to develop lung cancer if your home has elevated levels of radon and you smoke or burn fuels that increase indoor particulate matter.

CDC’s Radon Communications Toolkit was designed for environmental and health professionals to increase awareness and understanding of radon, its health effects, and the importance of radon testing in the communities they serve. The toolkit includes customizable fact sheets, infographics, newsletter articles, and social media posts. Show large image and text description

Test your home for radon

Checking your home is the only effective way to determine if you and your family are being exposed to high levels of radon. Steps you can take to measure and reduce radon levels include:

Buy a Radon Test Kit Find a radon test kit or external symbol for a measurement and mitigation professional

Test at home or in the office Testing is inexpensive and easy—it should only take a few minutes of your time. To do this, a package must be opened and a small measuring device placed in a room and left there for the desired time. Short-term tests can last from a few days to 90 days. Long-term tests last more than 90 days. The longer the test takes, the more relevant the results are to your home and lifestyle.

Sending the Kit to Appropriate Sources to Determine Radon Levels Follow the instructions on the test kit packaging to find out where to send the device to get the results.

Repairing Your Home When Radon Levels Are High Consumer’s Guide to Radon Reduction: How to Repair Your Home pdf icon [413 KB] external icon

More options for action

The external symbol of the U.S. The Department of Housing and Urban Development recommends additional steps you can take to reduce high levels of radon in your home and protect yourself from an increased risk of lung cancer.

For more information about testing your home, visit the EPA’s radon website, external symbol, or call the national radon hotline at 1-800-SOS-RADON.

Quit smoking and discourage smoking in your home. Smoking significantly increases the risk of lung cancer from radon.

. Increase airflow in your home by opening windows and using fans and vents to circulate air. Natural ventilation in any type of home is only a temporary strategy to reduce radon.

Seal cracks in floors and walls with plaster, caulk, or other materials designed for this purpose. Contact your state radon agency for a list of qualified contractors in your area and for information on how to troubleshoot radon problems yourself. Always run the test again after it’s complete to make sure you’ve fixed your radon problem.

Ask about radon resistant building techniques when buying a new home. It is almost always cheaper and easier to build these features into new homes than to add them later.

For more information about testing your home, visit the EPA’s radon website, external symbol, or call the national radon hotline at 1-800-SOS-RADON.

To learn more about radon test kits, visit the Radon Hotlines and Information Resourcesexternal icon or visit the EPAexternal icon website for information on using a test kit.

Do air purifiers reduce radon?

Yes, air purifiers help with radon gas reduction to some extent. The air purifiers with activated carbon filter technology are highly effective in trapping radon gas.

What is Radon and How Do You Keep It Out Of Your Home?

Radon is a highly toxic, naturally occurring gas. It is mainly found in rock and soil, but can escape into water and air. This is how radon becomes extremely dangerous.

To make matters worse, it is tasteless, odorless and invisible. Since you cannot detect it, you will never know when you are inhaling radon.

However, taking precautions and safety measures can help you fight this deadly gas. For proper treatment, you must opt ​​for radon reduction systems. However, for everyday use, you can consider air purifiers.

Not only are these effective against dust, mould, bacteria, allergies and viruses, but the carbon filters can also help to reduce the amount of radon in the air.

Check out the best air purifiers for radon gas below.

List of TOP 3 air purifiers for radon gas

Before we get into the details of air purifiers that remove radon gas, it is worth noting that they can capture some of the radon gas. However, the air purifiers are not as powerful as the radon reduction systems. To be on the safe side, it is best to talk to a radon specialist.

1. Alen BreatheSmart – Best HEPA Air Purifier for Smoke, VOCs and Chemicals

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Developed by NASA airflow engineers, the Alen BreatheSmart is one of the best air purifiers for radon reduction. It can purify and purify the air for larger areas. In addition, the air filter absorbs and controls smoke, dust, odors and VOC vapors from aerosol sprays and chemicals.

The BreathSmart HEPA air purifier is available in nine stylish colors and contains a HEPA FreshPLus filter with an activated carbon layer. This layer of activated carbon is highly effective at trapping radon and all airborne particles as small as 0.3 microns.

You get sensor lights that show the air quality of your space. The three colors blue, orange and red stand for excellent, medium and bad air quality.

You can turn on Auto mode. This mode allows to take over automatically when there are more particles in the atmosphere. The Alen HEPA air purifier features Advanced WhisperMax technology that produces soothing pink noise for sound sleep.

ADVANTAGES:

Compact design

Ideal for larger rooms

air quality sensors

Advanced WhisperMax technology

CARB certified

Lifetime Guarantee

DISADVANTAGE:

Relatively loud

Faulty sensors

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This multifunctional Dyson air purifier is an all-in-one air purifier, space heater and fan. It fights soot, dust, bacteria and allergens.

The Dyson HP04 is equipped with an LCD that shows the air quality. The automatic sensor detects every degree of pollution in the air and automatically initiates the cleaning process.

It has a sleek, compact design that effectively circulates internal air and captures 99.97% of allergens through its carbon-activated HEPA filter. Although small, the Dyson claims up to 350 degrees of vibration.

You also get an HP04 personal heating air purifier with a thermostat to control it. The air purifier connects to Wi-Fi and gives you instant air quality readings.

Its Alexa-enabled feature gives you the power to control it with voice commands. The purifier is delivering promising results for people with acute asthma and allergies and is highly effective at trapping radon particles.

ADVANTAGES:

Stylish and compact design

Wi-Fi connectivity

Alexa enabled

Heater, air purifier and fan in one

DISADVANTAGE:

Relatively less airflow

Sometimes makes clicking or howling noises

WATCH ON AMAZON

The IQAir MultiGas air purifier is equipped with a Hyper HEPA filter and is considered the number one indoor air purifier for MCS (Multiple Chemical Sensitivity) and smoke. This medical air filtration system is 100% more powerful than traditional HEPA filters.

The GC air purifier is equipped with a MultiGas filtration system and comes with four disposable filter cartridges. Each carries three pounds of activated charcoal for a total of 12 pounds.

Its cylindrical design supports a better connection between the filtration system and the air, resulting in greater efficiency.

The IQAir Purifier is highly effective at capturing radon gas particles and dust, mold, bacteria and viruses. It includes a remote control, a long cord and casters, making it easy to move. The design is compact and available in gray and blue colors.

In addition, it has a filter life monitoring system that uses color-coded light signals to indicate when you need to change the filter.

ADVANTAGES:

Fall as small as 0.003 microns

Exceptionally powerful

Effectively reduces radon

DISADVANTAGE:

Relatively loud

Release sweet or chemical smell

Must Read: Best Industrial Air Washers and Negative Air Machines

Frequently asked questions about air purifiers for radon gas

What is radon?

Radon is an odourless, colorless and tasteless radioactive gas. Experts can also condense radon into a clear liquid and an opaque, glowing solid.

When radioactive elements decay, radon is formed. Elements like radium, uranium, and thorium decay in the earth’s crust, resulting in the release of radioactive gases. The gas makes its way to the upper surface.

Radon mixes with groundwater, soil and rock and enters your home through tiny cracks. It can mix in the underground plumbing and make its way into your home through vents in your basements.

How dangerous is radon?

Radon is a highly toxic and dangerous gas. It is the most common cause of lung cancer in non-smokers. When radon escapes from the earth’s crust, it can enter your home through the soil, tiny cracks or openings in your basement or floor, and underground water reservoirs.

This gas is sneaky. You can’t tell if you don’t test it. It attaches to particles in the air and water around your room. When breathing, these particles can enter through the nose and mouth and eventually reach the lungs.

In addition to being a cause of lung cancer, radon can also cause other types of diseases such as leukemia.

How to test for radon gas at home?

There are three ways to test your home for radon gas:

Radon Specialist: Call a radon expert or professional tester to measure radon levels.

Call a radon expert or professional tester to measure radon levels. Quick Radon Detection Test: You can invest in a more expensive solution for around $250. It’s a device called the Wave Radon Detector. You can sync it with your smartphone. The device claims to provide correct radon readings within an hour of installation.

You can invest in a more expensive solution for around $250. It’s a device called the Wave Radon Detector. You can sync it with your smartphone. The device claims to provide correct radon readings within an hour of installation. In-Depth Radon Detection Test: Install or place a small device called an alpha track detector in your basement where radon accumulates. After about three months, you can then send the device to the laboratory for testing.

Radon levels may be higher during the winter season or fluctuate under different weather conditions.

Does opening windows reduce radon?

Yes, opening windows reduces radon as there is more ventilation and better airflow around the area. Be sure to open all windows, including those in the basement.

Indoor radon escapes and mixes with the atmosphere. At the same time, the radon-free outdoor air mixes with the indoor atmosphere.

Do air purifiers help with radon gas?

Yes, air purifiers help reduce radon gas to some extent.

The air purifiers with activated carbon filter technology are highly effective in capturing radon gas. As previously mentioned, radon tends to attach to numerous particles in the air and water.

Air purifiers attract all particles in the air and trap them on the activated carbon bed.

Do you need radon mitigation in your home?

Yes, this process is necessary for your house. Radon levels change in different seasons and weather conditions, so there’s a good chance it fell below the EPA-approved standard when you tested it. But it can rise to dangerous levels if left unchecked.

Radon mitigation keeps its levels in check and keeps it to a lower standard, ensuring the safety of your family from direct and overexposure.

Wrap up

Without a doubt, radon is a dangerous gas and can cause lung cancer. Investing in a good air purifier for radon reduction is highly recommended. All of the above filter systems offer promising results.

However, we encourage you to weigh your needs and invest accordingly. If radon levels are high, it is better to seek professional help.

How quickly can radon affect you?

There are no immediate signs or symptoms from breathing in background radon. Repeated exposure over time — around 20 years — can lead to cancer development, especially if you are also a smoker. Symptoms of lung cancer may include: Chest pain.

What is Radon and How Do You Keep It Out Of Your Home?

What is radon?

Radon is a colorless, odorless, radioactive gas. Exposure to high levels over time can cause lung cancer.

Radon gas is formed naturally when radioactive metal (radium, thorium, or uranium) decays in rock, soil, or groundwater. It evaporates and disappears outdoors, so levels outside are low. However, indoors, radon gas can enter buildings through their foundations and become trapped. People can breathe radon gas in their homes, schools, workplaces, and other indoor spaces.

How does radon gas affect my body?

Breathing high levels of radon over time can increase your risk of lung cancer. Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer and exposure to radon is estimated to be the second leading cause. About 20,000 people in the United States die each year from radon-related lung cancer.

People who smoke cigarettes and inhale radon are at an even higher risk of developing lung cancer.

Where is radon gas found?

Radon has been found in every state in the United States. The amount or level of radon varies across the country depending on the type of rocks and soil in each area. Because of their work environment, miners are at an increased risk of exposure to radon.

Radon gas is also found in all types of indoor environments. For the general population, most exposure occurs at home. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that one in 15 American homes have elevated levels of radon.

Radon levels tend to be higher in places that:

Closer to the ground, like basements or underground mines.

Near ground that contains more radioactive metal.

Poorly ventilated.

Processing or storage of certain products such as phosphate fertilizers or uranium.

Very tightly closed.

Very well isolated.

What causes radon exposure?

As radioactive rocks and soils decay, they release radon gas. This gas can enter buildings through:

construction joints.

Cracks in walls or floors.

gaps in the foundation.

Openings near pipes or cables.

Radon can be released less frequently and in smaller amounts from:

Building materials made from natural materials such as concrete, wall panels and granite countertops.

water, in particular water from underground wells.

What are the symptoms of radon exposure?

There are no immediate signs or symptoms of background radon inhalation.

Repeated exposure over time – around 20 years – can lead to the development of cancer, especially if you are also a smoker.

Symptoms of lung cancer can include:

chest pain.

Cough.

difficulty breathing.

hoarseness or sore throat.

Difficulties swallowing.

How is radon exposure diagnosed?

There is no commonly available medical test available to test the human body for radon exposure.

If you have a job with a high risk of radon (eg, miners), your home test shows elevated radon levels, or you think you may have been exposed to high levels of radon, talk to a healthcare provider about your risk.

If you are or have been a smoker, you may qualify for a lung cancer screening. If respiratory symptoms persist, you should see your doctor.

Can I test the radon level in my home?

Yes. Home testing is an important measure, especially if you live in an area where radon levels are higher.

The EPA estimates that six million homes in the United States currently have radon levels that are considered unsafe.

You can test for radon levels by hiring a professional or by purchasing a do-it-yourself kit at a hardware store. Most radon test kits come with two-day or 90-day tests that you send to the test kit manufacturer for the results.

What can I do if the radon concentration is high?

If the building’s radon level is high (more than 148 Bq/m3 or 4 pCi/L), you should hire a professional for so-called radon abatement services. These can reduce the radon content by up to 99%. Possibilities include:

House pressurization, which uses a fan to blow air and create enough pressure to prevent radon from entering the house.

Improvements in air exchange in the building.

Plastic sheeting in homes with a crawl space.

Repair of cracks in the foundation.

Floor suction that pulls radon out from under the house and vents it to the air through a pipe.

Tests on the floor and household appliances.

Underground or other types of ventilation systems.

You should retest radon levels after mitigation efforts to ensure levels are coming down.

How can I reduce my risk of radon-related lung cancer?

Radon is part of our natural environment, so you cannot avoid it completely. However, these strategies can reduce your risk:

Increase airflow in your home or office by opening windows and using fans frequently (this works temporarily).

If you smoke, try to quit and seek help if you must.

Don’t let anyone smoke in your home – not even in the basement or garage.

Seal any cracks in your floors, walls or foundation.

Test your home and office regularly for radon levels.

The federal government has issued regulations on radon levels in workplaces. If you think your workplace may have high levels of radon, speak to your company safety officer or contact the Occupational Health and Safety Administration.

What is the outlook for people with radon-related lung cancer?

It is difficult to determine whether lung cancer was caused solely by exposure to radon or whether other factors (such as smoking or genetics) played a role. Depending on the type and stage, radon-induced lung cancer would behave and be treated in the same way as other types of cancer.

The outlook for people with lung cancer varies greatly depending on:

history of smoking.

How early lung cancer is detected.

The type of cancer (seen under the microscope).

The stage of the cancer.

General Health.

People who smoke have an increased risk of lung cancer. This risk is higher if they are also exposed to radon. But even people who have never smoked can develop lung cancer due to genetic risks or risks in their environment (including radon).

If you are concerned about any of your risk factors, please speak to your provider. Lung cancer is the second leading cause of cancer in both men and women and has the highest death rate of all cancers. It is important to reduce your risk and find it as early as possible.

A note from the Cleveland Clinic

Radon is a colorless, odorless, radioactive gas. It can cause lung cancer if people inhale too much of it over time. Smoking increases the likelihood that inhaling radon gas will lead to lung cancer. Simple tests can detect too much radon in homes, schools, offices, and other indoor environments.

How do you cheat a radon test?

How To Pass A Radon Test: Tips For Reducing Radon In Your Home
  1. Open windows. By opening the windows, you increase fresh air circulation and reduce the concentration of radon in the home.
  2. Install basement vents. …
  3. Use fans. …
  4. Create exits. …
  5. Mitigation.

What is Radon and How Do You Keep It Out Of Your Home?

How to pass a radon test: tips to reduce radon in your home

It can be difficult to determine if you have a radon problem in your home. Because radon is a colourless, odorless and tasteless gas. However, if you suspect your home may have a radon problem, it may be in your best interest to seek out a radon mitigation and abatement service.

Radon mitigation services can use either a short-term detector or a long-term detector to analyze radon levels in your home. No radon level is positive, but the EPA action level for radon is 4 pCi/L. Unfortunately, it is estimated that 1 in 15 American homes have radon levels above this exposure limit.

Here are some ways your radon mitigation company can help you reduce radon levels in your home.

How to pass a radon test

The goal of residential radon control is to reduce radon levels in your home. Because radon often enters a home through the foundation, methods of passing a radon test often involve airing out the basement.

Some of these methods of passing a radon test include:

open a window

By opening the windows, you increase the circulation of fresh air and reduce the radon concentration in the apartment. Install basement fan

This also helps increase air circulation and reduce radon levels in the basement. use fans

Fans are essential for increased air circulation to bring fresh air in and radon-laden air out. create exits

Aside from air circulation, another way to reduce radon levels in your basement is to create ventilation through your floors. This can be through holes in your sump pump or in floor drains. reduction

A radon mitigation service can also use passive systems in your basement to mitigate the radon. These systems are known to reduce indoor radon levels by 50%.

After radon reduction has been achieved, it is imperative to have your home retested for radon later. This is because radon levels can sometimes rise again, particularly when a homeowner attempts to lower their home’s radon levels without professional help. Contact Affordable Radon Colorado today for more information on radon testing and mitigation.

Where is radon most prevalent?

Radon gas is a ubiquitous element found in rock and soil. The burning of coal and other fossil fuels also releases radon. When radon escapes from soil or is discharged from emission stacks to the outdoor air, it is diluted to levels that are normally, but not always, lower than indoor air.

What is Radon and How Do You Keep It Out Of Your Home?

houses and buildings

Every state in the United States has homes with measured radon levels above the EPA recommended concentration.

All homes should be tested regardless of geographic location.

Houses with elevated radon levels were found in all zones.

Radon can enter through the house

diffusion from the ground,

Gas appliances, even if properly vented,

Pressure-controlled airflow in the house – the most important mechanism – and

Water supply, especially from our own well.

The pressure-driven mechanism occurs when radon escaping the soil encounters negative pressure relative to the soil in the home. This pressure difference is caused by

Exhaust fans (kitchen, bathroom and clothes dryer) and

Rising warm air produced by chimneys, stoves, ovens and stoves

Basements and crawl spaces under houses provide more opportunities for radon gas to enter from the ground.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that 6%, or about 6 million US homes, have radon concentrations greater than 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) (EPA 2009c).

Radon gas can enter a building and then become trapped indoors. This can particularly occur during a temperature inversion, which reduces the potential for radon to escape from a building and thereby increases indoor radon levels.

The following list and graphics were extracted from EPA 2009, A Citizen’s Guide to Radon, http://www.epa.gov/radon/pubs/citguide.htmlexternal icon (accessed 4/24/2010).

Radon can enter through the house

Cracks in solid floors Construction joints Cracks in walls Gaps in suspended ceilings Gaps around service pipes Voids in walls Gas appliances

Figure 1. Radon sources and common entry points

Radon is also released from materials in homes, such as

Brick and mortar,

cinder block walls,

concrete floors,

gravel for heat swamps,

sheet rock and

stone products.

Cooking with a gas stove and showering are household activities that can release radon into the air from gas and water (see water and natural gas above).

The US Congress has mandated that each state establish an office to process radon assistance requests. Many states offer free radon detection kits such as the charcoal canister.

Do bathroom fans remove radon?

Avoid using exhaust fans, which increase radon levels.

Radon comes into your home or office because the air pressure is lower than it is outside, drawing radon in like a vacuum. Exhaust fans further decrease the air pressure, so using them actually increases the concentration of radon in the air.

What is Radon and How Do You Keep It Out Of Your Home?

7

Although radon levels in water are typically not high enough to significantly affect radon levels in the air, you can take steps to reduce the radon in your water if necessary. It is best to run your water through a granular activated carbon system to remove the radon. Make sure to replace the device when necessary and dispose of old devices according to the laws in your area.

Will a dehumidifier reduce radon?

No, buying a dehumidifier will not make radon go away. Research conducted by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has clearly disproved this idea.

What is Radon and How Do You Keep It Out Of Your Home?

Radon levels are a serious problem whether you are trying to sell your home or stay in it.

We all know how expensive it can get to fix radon problems in a home, so it’s perfectly understandable for a homeowner to look for less expensive, seemingly easier methods.

One idea floating around is that by reducing the humidity level in a home, radon levels would somehow go down as well.

But can something like a dehumidifier really help with radon? No, buying a dehumidifier will not make radon go away. Research by the US Environmental Protection Agency has clearly disproved this notion. Radon must be removed by a remediation method such as active soil pressure relief (ASD), which ironically was found to be even more effective at removing moisture from a home than a dehumidifier in the same EPA study.

What the EPA’s Moisture Study Tells Us About Radon

In 2014, the EPA conducted a study to understand the impact of active soil pressure relief (ASD), the most effective method to date for reducing radon in homes, on the overall moisture level in a home.

The study was only done on three homes in Pennsylvania, so there’s a lot more data and research to be desired. But still, it gives us clues as to how to connect the dots between radon and moisture.

This is what the study tells us:

A radon remediation method such as ASD not only reduces radon levels in a home, but also dehumidifies the home. A dehumidifier, on the other hand, has no significant influence on the radon content.

In fact, a dehumidifier could only match 8% to 25% of the ASD’s moisture capacity!

In other words, installing an ASD in your home not only removed radon, but also did the work of 4 to 13 dehumidifiers. But the converse, that a dehumidifier also lowers radon levels, was not true.

While radon remediation can cost an average of $1,500 to $2,500 upfront, compare that to the cost of running a dehumidifier, which is added on top of your annual energy bill. And let’s not overlook the obvious point here that it removes a dangerous carcinogen like radon.

Recommended Reading: Does a Vapor Barrier Stop Radon?

How radon gets into your home

To understand why a dehumidifier isn’t actively removing radon, we need to understand how radon gets into your home and how it moves inside.

Most radon enters the home through the soil. It seeps through the pores and cracks of foundations and walls. Log walls are more susceptible to radon infiltration as they are more porous and are therefore considered a weak water barrier. Radon also gets through sump pits and pumps.

(If you have a sump pump, now might be a good time to look into sump pump radon covers like this one from Amazon.)

Like any other light gas, radon is drawn into a home by negative pressure. The highest levels are in the basement and crawl space, and radon levels drop with each new floor in the house.

Why ASD also acts as a dehumidifier

Most radon abatement systems draw the air under the panel through a hole and then force the radon through vents leading to the roof, finally forcing it out with the help of a constantly running fan. This is called Sub-Slab or Active Soil Depressurization or ASD.

This method achieves a success rate of about 90% after installation when it comes to radon removal in most cases.

The soil air is of course moist anyway. By applying enough fan pressure to move that air across multiple levels of a floor and eventually pushing it across a roofline, it makes sense that an ASD would be such a powerful dehumidifier by itself.

In fact, it was so powerful that the EPA moisture study showed that the ASD was also able to pull the air out of the building materials like the log walls to get the moisture out, while the dehumidifier could only pull moisture out of the air already in place A house.

Why a dehumidifier doesn’t reduce radon

We have found that it takes a powerful fan and a closed, unidirectional ventilation system to remove radon from a home. A dehumidifier is clearly not powerful enough to do this.

The image below shows that running a dehumidifier clearly had no effect on radon levels – see the red arrows.

(Source – EPA 2014 Moisture Study)

There is a reason for this –

A dehumidifier consists of two main parts. The front part of it sucks in the room temperature air and passes it over cold coils so that the water from the air can be condensed and collected in a container. After the air has been treated, it is reheated and blown back into the room.

So the idea that a dehumidifier could remove radon doesn’t make much sense (as much as most of us would like to). Of course, since it is a gas, it does not get into the water collection tank or water hose. And even if it were somehow separated inside the dehumidifier, it would just be pushed into the same air at the back.

Therefore, this topic should be rephrased to ask about humidity in general, not dehumidifiers.

Which leads me to how humidity affects indoor radon levels, as well as short-term radon test kits.

Moisture and Short Term Radon Test Kits

In general, radon can be tested with short-term or long-term tests. Short-term tests typically require at least 48 hours of data collection in a home, although they can last up to 7 days.

Exams that last longer than three months are considered long-term exams.

While short-term tests are convenient, they don’t tell the whole story. Radon levels naturally fluctuate, so it’s best to have as many data points that can be averaged. Many radon test kits have also been shown to be inaccurate by up to 25% when tested in laboratory studies.

Another problem with these short-term tests is that many home sellers believe they can “trick” the radon test during a real estate transaction. Again, trying to time a radon test based on barometric pressure, outside temperature, wind speed, and whether it rained that day can prove frustrating.

Radon readings consist of many moving parts. Even scientists themselves haven’t figured this out, so any favorable results you get with your own test should be considered luck rather than intentional.

That being said, here are factors that are generally accepted as true:

Activated charcoal canister test kits are very sensitive to humidity levels, so they are not as effective when used as short-term tests.

Although the EPA recommends testing every home for radon once a year, it’s a good idea to test a home for radon twice a year. That’s because radon levels tend to be higher in winter than in summer because the pressure differential between a heated home and frozen ground makes it easier for radon to penetrate.

Most radon test kits are calibrated to reflect wide ranges of temperature and relative humidity (RH) in a home, but many manufacturers recommend not testing a home at all until RH levels are reduced to at least 55% or less became. This can be particularly difficult in damp basements.

Outside air pressure can affect radon levels inside a home. Low air pressure usually signals precipitation, so it usually rains even when the air pressure is low. Radon levels inside a home typically increase several hours after low air pressure and high winds outside, so it’s not very advisable to do a radon test right after a storm. Your radon levels are rising and seem unusually higher than usual.

Conclusion

A single dehumidifier alone does not help much with radon. Radon levels also rise and fall in a home, so it can be difficult to assess for yourself how serious the problem is.

Homes with serious radon problems will need to have a radon abatement system installed throughout, which can be costly. There are alternative solutions such as fans to reduce radon, although it is preferable to have radon tested by professionals first.

Can you run ceiling fan during radon test?

Turn off all air moving devices during the test. This would include ceiling fans, dehumidifiers, regular fans, HEPA or any other kind of filtering device that moves air. Do not operate fireplaces or heating stoves during the test unless they are your main source of heat.

What is Radon and How Do You Keep It Out Of Your Home?

Radon Testing Guidelines

Unless otherwise requested, our radon measurement technicians will place the radon measurement device(s) in the lowest habitable area of ​​the house or in areas with “potential” for completion, i. H. in unfinished basements.

If the inspection is being conducted during a property sale, the inspection MUST be conducted in the lowest habitable area.

Test devices should be placed at least 20 inches off the floor.

Test devices should be at least 4 inches away from other objects.

Test devices should be at least 12 inches from a wall, or three feet from the wall if an outside window or door is nearby. (Three feet is recommended in all cases)

Test equipment should be kept away from drafts, natural or not.

Test devices should be no closer than three feet from exterior doors.

The test should not be performed in a kitchen, bathroom, or laundry room. This is because test kits are susceptible to moisture. Test devices should be kept away from heat and high humidity areas

Close any vents that would force air over the test device.

Turn off all air-moving devices during the test. This includes ceiling fans, dehumidifiers, regular fans, HEPA, or any other type of filtering device that moves air.

Do not operate fireplaces or stoves during the test unless they are your primary heat source. Ceiling fans on a different floor than the test unit can be operated without any problems.

If the test is placed in the basement and there is an unsealed sump pump pit, the test should be 10 feet or more from the pit.

If you have a crawl space in addition to your basement, you should also consider testing the space above the crawl space.

Closed house conditions for radon measurement

The required closed house conditions for short term testing are intended to simulate the closed condition expected in most households about 70% of the year.

Twelve hours before the test, all exterior windows and doors must be closed and remain closed throughout the test to equalize the air pressure between the inside and outside of the home. Normal entry and exit of the house is allowed.

Operate your HVAC system as if someone lives in the house when it’s vacant. If an air-to-air heat exchanger is present, it should be left on unless you don’t use it at all or use it only occasionally. If the stove or central air are on, make sure they are set to “Auto” mode. The fan should not run constantly.

Does a whole house fan help with radon?

Radon Repair Options

Homes with crawl spaces can do a great deal to reduce radon by covering the soil beneath your home with high-density plastic sheets and installing a vent pipe and fan to draw radon from beneath the sheet venting it outdoors.

What is Radon and How Do You Keep It Out Of Your Home?

Radon is a radioactive gas that is known to cause cancer, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Unfortunately, it is a major risk in homes and businesses for many reasons, the first being that it is so largely unknown. It has no smell, you can’t see or taste it, and the effects it can have on you and your family are devastating.

How does radon get into houses?

There are two primary entry points for radon indoors. One is through the floor. This is the greater of the two risks.

The other is in your home’s water supply. Homeowners with private wells should consider testing both the air in your home and your water to get a complete picture of the radon situation in your home.

How dangerous is radon?

The US Surgeon General, Dr. Richard H. Carmona, released a statement on radon on January 13, 2005 stating, “Indoor radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States

States and exposure to it for long periods of time can pose a significant health risk to families across the country.” More than 20,000 Americans die each year from radon-related lung cancer.

dr Carmona goes on to say that radon is a completely preventable threat that can be identified with a simple text and eliminated with proper natural ventilation.

How much radon is too much?

Radon levels in your home should be less than 4 pCi/L, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). A single test value of more than 4 pCi/L is no reason to panic. Do a radon follow-up test before you dive in to fix your home. In every house there is a certain natural radon fluctuation.

There are short-term tests, which take a full reading within two to seven days, and long-term tests, which test your home over a period of three to twelve months.

If your second test shows readings above 4 pCi/L, the EPA suggests acting quickly to fix your home. However, if it’s lower, the EPA recommends retesting regularly because your home has a history of producing higher levels of radon.

Radon Repair Options

Natural ventilation is by far the best way to remove radon from your home. You might also consider hiring contractors who provide radon control services.

Homes with a crawl space can do a lot to reduce radon by covering the floor beneath your home with high-density plastic panels and installing a vent pipe and fan to draw radon from under the panel and vent it outside.

Once you’ve effectively removed the radon from your home, it’s time to turn your attention to other indoor air quality issues in your home. For those other issues, a whole house fan is usually an ideal choice to draw fresh air into your home while removing the bad air.

Do bathroom fans remove radon?

Avoid using exhaust fans, which increase radon levels.

Radon comes into your home or office because the air pressure is lower than it is outside, drawing radon in like a vacuum. Exhaust fans further decrease the air pressure, so using them actually increases the concentration of radon in the air.

What is Radon and How Do You Keep It Out Of Your Home?

7

Although radon levels in water are typically not high enough to significantly affect radon levels in the air, you can take steps to reduce the radon in your water if necessary. It is best to run your water through a granular activated carbon system to remove the radon. Make sure to replace the device when necessary and dispose of old devices according to the laws in your area.

Does attic fan help with radon?

Quieter radon systems.

Although radon systems installed through the exterior are quiet, installing the fan inside attic space can prevent all noticable system noise.

What is Radon and How Do You Keep It Out Of Your Home?

Radon mitigation systems can be installed through the outside of the home or hidden in the attic. Both methods are effective in reducing radon gas levels in homes. Outdoor radon systems are most common in the United States, but installing in the attic has several advantages.

Seven advantages of radon systems in the attic:

Hidden components of the radon system. Rather than having the fan and vent pipes installed on the side of the house, the only visible exterior component is the vent shaft, which protrudes through the roof much like an existing plumbing shaft. Radon fans are better protected from the weather. Radon systems create condensation in the suction and exhaust lines. In cold environments, this condensation can freeze and reduce the life of the radon removal fan. Radon fans in the attic are better protected from the freeze-thaw cycle. Radon fans and electrical components are out of reach. When installed through the attic, the radon fan and its electrical components are located in the attic. This place is more inaccessible to children who could turn off the fan or play with the system components. Quieter radon systems. Although externally installed radon systems are quiet, installing the fan in the attic can eliminate any noticeable system noise. System performance display. Most attic installations are routed through the garage. This method allows the installer to place the system power meter directly in the garage. Every time you step into your garage, you can make sure your radon system is on and drawing vacuum. Radon in real estate. Many people with radon systems are concerned about the impact it will have on their home’s resale value. A radon system installed through the attic is more attractive to potential buyers because it is not a noticeable feature on the outside of the home. Radon Retraining. Opening the exhaust stack above the roof of the home allows the radon company to get the exhaust gases from the radon system further away from doors, windows, and other openings. This minimizes the possibility of radon re-entering the home.

Special note: Radon abatement systems installed through the outside have been proven over time and will prevent the flow of radon gas. If your home does not have an available location to install the system via the attic, an outdoor radon system will effectively reduce radon gas levels.

When choosing the radon abatement system for your home, consider the option of installing the system through the attic.

Why is sealing important for radon mitigation?

Why is sealing important for radon mitigation?
Why is sealing important for radon mitigation?


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Can Ceiling Fans Reduce Radon?

Radon is a dangerous gas that rises into the living areas of your home. It is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers and the leading cause in smokers. You can reduce radon levels in a home by using radon abatement systems. But can using ceiling fans reduce radon?

Ceiling fans can reduce radon levels by 50%. When used in conjunction with positive ion generators, ceiling fans can reduce radon levels by 90%. This is achieved through a phenomenon called plate-out, which neutralizes radioactive particles.

But how do ceiling fans reduce radon levels? Won’t they just spread the radon gas around the room instead of reducing it?

Can ceiling fans reduce radon levels?

How do ceiling fans reduce radon?

The most commonly used radon abatement method is under-slab depressurization, which removes the radon gas from under the home before it even enters the home. This is the method suggested by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency). This system can cost you up to $1500 to install. But there are some cheaper mitigation methods, and one of them is using ceiling fans.

To understand how a ceiling fan lowers radon levels, you should first understand how radon affects your lungs. The villain here is not the radon gas itself, but the radioactive nuclides released as it decays. The half-life of radon is 3.8 days, ie 50% of the gas decays within this period of time. When radon decays, other radioactive elements are formed, collectively known as the radon daughter. These radon daughters decay much faster than radon and emit radiation; In minutes. When these daughter particles are inhaled and break down in the lungs, the lining of the lungs is attacked, leading to cancer.

Unlike radon, radon daughters stick to duct particles, the walls of the room, furniture and anything that becomes attached to the lungs when inhaled. The attachment to dust particles and other parts of the room prevents these particles from being inhaled and thus reduces the radiation exposure of the lungs.

A ceiling fan reduces radon levels by circulating the radon daughter throughout the room, causing them to attach to more surfaces and thus reducing their chances of being inhaled. The dust particles to which they adhere can be inhaled, but such particles have only a 3% chance of remaining in the lungs, compared to the 50% chance of unbound radon derivatives.

Don’t radon daughters emit radiation when they stick to things in the room?

Radon daughters decay within minutes and emit radiation as they decay. When they decay, they emit alpha, beta, and gamma particles. It is the alpha particles that affect the lungs. All surfaces, even your clothes, stop these particles. All of the energy released by the alpha particles is thus absorbed by clothing or skin, which are largely unaffected by such radiation. However, the lining of the lungs is not as protected or resilient, so the alpha emissions from the decay of radon daughter products in the lungs cause lung cancer.

How effective are ceiling fans at reducing radon levels?

Ceiling fans can significantly reduce radon levels when levels are low. If the readings are above 14 or more, I recommend using pressure relief systems.

According to tests conducted, a good ceiling fan can reduce radon levels by up to 95% when paired with a positive ion generator. The fan should be able to circulate air through the room to achieve high reduction.

The practicality of ceiling fans

Is it practical to protect our house from radon with ceiling fans alone? Most homes have ceiling fans in their habitable areas. You don’t have to run fans 24/7 to reduce radon risk. You only have to do this when you are in the room. Since the radiation from the radon daughter particles is short-lived, your lungs are not exposed to high levels of radiation.

Ceiling fans are a much cheaper option for reducing radon levels compared to pressure relief systems promoted by radon companies. It is important to note that it is constant exposure to radon that causes lung cancer, inhaling radon while walking down the hall will not cause it. I recommend using ceiling fans and testing radon levels before deciding to install an expensive abatement system.

Does a ceiling fan affect radon test results?

Operating a ceiling fan affects radon test results. The wind from the fan can move the radon away from the test kit depending on the placement. This leads to inaccurate test results.

How can you determine radon levels when using ceiling fans?

This can be accomplished through the use of continuous radon monitoring systems, such as Corentium detectors, which constantly record radon levels. Unlike a charcoal test kit, these monitors are wind-resistant, allowing them to provide accurate test results even with ceiling fans running.

If ceiling fans can work, why doesn’t a whole house attic fan reduce radon levels?

Ceiling fans reduce radon levels by increasing the “deposition” of radon daughter particles by increasing airflow in the room. Having a fan throughout the house can also increase air circulation, but it cannot reduce radon levels.

Whole-house fans cannot reduce radon levels because they create a negative pressure in the house. They act like a vacuum, sucking all the air out of the house. This allows more radon gas to enter the house. So instead of reducing radon levels, a whole house fan actually increases them.

Does the use of air filters reduce radon?

Using air filters actually increases radon exposure. Because air filters remove the dust inside the home, the surfaces on which radon daughters can attach are virtually reduced. This increases the levels of respirable radon daughter products in the air, causing more of them to reach the lungs.

Reduce Radon by Opening Windows

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Radon is a colourless, odorless and tasteless gas that is produced by the natural breakdown of uranium in soil and soil. The gas is radioactive and the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States.

Radon escapes from the earth and disperses harmlessly in the open air. Unfortunately, radon also enters houses through the foundation. Trapped indoors, radon can accumulate to dangerous levels. Radon can affect any home anywhere in the country.

windows and radon

Easy-to-use radon tests are commercially available. Test results above 4 picocurias per liter are dangerously high. Levels below 4 pCi/L are still a risk, especially if you smoke.

Installing a radon reduction system is the most effective means of controlling radon levels. However, as a temporary solution, you can reduce radon levels simply by opening windows.

windows and radon

Opening windows improves airflow and ventilation, helps remove radon from the home, and mixes radon-free outdoor air with indoor air.

Make sure all basement windows are open. Homes tend to have lower air pressure than their surroundings, which draws radon down into the basement. Opening basement windows helps reduce negative air pressure and dilute radon with clean outside air.

Operating a window fan in a basement window will reduce radon levels, but only if the fan is blowing air into the basement. A fan blowing air out of the basement increases the negative pressure, which can actually increase radon levels.

A temporary fix

While natural ventilation reduces radon quite effectively, opening windows is considered a temporary solution. Once the windows are closed, radon levels rise to previous levels within 12 hours, and eventually most people have to close their windows.

Winter conditions, for example, make it impossible to open windows when temperatures drop. At least your heating bill would shoot up to astronomical heights, not to mention the risk of burst pipes and other damage caused by the cold.

Security is also a serious issue. As you can imagine, leaving your basement windows open 24/7 is an open invitation for burglars.

Opening windows to reduce radon levels is not a viable long-term solution. In the short term, however, open windows reduce radon, allowing you to live safely in your home until you install a permanent solution.

What is Radon and How Do You Keep It Out Of Your Home?

What is radon and how do you keep it out of your home?

At HVAC.com, our writers create solutions that put you in control of your HVAC system. Our product reviews and recommendations are researched and endorsed by real buyers and industry experts, not dictated by our partners.

You have done your homework. You know how airborne allergens can affect your family’s health, so check your furnace filters monthly and have purchased an air purifier for your home. You know carbon monoxide is tasteless and odorless, so you bought CO alarms to protect your family.

But what about radon? What is it? How is it affecting your family? Can you get rid of it in your house?

What is radon?

Radon is a potentially deadly radioactive gas released when trace amounts of uranium, thorium, and radium decay in rock and soil. It seeps through the ground beneath your home or the groundwater that enters your home and diffuses into the air.

Radon gas disperses in the environment before it becomes harmful. However, if your home has poor ventilation or excessive levels of radon, it can drastically affect your health.

How does radon affect health?

Plain and simple, radon can increase your risk of developing lung cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute, radon inhalation is associated with 15,000 to 22,000 lung cancer deaths each year, making it the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. And if someone in your household smokes, the risk of lung cancer increases even more.

How do I know if I have a radon problem?

Because radon can be found in any home (new or old) and in any geographic area, the best way to determine if you have a radon problem is to have your home tested. Like radon levels themselves, permitting requirements and providers change at the state, local, and neighborhood levels. So check with your state radon program for the most up-to-date radon information for your area.

What is a radon fan and how does it help?

A radon ventilator is designed to mitigate and prevent the formation of radon gas in your home. By negative pressure, a radon fan prevents radon from rising through the foundation and into your home. Using a pipe and a radon fan, radon gas is extracted from under your home and vented outside. In other words, a radon vent controls radon gas and vents it from your home, preventing it from accumulating to dangerous levels that could harm your family.

How do I choose a radon fan for my home?

Choosing the right radon ventilator can be a complex process. Here are four things to consider and discuss with a radon testing and mitigation specialist to choose the right radon ventilator for your home:

Four questions to ask yourself and discuss with a radon specialist:

What is the square footage of your house? How high is the radon level in your house? What type of recirculation system will your radon fan use to remove radon from your home? Will the fan be placed indoors or outdoors?

Since radon gas seeps through the ground in your home’s foundation, a radon fan will most likely be installed outside of the normal living space – either in your basement, crawl space, or outside of your home. This means that any radon fan you consider must be durable and able to withstand the elements, including the moisture in the ground beneath your home.

Finally, since your radon fan must run continuously to be effective, you should consider its energy efficiency to keep your monthly energy bill affordable.

By discussing these factors with a radon mitigation specialist, you can select a radon ventilator that will properly and efficiently protect your family for years to come.

What’s next?

Now that you know more about radon, be proactive and get your home tested. If you have higher than normal radon levels, consider the four questions above and find the radon fan that will keep the air in your home healthy and your family safe.

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