Is My Radon Mitigation System Working?
Your home was tested for radioactive radon gas and the levels are elevated. OK, you now have a health issue to contend with in your home yet you know it can be fixed. You have been proactive interviewing recommended radon mitigators and identified who will fix your house with a radon mitigation system. Now what? How do I know if the system is working once installed? How do I know if my house is safe?
After 24-48 hours of the newly installed radon mitigation system running, the house should be re-tested to identify if the radon concentrations have been adequately reduced and brought into a safe range. If the levels are still elevated, an additional suction point may be necessary.
All radon mitigation systems should have an identifying manometer on the PVC piping in clear view which will show if the fan is actively pulling. A manometer is a U-shaped tube used as an instrument for measuring the pressure acting on a column of fluid. The colored liquid will be slightly uneven when the fan is actively pulling and drawing radon out from beneath a basement slab. If the colored liquid is ever completely even across, the fan is most likely not actively drawing. That’s when the mitigator should return to examine the system fan to make sure it is intact and functioning. Before calling the mitigator back to your home, check to make sure the system is plugged into electricity.
The marks on the side of the manometer are NOT the radon concentrations. The only way to identify what the radon concentrations are is by testing. Make sure to take a peek at the manometer weekly to check that the colored liquid is uneven and remember to have your radon concentrations tested every 2+/- years.
Test Your Home…Protect Your Family!