Will Opening the Windows Reduce the Radon Levels in my Home?
Radon is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless radioactive gas that comes from the natural decay of uranium found inside soil and rock.
Radon escapes from the soil and rock beneath the earth and finds its way into homes through openings and cracks in the foundation. Once inside, it becomes trapped, and in some homes it can accumulate to very high levels.
Radon frequently enters the house through the basement. This begs the question: “Can You Install a Radon Mitigation System in a Finished Basement?” Read our blog post to find out!
Table of Contents
- Windows and Radon
- What can be done about high levels of radon?
- Radon Eliminator Guarantee
- Contact Radon Eliminator for a Free Mitigation Quote
Radon is known as the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, and according to the EPA, radon reduction is necessary for any home, building, or school with levels of 4.0 pCi/L or higher.
You may have heard someone say "just open the windows and your problem will be solved". As nice as that sounds, it is not a solution to you problem.
Windows and Radon
While it's true that opening the windows will help to improve air circulation and ventilation, which will help to move radon out of the house, this is not a permanent solution to your problem.
During the time your windows and doors are open, radon accumulation may diminish, once the windows and doors are closed, radon has the chance to return to the previous levels in roughly 12 hours.
Now if you live in Ohio, living with your doors and windows open all the time is just not possible. In fact, for the majority of the year most of us have our homes completely sealed to keep out the freezing cold, or to keep in the air conditioning.
This means that during those few days you might have your windows and doors wide open, will do nothing to reduce the radon levels in your home for a good portion of the year.
The unfortunate truth is, even though natural ventilation reduces radon quite effectively, opening windows is considered a temporary solution to a serious problem.
What Can be Done about High Radon Levels?
Just because opening your windows is not a permanent solution to your radon problem does not mean there is no solution.
Once you find out that your home contains excessive amounts of radon gas, you should contact a Licensed Radon Mitigation Company.
If you call Radon Eliminator, we send one of our licensed professionals to inspect your home. They will complete an indoor and outdoor inspection to determine the best options for installing a radon removal system.
Removal systems, or better known as Radon Mitigation Systems, were specifically designed to reduce high concentration levels of radon inside homes and buildings.
Mitigation systems need to be installed by a professional company who is licensed with The Ohio Department of Health. Making sure the company you hire is in your best interest, and will ensure that your system was installed properly and up-to-code.
Depending on the layout of your home, there are often various ways to install a mitigation system. Some people who have an attached garage with an attic and no living space above it will be able to have what is known as an internal mitigation system installed. Other homes that do not have an attached garage will need to have a external system installed.
The biggest difference between the internal and external system is where the ventilation fan will be placed. If an internal system is installed, the fan will be placed inside the garage attic, and if the external system is installed, the fan will be placed on the side of the home.
The most important thing about installing a radon mitigation system is where the entry and exit points of the system will be. While taking your preference into consideration, our team will always explain in detail where the system needs to be installed in order to achieve the best outcome.
Once the system is installed it is customary to leave another radon test inside the home for a minimum of 72 hours. This test is used to determine if the installation was successful.
At Radon Eliminator we guarantee our work. This means, if we install your system but the radon levels do not drop below the EPA recommended action level of 4.0 pCi/L, we will return to your home and do what needs to be done to reduce the levels further.
Many people worry about the cost of installing a radon mitigation system. Read our blog post: "What Does Radon Mitigation Cost?"
Contact Radon Eliminator for a Free Radon Mitigation Quote
If your home has high levels of Radon Gas, do not hesitate to contact the Licensed Professionals at Radon Eliminator for a free estimate.
Our team has experience installing mitigation systems for homes of all shapes and sizes, as well as commercial properties.
We service cities throughout the state of Ohio. We make radon mitigation our top priority, and will even schedule appointments next day.
If you're ready to speak with a professional about removing high concentration levels of radon from your Ohio home, click the link below to speak with a team member from Radon Eliminator now.
