# Anyone ever had a radon test completed?



## daveswoodhauler (Jan 24, 2012)

Well, in the process of finishing the basement for the kids.
We did a radon test back in 2008 for the basement, and the levels were 1.6 and 1.8 pcl...not too bad. (Took them in mid jan 2008)
So, this year we did another test, and the results came back at 15.3 and 15.8 pcl.....ouch....same test company.
I can't for the life of me figure out how the results went up almost 10 fold with no real changes in the basement. I used drylok on the walls as a sealant, then used rigid r 5 insulation....a 1" airplace, then framed 2 X 4 walls with R 13 batts in between. Rest of the basement is unfinished as it was back in 2008. Think I should have another test done...perhaps by another company?


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## velvetfoot (Jan 24, 2012)

I've this for about 5 years, and it still seems to work well.
http://www.amazon.com/Safety-Siren-...AY64/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327438245&sr=8-1


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## daveswoodhauler (Jan 24, 2012)

Cool, looks like a good unit to get vs $12 for the kit and then $30 for each test.
Have you ever compared the readouts to lab results?


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## fran35 (Jan 24, 2012)

When I bought the house last year, I had the test done and the readings came back at 64 parts--yowza. Anyway, had the previosu owner put in a radon mitigation system, which lowered it to less than 1. Good to go. A side story is that the previous owner died of lung cancer right before closing and his widow ended up completing the sale. Kind of made me wonder.....Of course, he was a chain smoker as well.......


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## Bocefus78 (Jan 24, 2012)

Going up that much is odd. I've been involved in hundreds of home transactions and 15 is on the high side of what I have ever seen in 11 years. The highest one ever being a home that sat vacant for over a year and was basically sealed up.  Anything above 4.0 should be mitigated. (your state law may vary) If your basement has been closed up it will tend to read a little high but not that high. I vote retest. FWIW, a mitgation system is roughly $700 installed here in Indiana.


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## gzecc (Jan 24, 2012)

Geology can change. Test it again. I'd do it myself.


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## daveswoodhauler (Jan 25, 2012)

Thanks for the info folks. I'm going to go with a retest and see what I come up with. I can see the amounts varying a bit, but not 10 fold. Will post back later when I can pick up another test.


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## gzecc (Jan 25, 2012)

daveswoodhauler said:
			
		

> Thanks for the info folks. I'm going to go with a retest and see what I come up with. I can see the amounts varying a bit, but not 10 fold. Will post back later when I can pick up another test.


Tell us where your located. Maybe we can do a little digging as to the radon levels in that area.


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## jharkin (Jan 25, 2012)

We had ours tested during the home inspection. Levels were 2.0, and this is a 200 year old house with a stone foundation leakier than a sieve. All depends on the local geology.......


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## homebrewz (Jan 25, 2012)

Radon is very dense, but its still a gas. If present, I expect the potential is there to seep into even tightly finished basements. Some radon comes from the radioactive decay of uranium and there is a small percentage of uranium in many types of shale. If your foundation is dug into bedrock, especially shale, then that could be a potential source. 

I don't know much about the home tests for Radon, but is it possible that some out-gassing from the recent construction could be giving a false reading? Just a thought. 
Otherwise, I would consider retesting several more times to establish a known concentration and then go from there.


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## jdinspector (Jan 25, 2012)

homebrewz said:
			
		

> Radon is very dense, but its still a gas. If present, I expect the potential is there to seep into even tightly finished basements. Some radon comes from the radioactive decay of uranium and there is a small percentage of uranium in many types of shale. If your foundation is dug into bedrock, especially shale, then that could be a potential source.
> 
> I don't know much about the home tests for Radon, but is it possible that some out-gassing from the recent construction could be giving a false reading? Just a thought.
> Otherwise, I would consider retesting several more times to establish a known concentration and then go from there.



Just to let you know where I'm coming from, I've been performing radon testing for over 20 years in conjunction with my home inspection business. I'm licensed to perform radon testing here in IL.

RE: outgassing causing radon levels to rise. The answer is NO. Radon is radioactive gas. Building materials don't contain radioactive gas (except maybe some stone used for fireplace mantels, etc.) In my opinion, you don't have worry about granite countertops causing a radon problem. The EPA opinion for granite countertops is here. http://www.epa.gov/radiation/tenorm/granite-countertops.html

To the OP, try the American Lung Association for tests that you can do yourself. They will often have free (or close to free) radon test kits available. Since you already did a test, you may want to consider doing a long term (alpha trac) test that takes 3-6 months. If the testing company is using electronic monitors that are calibrated and cross checked (as most protocols call for), then I wouldn't think they're wrong. More likely, something changed the pressures in your house. Radon in home is caused by 3 things:

A source (the type of soil under your home)
A pathway for the source to enter (cracks, or other openings in floors or walls)
A pressure differential (remodeling, ventilating, etc. can change pressures inside a home)

Do you have some type of ventilation fan that runs more frequently? Is there something that would cause a negative pressure in your home? Perhaps a new chimney or stove that has a better draft than in the past.

Feel free to PM me for some further discussion or thoughts.


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## onion (Jan 25, 2012)

Just happened to think....as stated before any significant increase in radon can mean a change in pressure differentials.  Is there any fracking going on near you?


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## daveswoodhauler (Jan 25, 2012)

gzecc said:
			
		

> daveswoodhauler said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I'm located basically on the line between Westminster, MA and Hubbardston, MA. From what I read, this county has one of the highest concentrations of Radon in the state of mass.

No fracking going on in the area, and no construction that i am aware of. (There is a little buit oof logging going on about 1/4 mile down the road, but nothingk subsurface.


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## peakbagger (Jan 25, 2012)

If you have a oil boiler, I have seen folks duct the bypass damper down to just above the floor. In theory with a hot stack the damper is always drawing and its enough to vent the Radon. I know of one person who dropped their reading by about 90% this way.


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## daveswoodhauler (Jan 25, 2012)

peakbagger said:
			
		

> If you have a oil boiler, I have seen folks duct the bypass damper down to just above the floor. In theory with a hot stack the damper is always drawing and its enough to vent the Radon. I know of one person who dropped their reading by about 90% this way.



Not a bad idea...I think I understand what you are getting at...might look into that.
Also, as part of the basement reno, I am installing a an air exchanger that will run continuously (was part of the requirements when I pulled the permit) This might also help with the radon bringing the fresh air in, and exhausting the stale air in the basement.

On another note, it appears that most of the readon tests that homeowners can purchase don't actually measure the radon itself, and a number of common distrubances such as rain, snow cover, change in barometric pressure can really skew the results.

I think for ha ha's I am going to get 2 different test kits from 2 labs, run them side by side and I am willing to guess the readings will be different.

Thanks for all the info here....just one more project to tackle.


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## maple1 (Jan 25, 2012)

Ducting the damper to the floor sounds like a good idea - long as you have a good chimney draft going on that is.

Keep us posted on further developments.


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## velvetfoot (Jan 25, 2012)

get the electronic one...


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## Clarkbug (Jan 28, 2012)

I think the inspector might be on to something....

Any other changes to your house at all?  Add a bathroom or kitchen exhaust hood thats more powerful?  Get new windows anywhere else?  Were there lots of drafts in the basement before you insulated?  Just wondering if its a pressure differential thing.


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## SE Iowa (Jan 29, 2012)

We live in an all insulated concrete home (2 story + basement) with only a basement walkout door.  We have all radiant floor heat (no air circulation). We live in Iowa (supposed to have the highest levels of radon on average in the US).  We decided to get ours tested this last fall.  The company who tested, stated that the standard 2 day test is not a good indicator of real radon levels since atmospheric pressure, wind, weather, temperature, moisture, etc, etc all affect the results and so any 2 day period could be higher or lower than the average.  They said it is only used for real estate transactions, so we went with the 90 day test.  It came back at 33.1.  Ouch!  Wife and I freaked out and got a radon abatement system installed.  We are currently re-testing.  Did notice that the house cools off slightly quicker now that we are continuously pumping out the air, but well worth not getting lung cancer.  We probably wouldn't have been able to tell but the house is pretty efficient so noticeable.


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## daveswoodhauler (Feb 9, 2012)

Well, just got the 2nd test kit back (different co) and it came back as a 13.6 PCL......so it looks like we have a radon issue
...so had a few radon mitigation folks come out, and they suggested I have the water tested....as it might be in the water 
So, had the water sampled and luckily it came back at 2800 pcl so we don't need to drop the $4000 on having a mitigation system installed on the well water.


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## velvetfoot (Feb 10, 2012)

On the other hand, you could charge people to visit you 
http://www.radonmine.com/


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