Radon Mitigation

More than half of homes and businesses tested in Nebraska show radon levels above the level of 4.0 pCi/L. At that level, the Environmental Protection Agency recommends that steps be taken to reduce the level of radon in the building. This is where radon mitigation begins.

Reducing Radon in Your Home

Our goal at SRE HomeServices is to build a trap to collect radon before it enters your house or business, then build a path so it can escape and dilute harmlessly in open air. Here’s how it works.

Step 1: Find the cracks.

Radon is created when naturally occuring uranium breaks down in the soil. The gas that’s created makes its way into your house through your sump pump pit, crawl spaces or cracks in the foundation. Radon also can enter through older floor drains that don’t have a trap.

Step 2: Make the suction pit.

We drill a 5-inch hole in your basement floor (or go through your sump pump pit), then remove the necessary amout of fill from underneath the foundation. This creates a “suction pit” under the ventilation hole, and gives the radon a place to collect.

Step 3: Build the path.

Next, we create a path from the collection point to the exterior so gas can safely make its way outside. SRE HomeServices uses only the strongest PVC tubing to build this path. This pipe seals the hole we just drilled.

Step 4: Install the fan.

The fan is one of the most important parts of the mitigation process. The fan pulls the concentrated radon from the collection point through the PVC to the open air. SRE HomeServices uses Festa brand fans. These are the most efficient, quietest and longest-lasting fans on the market.

Step 5: Install the meter.

Every active radon system needs a manometer. This device measures the pressure in the pipe to show if the fan is working. If the levels are uneven in the U-shaped tube, that means all is well. If they even out, it’s time to call SRE HomeServices and have the system serviced.

Step 6: Seal the cracks.

Creating a radon mitigation system is like a building a vacuum: it must be tighly closed to work correctly. We create a tight seal around the hole in the ground. We also seal large cracks that we can reach in your basement.

Step 7: Re-testing.

After the mitigation system is installed and operating, re-testing of the home is required to confirm that the system has effectively reduced the radon levels. SRE HomeServices doesn’t just leave a self-testing kit that has to be sent to a lab for analysis. One of our licensed radon testing specialists will return to your home to conduct a post-mitigation test at no additional charge.