Re: If a basement is sealed can it still test + for radon?


Charlie Morgan wrote:
On 27 Jun 2006 06:17:27 -0700, "hallerb@xxxxxxx" <hallerb@xxxxxxx>
wrote:


Charlie Morgan wrote:
On 27 Jun 2006 05:02:51 -0700, "hallerb@xxxxxxx" <hallerb@xxxxxxx>
wrote:



Who said anything about basements?

Nick

all radon tests are done in basements

Only because that is the point of entry. If you have radon in the
basement, you want to remove it at that point so that it does not waft
it's way up through the rest of the structure.

CWM

older homes leak so much air, and radon is heavier than air...

its probably not a issue unless you live in the basement.

anyone concerned can do a radon test upstairs. usually the normal
opening and closing of doors windows furnace venting etc dissapate
radon.

when testing they demand the home be sealed for the week of the
test....

life is full of risks, test the upstairs, I had a friend do that in a
home with a number of over 8 in basement, upstairs the number was near
background.

she still plans on getting a radon control system someday befor she
sells, but her basement is storage only so she isnt concerned

Radon is heavier than air... so how does it get into the basement?

It outgasses from the granite, I believe. And as an inert gas, it's
pretty good at penetrating things, so gets pushed up through the rock,
dirt, concrete, etc.

Does air in the basement ever get used in forced air heating systems?

Depends. Most of the systems I see have heating vents in the basement,
but I haven't seen any with air intakes in the basement; that would
probably be a bigger problem with sucking up carbon monoxide than with
radon.

Can there ever be negative pressure in a house that might draw
something heavier than air up through the house? What would cause it?

Well, you're usually not likely to be sucking a lot of basement air
into the house, under normal conditions, even if the wind is drawing
air up from the house. Basements are typically less open to the
outdoors than the upstairs, so you can't pull much air out of them
before the pressure drops enough so that you start pulling in outside
air through the upstairs leaks, if you can figure out what I'm trying
to say; and if the basement is well ventilated, then the radon which
only seeps in at a constant rate will be diluted by the extra air
you're pulling through. Again, carbon monoxide in the basement from a
malfunctioning heating system is a bigger problem, and that doesn't get
sucked upstairs unless something is really wrong with the HVAC.

Ohhhhh!

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Some radon help. Better understanding pressure system.
    ... I have a new house about 30x70 with a full basement and a footing down ... I had the radon pipe installed when the house was built, ... make sure that air could circulate via the crushed stone. ...
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  • Re: Air Return not working
    ... person found out that the air return in a couple of rooms upstairs is not ... upstairs cavity to the downstairs. ... the first floor to get to the basement. ... the main return duct directly to the floor joists making holes in the ...
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  • Re: Radon mitigation
    ...   Getting estimates next ... You might want to minimize use of the basement and add insulation between ... your furnace is in the basement the compustion air alone will take out a lot ... Radon is very heavy and tends to stay in the low spots. ...
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  • Re: If a basement is sealed can it still test + for radon?
    ... Only because that is the point of entry. ... If you have radon in the ... its probably not a issue unless you live in the basement. ... Yeah, typically the upstairs has basically zero radon, which is why ...
    (alt.home.repair)
  • Re: Some radon help. Better understanding pressure system.
    ... I have a new house about 30x70 with a full basement and a footing down ... I had the radon pipe installed when the house was built, ... make sure that air could circulate via the crushed stone. ...
    (sci.physics)
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