Radon Remediation in the Greater Salt Lake Valley

We have serviced the Great Salt Lake Valley for over 13 years and it shows. We service areas from Spanish Fork to Ogden, Tooele, Heber and everything in between.

HomeTek Radon Mitigation provides free, in-home consultations to assist in radon removal / remediation in Utah. Our Radon Specialists will schedule a visit with you at your convenience. During this time, HomeTek will discuss all the components of your remediation system. We will collaborate with you, making sure the system location and desired profile meets your highest standards. We will schedule a day that suits your needs best for our courteous technicians to arrive and professionally install your radon remediation system. If necessary we will provide a radon consultation over the phone along with a bid.

Radon Mitigation/Remediation System Installation.

HomeTek remediation specialists are extensively trained and certified to install your new system to EPA standards and guidelines. We work with you on the asthetics of the system so that you are pleased with the look and location. Our systems go above and beyond your average remediation system.

Each radon mitigation system design will vary depending on your home’s structural layout. Homes are generally categorized according to their foundation design. The existence of a basement, crawl space, or slab all determine the proper mitigation system that will be needed in your home.

The following procedures are taken in the majority of installations :

Common Radon Remediation Procedures

As noted above, these procedures vary slightly depending on the type of system installed.

Forces need to be redirected from the “stack effect”. The stack effect draws air from beneath your home and up into your living space. Depressurizing the soil beneath the structure allows for the radon gas to be redirected.
The radon gas is redirected. A hole is diamond bit core drilled into the slab, crawl space, or surrounding earth to create a suction point (sometimes more than one suction point is needed). The radon gas is vented through a PVC pipe that is connected to the hole. The pipe can be installed through the house or outside. Some newer homes have radon control systems installed that run through the home.
The radon gas is vented out, away from your home. The pipe is connected to a fan in the attic or to the top of the structure for proper ventilation.
Radon entry points are sealed. To resist gas entry, cracks are sealed using a urethane caulking compound.
A final system checklist is performed. Our checklist makes sure the system adheres to US EPA Radon Mitigation Standards. Proper system labeling and proper fan installation is checked, as well as other key steps.
Retesting for radon. Retesting is done immediately. We set up an electronic continuous monitor to start reading your levels. After a 12 hour equilibrium period the electronic continuous monitor will analyze your levels every hour for 48 hours. After the three day testing period we will retrieve the monitor along with it’s data. Your results will be downloaded and sent via email immediately.

Exterior Radon Mitigation Systems

About half of our radon mitigation systems are installed through the exterior of the home. These systems are active soil depressurization systems powered by a radon vent fan. These systems consist of several components:

The radon suction pipes are installed in the basement or crawlspace and enter the soil below it. These suction pipes are the point where the radon gas is collected from the soil under the home or building and pulled into the radon mitigation system.
The suction pipes continue up the foundation wall and through the rim joist to the exterior of the building.
A radon specific centrifugal exterior exhaust fan is installed on the suction pipe to create a negative pressure within the system.
From the exhaust of the radon fan, a vent stack is installed to vent the radon gas to an elevation above the eave of the home or building.

Attic Installed Radon Mitigation Systems

Attic installed radon mitigation systems offer the benefit of hidden system components while protecting the radon fan from the elements. In retrofit situations the attic installed system is usually installed through a garage with the radon vent fan in the garage attic. These radon systems consist of several components:

The radon suction pipes are installed in the basement or crawlspace and enter the soil below it. Radon gas and other soil gas is drawn into the suction pipes from the soil.
The suction pipe continues up the foundation wall and penetrated the rim joist to enter into the garage. The suction pipe continues vertically up the garage wall ant penetrates the ceiling above.
Above the garage, in the attic space the radon vent fan is installed on the suction pipes.
From the radon vent fan, the radon exhaust pipe continues through the roof of the home where a water-tight roof boot is installed.

Some homes do not have attic space above the garage. In these homes, we can route the radon suction pipes through chases or closets to access the attic space above the home.

Passive radon mitigation systems

Passive radon mitigation systems can save lives. When properly installed, passive radon mitigation systems can keep radon levels down without the assistance of a radon fan. New construction homes can be built radon resistant with a permanently installed passive radon system. Although codes vary from town to town, there are six basic components of radon resistant new construction techniques:

Install a gas permeable layer before the concrete slab is poured. This is usually a 6″ layer of clean gravel. Gravel is very porous and allows for simple air movement below the concrete slab. This will help the passive radon system move the radon and other soil gas without restriction.
Install a vapor barrier above the gas permeable layer before the concrete slab is poured. A minimum 6mil plastic membrane is recommended. At RadoVent™ we overlap all seams in plastic by at least 12″ and tape the seams with high grade vinyl tape. RadoVent™ now uses a 10mil true vapor barrier that is superior to the minimum 6mil visqueen.
install radon collection point with schedule #40 PVC pipe stub. Concrete to be poured around this pipe stub. It is extremely important to create a radon collection point that will not be impaired when concrete is poured. This is usually done by installing a soil gas collection pipe (drain-tile) or PVC tee.
Seal and caulk radon entry points. After It is important to seal all visible cracks in the concrete floor, control joints and cold joints (where the foundation meets the floor) using proper concrete caulk. If the home has a sump, it is a primary radon entry point and should be sealed air tight with a proper sump cover. The sump cover should be removable in the event the sump needs to be worked on. Plumbing roughs are another radon entry point that should be sealed with a cover. Once plumbing work is complete it is important to seal around the pipes with concrete or expandable foam sealant.
Install the radon vent pipe. When installing a passive radon system, it is important to install the radon vent pipe through an interior wall or flue chase. As the home warms the pipe, a natural stack effect will occur to pull air through the pipe which in-turn pulls the radon gas out of the soil. It is best practice to use 4″ PVC in radon resistant new construction to allow for maximum CFM in the event the system is activated. The radon suction pipe should continue through interior walls to the attic space above the home or building in a location that will allow for future access. The vent stack should terminate through the roof at least ten feet from windows, doors or other openings to the building.
Install a electrical junction box within reachable distance of the radon vent pipe in the attic. This will allow for an electrical source in the event the system is activated.

Sub-Slab Depressurization

In crawlspaces that have concrete floors radon levels can be reduced by creating a vacuum in the soil under the concrete slab. Many concrete crawlspaces have a large amount of cracks. These cracks, along with the corner where the floor meets the foundation wall are sealed to create a more air tight barrier. The radon system is installed by drilling a hole through the concrete to access the soil underneath. The mitigation system creates a constant vacuum in this soil to vent the radon out above the roof of the house.

Many homes have a combination of crawlspaces, slab-on-grade areas and basements. These homes are treated using a radon mitigation system with several different suction points. A primary suction point is usually installed through the basement slab with auxiliary suction points installed to depressurize these crawlspace and slab-on-grade areas.

Sub-Membrane Depressurization Systems :

In crawlspaces that have dirt or gravel floors, HomeTek seals your crawlspace with an airtight membrane called a vapor barrier. All stored items and debris must be removed from the ground prior to the installation of the crawlspace membrane. If there are sharp objects or sharp gravel we can install a layer of tar paper over the floor before placing the membrane. This helps prevent the plastic from being ripped or torn when placing storage items back in the area. We then install the vapor barrier which is a minimum 6 mil polyethylene, 6-12 mil cross laminate or 10 mil heavy duty vapor barrier. We secure the plastic membrane to the foundation walls or footings using wooden furring and concrete nails. Once the plastic is secured to the foundation walls the entire perimeter is sealed including any seams, splices and penetrations to create an air-tight barrier to block the radon gas. The radon mitigation system is then tied directly to the soil under the membrane. The system creates a twenty-four hour vacuum that constantly pulls the radon out to vent above the roof of the house.

Note: Some contractors install radon mitigation systems without sealing crawlspaces. Do not let this happen unless the crawlspace is inaccessible. A properly sealed crawlspace will further reduce radon levels, create a safer storage area and prevent energy loss. Make sure the method of securing the plastic is strong enough to last through periodic crawlspace entry such as: storing items, home repairs and utility workers. We care about the quality of your radon mitigation system and crawlspace membrane no matter who installs it. Please feel free to call us if you have any questions.

Crawlspace membranes are not known as a stand-alone method to significantly reduce radon levels. These should be installed in conjunction with the radon mitigation system.

It is important to use a radon mitigation contractor when using radon resistant new construction techniques. HomeTek knows how to properly move the air below the building. In many areas, plumbers are used to install passive radon systems. Often we have found that the suction point is placed in the gravel and the concrete has created a seal around the radon suction point location. This is dangerous because the homeowner is under the impression that the home is built radon resistant yet the passive radon pipe cannot move any air. If you have a home with a passive system, be certain to perform a radon test at least every two years.

In the event radon levels remain elevated with after radon resistant techniques have been used, the passive radon system can easily be converted to an active soil depressurization system (active radon system). This can be done by adding a radon fan to the radon vent pipe in the attic space above the home or building.

BUILD YOUR HOME RADON GAS RESISTANT !