How to Reduce Radon in Your Home [Pittsburgh, PA]

After having your home tested for radon, and it’s been confirmed that you have elevated radon levels, 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) or higher… then your first step is to select a state certified and/or qualified radon mitigation contractor.

Pennsylvania requires radon professionals to be licensed, certified, and registered. Alpha Detection and Control is both certified and qualified to help you, and we’re registered with the state.

Radon Mitigation

There are several methods that a contractor can use to lower radon levels in your home. Some techniques prevent radon from entering your home while others reduce radon levels after it has entered. EPA generally recommends methods which prevent the entry of radon. Soil suction, for example, prevents radon from entering your home by drawing the radon from below the house and venting it through a pipe, or pipes, to the air above the house where it is quickly diluted.

radon reduction techniquesAny information that you may have about the construction of your house could help your contractor choose the best system. Your contractor will perform a visual inspection of your house and design a system that considers specific features of your house. If this inspection fails to provide enough information, the contractor will need to perform diagnostic tests during the initial phase of the installation to help develop the best radon reduction system for your home. For instance, your contractor can use chemical smoke to find the source and direction of air movement. A contractor can learn air flow sources and directions by watching a small amount of smoke that he or she shot into holes, drains, sumps, or along cracks. The sources of air flow show possible radon routes. A contractor may have concerns about backdrafting of combustion appliances when considering radon mitigation options, and may recommend that the homeowner have the appliance(s) checked by a qualified inspector.

Another type of diagnostic test is a “soil communication test.” This test uses a vacuum cleaner and chemical smoke to determine how easily air can move from one point to another under the foundation. By inserting a vacuum cleaner hose in one small hole and using chemical smoke in a second small hole, a contractor can see if the smoke is pulled down into the second hole by the force of the vacuum cleaner’s suction. Watching the smoke during a soil communication test helps a contractor decide if certain radon reduction systems would work well in your house.

Whether diagnostic tests are needed is decided by details specific to your house, such as the foundation design, what kind of material is under your house, and by the contractor’s experience with similar houses and similar radon test results.

We are a professional Radon Mitigation and Testing company! Contact Alpha Detection and Control Today so we can come out to test your home or install a high quality Radon Remediation System.

We provide home & commercial Radon Mitigation and testing throughout Metro Pittsburgh Pa, Washington County, Beaver County, Westmoreland County, Greene County, Butler County, Fayette County, and Allegheny County in Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania Licensed Radon Mitigation Contractor serving Pittsburgh, Westmoreland County, Allegheny County, Butler, Washington, Fayette, Somerset counties, also these cities and more; Pittsburgh, Greensburg, Monroeville, Latrobe, Irwin, Jeannette, Youngwood, New Stanton, Forest Hills, Hartwood Acres, Donegal, New Kensington, Springdale, Ligonier, Plum, Mt Lebanon, Dormont, Bethel Park, Whitehall, Munhall, Whitehall, Castle Shannon, Mcmurray, Carnegie, Bridgeville, Brentwood, Baldwin, Ligonier, Scottdale, Mt. Pleasant, Harrison City, Crabtree, Claridge, Acme, Blairsville, West Newton, White Oak, New Alexandria, North Huntingdon, North Versailles, Derry, Murrysville, Monroeville, delmont, Delmont, Trafford, Penn Trafford, Hempfield Township, Bullskin Township Champion, Seven Springs, Uniontown, Connellsville, and throughout the Pittsburgh Area; cranberry, Allison Park, Glenshaw, Hampton, Apollo, Aspinwall, Blawnox, Bloomfield, Braddock, Cheswick, Churchill, Duquesne, Edgewood, Etna, Export, Fox Chapel, Garfield, Glassport, Glenwood, Highland Park, Indiana township, Lawrenceville, Canonsburg, Leechburg, Lower Burrell, Millvale, Mt. Washington, North Hills, Peters Township, Houston, Oakmont, Penn Hills, Penn, Plum, Salem Township, Troy Hill, Shadyside, Shaler, Sharpsburg, South Side, Springdale, Squirrel Hill, Swissvale, Tarentum, Brackenridge, Turtle Creek, Peters Township, Vandergrift, Verona, Penn Hills, Wexford, Ingomar, Wexford, Washington, Franklin Park, Emsworth, Bellevue, Heidelberg, Sutersville, Finleyville, Donora, Pleasant Hills, Wilmerding, home inspections are performed in all of these areas listed, including many other areas surrounding Pittsburgh. We also install Radon Mitigation Systems in West Virginia serving Fairmont, Morgantown and Monongalia County.

724-887-6227 (Office)
800-705-8417 (Toll Free)