RADON gas mitigation systems

[Xylob the Destroyer]

have any of you guys or gals had to install a radon mitigation system?
if so, how much did it cost (and which currency?)

also, if you got it installed at the sellers cost during the closing negotiations during the process of purchasing a house, HOW DID YOU GET THE SELLER TO PAY FOR IT?

TIA!!!

[Noahtuck]

No, but i bought my house over 15 years ago.

If it's something that has to be there or to pass inspection then i would guess they would have to have it and pay for it before selling it, if not, i don't know if you could make them pay for it, but that does not mean you might be able to work something out.

I know what radon is but i don't know exactly what a "radon mitigation system" is.

Also i don't know where you are 8)
U.S., Abroad ?

[gadgetguy]

I assume the house has tested positive for radon?
As I understand it, (and I could be wrong because it's second hand information), a mitigation system is little more than an exhaust fan with a flexible dryer hose that reaches down to the floor of the basement. I've never had to deal with it myself, so I don''t know for sure, but if that's all it is, it should be less than $50. Not worth fighting over.

[Xylob the Destroyer]

there is no law in my state requiring anything be done by a seller, or requiring them to pay for it

radon is a radioactive gas that causes lung cancer
excessively high levels of radon have been found in all 50 states
the EPA's site has some horrifying statistics and information on it.....

a mitigation system requires a hole to be drilled/jack-hammered in the floor/foundation and a pit to be dug below that (similar to what you would have to do to put in a sump pump)
then a ventilation system is installed to exhaust/ventilate the ground below the house
the exhaust must be at least 10 feet above the ground level and at least 8 feet from any doors or windows
average cost in this area is $1000.00 to $1200.00....

[Noahtuck]

Wow!!
I figured it was some type of exhaust system but dang!!
that's some work!!

And if it is not something that is required to sell then i would assume there is no way to make the seller pay for it & i bet most people don't even ask about it.
I know when i refinanced my house a few years ago when intrest rates were mega low i had to have an inspector come through again and no one ever said a thing to me about radon, but then i was not selling.

[Xylob the Destroyer]

oh yeah, it did test positive.
pretty much every house in the states will.
but this one tested kinda high.
AND WE FREAKIN' LOVE THIS HOUSE........

inspectors never look for it, because there are no laws, codes, zonings, regulations, etc for it
same with carbon monoxide....
on top of all the other expenses, we just don't have another grand to spend

[Shadowmistress]

Call your insurance agent and ask if it's legal in your state to buy a home with a health hazzard. If it isn't, the seller must pay for it before anyone buys the house. Have it reinspected and documented so that the lawyers/government can stall the sale if the sellers are trying to sneak by.

The best information you'll get is from your homeowners insurance. They're great at finding ways to reduce the chance of a claim being made so....

[BJ_M]

http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/phys_agents/radon.html


very very good info

[Xylob the Destroyer]

interesting.....

you crazy canucks have a rather different view of radon than the "EPA" does --

There is no direct evidence linking indoor radon exposure in buildings to an increased risk of lung cancer. Radon gas is chemically unreactive. It does not react with body tissues. While some inhaled radon does dissolve in the body fluids, the resulting concentration is so low that the radiation dose from the radon gas itself is negligible.

nowhere near as fatalistic or panicky.
This changes everything in my view (I've always seen Canadians as being rather level-headed and not so damned reactionary).

thank you for the link.
sometimes it seems everybody in this country is just looking for a reason to sue somebody...

whereas I'm still concerned by the levels found in this house, it now seems like more of a problem that can wait a while to be addressed.

[Doramius]

I'm in Vegas right now, and radon problems usually are with basements or stagnent rooms that are below ground level. If you have a ventilation system it'll reduce risk, but you shouldn't be worried too much unless the levels you're looking at are considered a health risk. If you drink about a glass of wine a day and infrequently go into the basement, I doubt you'll have much of a problem.

This is all related to older homes and homes with exposed cracks in basement floors & walls. There's a sealant you can get for cracks like that in newer home basements. Still the levels aren't what you think they are.

I wish Capmaster was back on the board. He'd give you all sorts of information on this.

[offline]

but this one tested kinda high.
AND WE FREAKIN' LOVE THIS HOUSE........

How high exactly?

[Xylob the Destroyer]

currently, any reading above 4 is considered to be high
two rooms in the basement "scored" above 6
the kitchen upstairs got a 5.3

however, several states are currently trying to get the "acceptable" limit changed from 4 to 2...

all but one room in the basement (there are 4 total) is finished, and the way the floorplan is set up, we would be spending a pretty good amount of time in the basement, using one room as home theatre and the other as 'living room' (3rd & 4th room are bathroom & utility/mechanical room)

since the seller has completely (and professionally) finished the basement, we have no way of looking at the concrete walls to tell if there are/were cracks and what if anything was applied to the concrete prior to framing/finishing.
he hired a contractor to finish the basement, but we have no way of knowing what their methods were. I'm sure they had permits and that it was frequently inspected by the city, but there are absolutely no codes/zonings/regulations/laws/etc concerning radon

[offline]

5.3 ? Is that like 5.3 or 503 Bq m-3 or feet?? (I'd be running fast if it was 503)
You have to weigh the risk I guess against other things such as di-hydrogen monoxide, aliminum, teflon and so forth... where do you stop?

[Xylob the Destroyer]

5.3 picocuries per liter
4.0 picocuries per liter is the upper limit of what is considered "safe", but again, several states are trying to get that changed to 2.0