Photo Album: Lower Radon Levels in Basement, Newburyport, MA

A homeowner residing in Newburyport, Massachusetts has been living in their home for the past 20 years. The homeowner frequently works in the basement and has recently been experiencing sickness and coughing. They became concerned with the radon levels in their basement and decided to reach out to EFS for testing. We received their request and dispatched our Design Specialist, Jared Pavlivcik to perform a Continuous Radon Monitor (CRM) test on the home for 48 hours. The test was aimed at determining the average levels of radon in the basement and to mitigate any potential health risks.    After the test was completed, Jared returned with the results in hand to discuss the potential mitigation options with the homeowners. The test results showed that the radon levels were at an average of 7.7 pCi/L, which is higher than the recommended range. To mitigate this, Jared recommended that a radon mitigation system be installed in the home, with two extraction points to prevent radon seepage. Additionally, a custom sump pump lid was to be installed to prevent radon from seeping up through the sump pump basin.    Our installation team, led by Steve Dumais, began the installation process by creating two extraction points into the basement slab. The team made a 3" hole into the slab to attach a PVC pipe to the extraction point. The two extraction points were then linked and fed up into the attic, where we activated a passive system. Inside the attic, we installed a radon fan to draw up radon-filled air through the system and push it out and above the home. Lastly, the team installed a custom radon sump pit cover over their existing sump pump basin to prevent radon from seeping into the basement.    Our radon mitigation system was able to significantly lower the radon levels within the basement to below the recommended amount. The homeowners were very pleased with the results of the project, and can now continue working in the basement without any health concerns.