This is a photo of a manometer which is part of an active radon mitigation system installed in this home. The manometer shows the presence of a proper level of vacuum in the system. This manometer indicates that the radon mitigation fan is running properly.
Radon is a natural occurring gas that is radioactive and is found just about everywhere in the world. In the US it is found at levels that are more than 4 pCi/l in about 1 out of every 15 homes. Radon is beleived to be the second leading cause of lung cancer after cigarettes. Radon starts from the mineral uranium and uranium produces radium and radium produces radon. When buying a home today a radon test is recommended to be performed for your own safety.
This system is labeled properly with the name of the installer, contact information, date of installation, and an adversary saying the building shall be tested every two years. The system is also marked on each level of the home, and in the garage.
It is important that the public knows about radon. Radon is estimated to Kill 21,000 people per year due to lung cancer. approximately 1 of every 15 houses in the US has higher than recommended levels. By testing a home before or after a sale, residents are able to identify the level of radon inside the home and take action of the level is above 4 pCi/L.
This picture shows an active soil depressurization radon mitigation monitoring system. This monitor allows the occupants a way of knowing if the fan is running and the system is working properly. Without this monitor the fan could stop working putting the occupants at risk for increased levels of radon in the house.
The article I read was “choosing a domain name”. This was helpful as I’m trying to get my business started and will need to pick my domain names soon. The advise to get 2 different domains linked together will help keep traffic coming into the website and hopefully drive work my way.
I chose a picture of how radon can get into your house. It amazes me how easy it can get into our homes. Unless we did some major changes and almost in a funny way put plastic wrap around our homes, radon is getting in.
I chose insulation as my topic. To me this seems like a perfect example of what we are talking about. Good insulation and good use of insulation can help in radon. But from what I’ve read, it comes up from the soil.
The image chosen is of a u-tube manometer. The manometer is a devise that uses a column of water inside a looped tube. One end of the devise is inserted into the 3-4 inch pvc stack (( that is part of a sub slab or sub membrane radon reduction system)) and the other end is open to the atmosphere. The difference in pressure draws the water column up on the vacuum side which is inserted into the pvc stack and pushes down on the atmospheric side. The lopsided height of the liquid levels shows that the system is on and working. Upon startup of the system, the mitigator is supposed to clearly mark the water column levels so that subsequent readings can verify that the system is still functioning at installed levels. A difference in the recorded levels may indicate a problem with the pump or integrity of the piping. Equal water level on the manometer would indicate the system is off. The manometer submitted is functioning but does not appear to have clearly marked start up levels on the manometer gauge scale.
The following images shows a non-passive radon mitigation system, which pulls air from underneath a concrete slab. This type of system produces a negative pressure underneath the concrete slab, therefore, eliminating the possibility of radon gas entering the basement. A key design criteria is discharge location of the radon system.
Radon in Well Water: The question is should radon in water be tested. First, the air in the basement/crawlspace should be tested. If the results, are below the EPA limit, then there is no reason to test the water. If the results are greater than the EPA limit, the water should be test. If the results from the well water are unacceptable, a mitigation system well system needs to be considered.
The mechanical room in this has signs of water intrusion along with a musky smell. Efflorescence and odor are good signs for potential mold in the area. Inspector should perform a limited mold inspection here and take samples in this room along with samples outside to have a good comparable.
Getting ready to take the course. Looking forward to it… Thanks InterNACHI for all the tools you provide.
As part of the Advanced Radon Measurement Service Provider Course, I have chosen to complete an essay on Radon in water. Radon is easily soluble in water. Most of the radon will stay in the water however some will permeate into the air. EPA estimates that indoor radon levels will increase by about 1 pCi/L for every 10,000 pCi/L of radon in water. Only about one to two percent of indoor radon in air comes from drinking water. The EPA estimates that radon in drinking water causes about 168 cancer deaths per year. 89 percent from lung cancer caused by breathing released to the indoor air from water and 11 percent from stomach cancer caused by consuming water containing radon. Radon gas can enter the home through well water. It can be released into the air you breathe when water is used for showering and other household uses. Water from surface or ground water such as public water service plants typically have negligible risk due to to agitation of the water and treatment process. So well water is of much higher concern. Interesting to have learned taking this course is that if radon levels are low in the home (less than 4 pCi/L) it is not necessary to test the water. So if if home levels are high, then it is recommended testing the water. If lab tests of the water require mitigation water can be treated by agitation or GAC Treatment filters. Agitation/aeration devices allow the radon to escape into the air and are then safely evacuated away from the home through piping and exhaust fan. GAC Treatment Filters treat the water through carbon filters. Radon attached to the carbon leaving the water free of radon. GAC systems are cheaper to install but leave the issue of filter disposal which must be disposed of properly.
During a recent home inspection I observed a crawlspace which did not have a vapor barrier or concrete slab. During my completion of this course material I learned more about this condition and how this condition could allow radon gas (and other gasses) into the home. I consider this a defect.
This essay is on Water Heater Expansion Tanks. Many municipalities now require expansion tanks typically when there has been a recent water meter replacement, a hot water heater replacement, the construction of a new home, or when a backflow preventer is installed on the water meter, a new pressure regulating valve is installed, or a pressure reducing valve is installed on the service line. The water department may send a notice as they upgrade the water meter adding a backflow device to ensure a closed system. The TPR valve is not enough which typically activate at 150psi and damage can occur to plumbing above 80psi. So whats inside the expansion tank, how does it function? The unit is installed near and above the water heater either vertically or horizontally. inside one portion of the tank is a bladder of air which acts like a shock absorber. Air can compress where as water cannot. The bladder also prevents air absorption into the water. This is beneficial as water expands with greater pressure than air. If a system does not have one and may not be required locally it is recommend to have one installed. If water becomes superheated, pressure will escape from the weakest part of the tank and possible explode or launch the tank like a rocket. Installation of an expansion tank is recommended even if not required.
I studied the image titled “Active Sub-Slab Depressurization System” (Uploaded May 29, 2014). I learned the basic concept of the system, and visualized how this system is intended to operate. When pairing the material I learned in this course with the illustration, I was able to gain a clearer understanding of radon mitigation systems.
This is a picture of the installation of the 6-mill plastic used for a radon barrier in a crawlspace. The seams have been taped together and there is a continuous seal along the walls. It could use a better seal around the corners of the interior footings.
I just read the article about septic system inspections and I learned that part of the inspection requires that you calculate the volume of the tank and make sure its large enough to handle two people per bedroom of the house. Also you need to look inside the take to make sure the baffle is still fastened to the tank.
