Can a Homeowner Install a Radon Mitigation System?
Breathing safe indoor air is worth the effort
A radon mitigation system reduces radon gas to safe levels in your home.
It ushers radon out of a home using pipes, pumps, and vents.
DIYing a radon mitigation system isn’t recommended.
You can take preliminary DIY steps to prep for the pro to install a system.
If you’ve recently discovered high radon levels in your home, you may wonder if building a mitigation system on your own is a good idea. But can a homeowner install a radon mitigation system using DIY methods? With the risks involved and the scope of work required, most of the project should be left to a professional—but there are some parts you may be able to do yourself.
Learn how far you can go without the help of a pro and when you should defer to the experts instead.
What Is a Radon Mitigation System?
Radon is a radioactive gas derived from natural uranium found in soil. It can be dangerous to humans over long periods of exposure. In fact, exposure to this substance is the number one non-smoking cause of lung cancer in the United States.
A natural byproduct of the decaying uranium in rocks and soil, radon can enter and build up in homes without preventative measures in place. What’s worse, it’s colorless and odorless which makes it difficult to detect without proper radon testing.
As for how to get rid of radon, a mitigation system is your best and only option. There are three types of these systems—sub-slab suction, drain-tile suction, and sub-membrane—and they all do the same thing: pull radon out of your home through a series of vents and pipes.
Common Elements of a Radon Mitigation System
No matter which radon mitigation system you opt for, these are the components you’re most likely to find in each one and what they do.
Radon fan: This feature is installed in a cavity in the roof or an attic and carries radon from the inside to the outside of a home. Because its job is so important, radon fan replacements cost more than replacing other broken parts.
U-tube manometer: This part is placed in an easily visible location and will signal to homeowners whether or not the radon fan is working.
Radon mitigation system tag: Located below the U-tube manometer, this tag contains all of a system’s pertinent information, like when and who installed it, plus their phone and license number.
Active notification monitor: This alarm will ring if the radon fan isn’t working properly.
PVC Pipe: This pipe connects the radon fan at the top of a home to the suction pit at the base.
Suction pit: Located in or near the home’s foundation, this part pulls radon from the soil below and carries it up through the PVC pipe to the radon fan, which moves it outside.
Should You DIY a Radon Mitigation System or Hire a Pro?
Radon is a hazardous gas that comes with a number of risks when improperly handled, and there’s no way to avoid contact with it when building a system like this.
What’s more, the system needs to be installed correctly for it to work at all, which can be difficult to do if you don’t have all the right skills, equipment, and knowledge of local codes and regulations. But who installs radon mitigation systems? You should hire a radon reduction specialist near you. They can provide radon testing to see how high your home’s levels are and install a mitigation system if necessary.
Here’s a look at what the pros will do throughout the process:
Conduct a radon air quality test to see how high the gas levels are in your home.
Create a suction point where radon levels are highest.
Dig a sub-slab pit, which will create a larger surface area and enable the radon fan to remove radon most efficiently.
Install the PVC pipe from the bottom to the top of the house.
Construct an exit vent in the roof or attic and install a radon fan.
Test the system and make adjustments as necessary.
Although DIYing a radon mitigation system isn’t recommended, there are some things you can still do—like clearing an area of your basement for the pros to work or learning how to test for radon yourself.
Exposure to radon over a long period of time can cause serious health problems, including lung cancer. Lowering radon in your home requires professional knowledge and skills only available by hiring a radon mitigation pro.
Frequently Asked Questions
The cost to install a new radon mitigation system ranges from $800 to $1,300 for all the materials, tools, and labor involved. If you already have a system in place, you’ll spend much less to replace broken parts rather—like a new radon fan, which will only set you back between $150 and $400.
No level of radon is technically safe, but because it’s everywhere—even in the air outside—it’s impossible to avoid entirely. Instead, the Environmental Protection Agency encourages taking preventative measures if the levels of radon in your home rise above 2 pCi/L. (For reference, the average radon level in homes across the United States is 1.3 pCi/L.
How long a radon mitigation system lasts depends on how well you maintain it, but with proper care, it can last for many decades. While the system as a whole may never need to be replaced provided it’s properly maintained, the radon fans within it have a maximum life span of 10 years, with many beginning to falter closer to the five-year mark. The good news is that you can get away with simply replacing this part rather than having to overhaul your set-up entirely. As long as the fan is working, your mitigation system should work.
