Radioactive Terrarium!

nashvilleshomeinspector • June 19, 2013

Let me dial you in….Radon gas is an naturally occurring radioactive odorless colorless gas that can concentrate in homes. At elevated levels breathing this gas is a lung cancer risk…..so we test. No alarm or big deal. If levels are found at 4.0 piC/l or greater….we mitigate. Mitigation is nearly 100% effective and will run you (or usually the seller if you test as part of your inspection package in conjunction with a real estate transaction) about $1k to $1.5k depending on the configuration of the home. That’s the set up.

I preset a radon monitor at a vacant house today and was poking around and discovered there was an existing mitigation system present.

One of the requirements of a properly installed system is that it vents 2 feet above the roof line……ummmm yea. The radon system was venting under an expansive deck that at some time had been glasses in to make a sun room.

Glassed in sun deck…great space…

There is no place for the radon from the mitigation system to go but pass through the deck boards into the glassed in sun room. Radioactive Terrarium!… I suspect radon levels in this sunroom are elevated as a result. So how does this happen? Well most likely the radon system was present prior to the installation of the deck. The deck dudes were like….that pipe is in the way…….let’s cut it off woohoo!….or maybe the deck was there first. If so, then the result is an example of an improper installation by an unqualified or uncaring contractor. Keep in mind…..there are NO certification requirements currently for radon mitigation or for measurement operators in the state of TN. I am one of few that have maintained their NEHA AARST certification for measurement operation. I’ll keep you posted on this one. I plan to set a 2nd radon monitor in the sunroom during my up coming examination of the property to get a few readings….. Not an EPA protocol test but it will give us a taste………

Update…… And the taste is….no appreciable gain in radon level in the terrarium above the tested level in the house due to the configuration of the system…….The vent termination will still need to be addressed…cuz it just ain’t right.

Seeing Knowing Glowing Inspector Bill Carlson

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