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ALPINE CLIMATE CONTROL, INC.
Heating · Cooling · Indoor Air Quality
Established 1982

RADON MITIGATION

What is Radon?
Radon is a colorless, odorless radioactive gas.  Radon comes from the natural decay of uranium that is found in nearly all soils.  It typically moves up through the ground and into your home where it is trapped and can build up.

The Health Risk
The Surgeon General has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States today.  Only smoking causes more lung cancer deaths.  If you smoke and your home has high radon levels, your risk of lung cancer is especially high. 
Radon gas decays into radioactive particles called radon decay products.  These particles can get trapped in your lungs where they will break down further.  As they break down further, these particles release small bursts of energy.  These bursts can damage your lung tissue and lead to lung cancer over the course of time.  Not everyone exposed to elevated levels of radon will develop lung cancer.  Your chances of getting lung cancer depend mostly on:
  • How much radon is in your home.
  • The amount of time you spend in your home.
  • Whether you are a smoker or have ever smoked.
Measuring Radon & Radon in Our Area
The amount of radon in the air is measured in “picocuries per liter of air” or pCi/L.  Radon decay products are measured in “working levels” or WL.  The EPA recommends fixing your home if the radon gas level is greater than 4 pCi/L or the radon decay product level is above 0.02 WL.  The average indoor radon level is estimated to be 1.3 pCi/L and about 0.4 pCi/L of radon is normally found in the outside air.  The EPA believes that any radon exposure carries some risk, even levels below 4 pCi/L.  No level of radon is safe.

The Wyoming Radon Project has compiled radon test results by county from the kits they have provided.
 
Total
Total Results
Results
Results
Results
County
Tests
>4 pCi/L
4-10 pCi/L
10-20 pCi/L
>20pCi/L
Sheridan
842
59%
43%
13%
3%
Johnson
264
32%
28%
4%
0%
As you can see, nearly 6 of 10 homes tested in Sheridan County have radon levels above the EPA recommended action level.  In Campbell and Johnson Counties about 3 of 10 homes are elevated.  The EPA estimates nationally nearly 1 in 15 homes are elevated.

Testing Your Home
Every home should be tested.  Elevated radon levels are found in all types of homes.  It doesn't matter whether it is new or old, built with a basement or over a crawl space, or if your neighbor's home tested low.

Testing your home is easy, it can be done inexpensively or for free and testing can be done anytime of the year.  Following are some testing options:
  1. We will provide you with an inexpensive self-test kit.  Either stop by our office, send us an e-mail, or request a kit from one of our staff if we are already coming out to your home.  These test kits are deployed for 3 to 7 days, and then you simply mail them to an independent lab.  The lab will mail, fax or e-mail the results back to you and Alpine.
  2. You can get a test kit from your local University of Wyoming County Extension Office at no cost, if that is more convenient.
  3. Alpine will test your home if you wish.  We can perform a 48-hour test, a Working Level test or a long-term 90-day test.  Call us for pricing and details.
  4. If you are buying or selling a home many home inspectors offer radon tests as part of their services.
Fixing Your Home
Radon levels can be lowered in any home by installing radon mitigation systems.  The most common mitigation system for a home with a basement is a subslab depressurization system.  A pipe is installed that penetrates your basement slab and is then vented to the outdoors.  A special fan is mounted inline that runs all the time.  It pulls a vacuum on the soil below the slab, pulling most of the radon out of the soil before it can get into the house.

A submembrane system is used for a crawl space.  High density plastic is installed over the soil and sealed to the foundation wall.  The same type of fan and venting system used in the subslab system is used to pull a vacuum on the soil beneath the plastic.

The following techniques can be used instead of or in addition to the subslab and submembrane systems.
  • Fresh Air Ventilation – Since the radon level is much lower in outside air, exchanging indoor air for outdoor air will lower your radon levels.  Heat Recovery Ventilators can do this very energy efficiently.
  • High Quality Air Filtration & Continuous Air Movement– These filters can capture Radon Decay Products.  Continuous air movement can reduce Radon Decay Products by causing them to “plate out” or stick to walls.

Doing It Yourself
If your home is in Wyoming and outside of our service area or you simply want to save some money by doing it yourself, we can help.  Provide us with a simple floor plan of your home and after a consulation visit we can provide you with a quote for the installation materials and instruction necessary for you to install your own system.

Why Choose Alpine
  • Alpine is certified by NEHA in radon measurement and mitigation.
  • We have some of the most advanced measurement equipment available.
  • We guarantee our mitigation systems will lower your radon level below 4pCi/L or you don't pay for it.
  • We can augment traditional mitigation systems with other Indoor Air Quality products to further reduce levels.
  • Prompt, professional service.  See Why Choose Alpine?
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