Guest guest Posted May 6, 2005 Report Share Posted May 6, 2005 You may have to redo the test if the results are really high and you want to reduce them, but that is best done after all of the radon remedial work has been done. A concrete floor may not be necessary, and what you should do will depend on the tightness of the walls around the crawl space. So go ahead with the test. It will be worst case but tests are cheap compared to some of the remedial work that may later be required. Hopefully you are using a longer-term test such as a track-etch or charcoal canister designed for at least a five day exposure. The others do not give you a good picture of the real radon situation unless you do several in sequence. Jim H. White SSAL radon prevention > hello, > my name is michael hollihn, > i am a timber framer/sawyer in southern bc, > we have an older house with a crawl space below the > living room, it is open earth, we are in an elevated > radon zone and are currently doing a radon test, > should we pour a cement slab in the crawl space before > getting results of the radon test or is this > unnecessary? > thank you > > > > __________________________________ > Yahoo! Mail Mobile > Take Yahoo! Mail with you! Check email on your mobile phone. > http://mobile.yahoo.com/learn/mail > > > > > > FAIR USE NOTICE: > > This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always > been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such > material available in our efforts to advance understanding of > environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, > and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' > of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US > Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the > material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have > expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for > research and educational purposes. For more information go to: > http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use > copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go > beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 6, 2005 Report Share Posted May 6, 2005 , Even if you do not have a radon problem. It is a good idea to put a vapor barrier over the soil in the crawl space to reduce the moisture and soil gases from entering the house. It would best if you put in a ventilation system below the plastic to vent the moisture and gases. BOB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 7, 2005 Report Share Posted May 7, 2005 a sub-slab depressurization system will be effective... Bob s wrote: ,Even if you do not have a radon problem. It is a good idea to put a vapor barrier over the soil in the crawl space to reduce the moisture and soil gases from entering the house. It would best if you put in a ventilation system below the plastic to vent the moisture and gases.BOBFAIR USE NOTICE:This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. __________________________________________________ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 8, 2005 Report Share Posted May 8, 2005 thank you for the reply, so this does not have to be a cement slab then, how else can you do an effective vapour barrier? thank you michael hollihn prana timber frames --- ASISH MOHAPATRA wrote: > a sub-slab depressurization system will be > effective... > > Bob s wrote: > , > > Even if you do not have a radon problem. It is a > good idea to put a > vapor barrier over the soil in the crawl space to > reduce the moisture > and soil gases from entering the house. It would > best if you put in a > ventilation system below the plastic to vent the > moisture and gases. > > > BOB > > > > > > FAIR USE NOTICE: > > This site contains copyrighted material the use of > which has not always been specifically authorized by > the copyright owner. We are making such material > available in our efforts to advance understanding of > environmental, political, human rights, economic, > democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, > etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any > such copyrighted material as provided for in section > 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with > Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this > site is distributed without profit to those who have > expressed a prior interest in receiving the included > information for research and educational purposes. > For more information go to: > http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If > you wish to use copyrighted material from this site > for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', > you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. > > > > > --------------------------------- > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 9, 2005 Report Share Posted May 9, 2005 You do not really need a vapour barrier (actually retarder) but the poly also acts as an air barrier (if sealed well enough), which you do need. By exhausting from under the plastic any leaks are from above to under then out, and radon cannot get up into the air under the house, then into the house by stack effect. Jim H. White SSAL Re: radon prevention > thank you for the reply, > so this does not have to be a cement slab then, > how else can you do an effective vapour barrier? > thank you > michael hollihn > prana timber frames > > --- ASISH MOHAPATRA wrote: > >> a sub-slab depressurization system will be >> effective... >> >> Bob s wrote: >> , >> >> Even if you do not have a radon problem. It is a >> good idea to put a >> vapor barrier over the soil in the crawl space to >> reduce the moisture >> and soil gases from entering the house. It would >> best if you put in a >> ventilation system below the plastic to vent the >> moisture and gases. >> >> >> BOB >> >> >> >> >> >> FAIR USE NOTICE: >> >> This site contains copyrighted material the use of >> which has not always been specifically authorized by >> the copyright owner. We are making such material >> available in our efforts to advance understanding of >> environmental, political, human rights, economic, >> democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, >> etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any >> such copyrighted material as provided for in section >> 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with >> Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this >> site is distributed without profit to those who have >> expressed a prior interest in receiving the included >> information for research and educational purposes. >> For more information go to: >> http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If >> you wish to use copyrighted material from this site >> for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', >> you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. >> >> >> >> >> --------------------------------- >> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 11, 2005 Report Share Posted May 11, 2005 Jim, At Home Depot I bought a Pro-Lab 'Professional' Radon Gas Test Kit. The test runs 4 days. It has two canisters that you put in lowest area of home, 2-3 feet about floor level, 2-3 feet away from any outside walls, away from any drafts and six inches apart. Since they are canisters. I assume they are then the charcoal canister test you are referring to below? If not, is there anyplace a layperson could get one of these tests for radon you recommend below? Now that I've bought it I will run the test though. Four days of not disturbing area will be rough since it is normally used alot, laundry, access to backyard, access to garage but we get get around that for four days. I'm testing my house for everything because I've not been in good health and my house is so far partly at fault so might as well do the whole thing. I think radon is only thing I haven't tested for. I'm going to do test in basement because there are cracks in the foundation and house is on rocky cliff area so I guess could be radon here. Thanks > Hopefully you are using a longer-term test such as a track-etch or charcoal > canister designed for at least a five day exposure. The others do not give > you a good picture of the real radon situation unless you do several in > sequence. > Jim H. White SSAL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 11, 2005 Report Share Posted May 11, 2005 Topic here is radon in crawl spaces. Isn't there a problem ever with radon in basements? Thanks > > , > > if you have high radon with a normal ventilated crawl space, then: > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 11, 2005 Report Share Posted May 11, 2005 radon tests in laundry rooms are not optimal. Water affects charcoal effectiveness and reading may have a waterborne component in some areas where the radon levels in the water are high. Best to choose an area away from water to get better idea of airborne component. Good luck ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 12, 2005 Report Share Posted May 12, 2005 Barb Four days will give you a rough idea, but wait until a low pressure system is coming in (the weather is getting cloudier) to get a pessimistic reading. If it the results are awful then test again when a high pressure front is coming in and see how low it goes. Now you get to make a judgement call. The reason for using a long-term test is that radon release rates into the house go up and down depending on the relative pressure difference between the basement air pressure and the gas/air pressure in the soil. Remember that radon does not cause many problems, and none are likely in the short run. What is does do is increase the incidence of cancer (most likely only lung cancers). However, since you have the kit, go ahead and test. Jim Re: radon prevention > Jim, > At Home Depot I bought a Pro-Lab 'Professional' Radon Gas Test Kit. > The test runs 4 days. It has two canisters that you put in lowest > area of home, 2-3 feet about floor level, 2-3 feet away from any > outside walls, away from any drafts and six inches apart. Since they > are canisters. I assume they are then the charcoal canister test you > are referring to below? > If not, is there anyplace a layperson could get one of these tests for > radon you recommend below? > Now that I've bought it I will run the test though. Four days of not > disturbing area will be rough since it is normally used alot, laundry, > access to backyard, access to garage but we get get around that for > four days. > I'm testing my house for everything because I've not been in good > health and my house is so far partly at fault so might as well do the > whole thing. I think radon is only thing I haven't tested for. > I'm going to do test in basement because there are cracks in the > foundation and house is on rocky cliff area so I guess could be radon > here. > Thanks > > > >> Hopefully you are using a longer-term test such as a track-etch or > charcoal >> canister designed for at least a five day exposure. The others do > not give >> you a good picture of the real radon situation unless you do several > in >> sequence. >> Jim H. White SSAL > > > > > > > > > FAIR USE NOTICE: > > This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always > been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such > material available in our efforts to advance understanding of > environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, > and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' > of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US > Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the > material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have > expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for > research and educational purposes. For more information go to: > http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use > copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go > beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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