Radon Mitigation in Westland and Metro Detroit

The Elevated Radon Threat in Westland

The average resident of a home in Wayne County may not have considered the composition of the soil beneath their foundation. However, in Westland, this factor plays a role. Radon is a gas generated by the decay of uranium in the soil and bedrock below our feet. Invisible and odorless, radon infiltrates homes through cracks in concrete slabs, the gaps around utility lines that pass through slabs, and other openings in the foundation. In fact, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, radon accounts for the highest number of lung cancer cases among nonsmokers.

The question then becomes, why is Westland particularly prone to radon? There are several reasons:

• The type of soil in Wayne County can release radon from bedrock more readily than in more sandy and porous soils;
• Many of the homes in Westland are mid-20th century (1950s-1980s) constructions when radon-resistance construction techniques were not required;
• Basements are prevalent in Westland homes, providing a direct entry path for radon entering the home; and
• Many Westland homes have weatherized to save on utility costs; this can actually lead to the increased presence of radon in the home.

We encounter this scenario regularly. I once worked with a family near the Norwayne neighborhood of Westland who were preparing their home to go on the market. They had a radon test performed, only to discover that their home had radon levels as high as 8-9 pCi/L. This is higher than the Environmental Protection Agency's Action level of 4 pCi/L! And yet, the family had been living in their home for 15 years and had no knowledge that their house posed a significant health risk for the entire family.

And yet, it is not just older, mid-century homes that can exhibit dangerous radon levels. Even new builds in Westland can test positive for high concentrations of radon gas. The radon simply does not know or care about the age of your home; it cares about what lies below and what avenues it has for entering your home.

One thing that many Westland homeowners don't realize is that radon levels can vary between neighboring homes. In Westland, I see houses on the same block with radon levels that are as low as 2 pCi/L in one and as high as 12 in another. While it is true that soil conditions can vary over relatively short distances, the differences also result from how radon is able to enter the home in each instance. One home may have an uncovered sump pit leading into the basement, while another has a sealed concrete slab on grade. These minor distinctions can make a significant difference in your radon test results.

To truly determine the radon risk in your Westland home, you need a radon test. That is why, each week, I perform a radon test on a home in Westland. And I continue to be pleasantly surprised by the test results! This is precisely why it is imperative that you consider having a radon test performed for your home. Homeowners can also learn more about statewide testing resources and guidance through the Michigan Indoor Radon Program.

How Sub-Slab Depressurization Protects the Old Ranch-Style Homes of Westland

Most homes I work on in Westland are ranch-style homes built in the 1950s to the 1970s, sitting on concrete slabs or poured concrete foundations. The radon mitigation system for these homes differs in a variety of ways from the radon reduction system designed for a newer two-story home with a basement.

, radon gas enters the home from beneath the foundation, seeping from the soil through cracks and gaps. A sub-slab depressurization system creates a vacuum within the foundation to pull radon gas out of the soil below before it enters the home.

This is a task we complete daily, be it in the Norwayne section of Westland, or along the Palmer Road corridor in Westland. That is the basic process:

1. Drill a four inch or so hole in the slab.
2. Pass PVC pipe through the hole, then up inside the home or along an outside wall.
3. Mount an inline fan onto that pipe, which will then run 24/7 to create a vacuum under the home's slab.
4. Vent that pipe so that it exits above the roofline, dispersing the radon out into the open air away from your foundation.
5. Seal up any visible cracks and gaps in the basement slab, which also allows the vacuum system to be more efficient in gathering soil gasses.

Typically, we only have to create one point of suction to reduce radon levels across a home's entire footprint. Ranch style homes, especially older ones built on Westland slabs, have gravel beds beneath the slab, which makes it much easier for the suction to reach all the way across from wall to wall.

That said, it is not uncommon for a ranch style home to have a much thicker or denser fill material below the slab. In order to make sure that one suction point will be enough for your home, we will test the suction using a vacuum gauge before finalizing a single pipe suction point. If the suction does not pull far enough across the home to the far side of the basement, we will install a second suction point.

We typically have the fan running 24/7. We typically find a home owner does not notice the extra electric that is used on a fan like this, since it is equivalent to a small light bulb.

Sometimes a customer will ask me if the new radon system negatively interferes with their existing HVAC system. The answer is no. Since the vacuum suction only applies to the air space directly under the slab, there is not any negative impact on your HVAC system, which includes your furnace, ducts, or air filtration equipment. We do have a very thorough checklist and are licensed HVAC professionals; we do make sure to check to make sure there isn't negative impact to the customer's HVAC system during a standard inspection, but in our experience, we have yet to have an issue with a standard ranch style home.

What You Need to Know During the Project

Typically, a homeowner who is hearing about radon mitigation for the first time is picturing a massive construction project. Nothing could be further from the truth.

In most cases, the mitigation job takes only a day to complete. At most a day and a half. We go in, we meet with the customer to reconfirm the installation plan that was mapped out in your initial home assessment, and then we do that plan.

This is roughly how we complete a project:

1. We drill a 4 inch or so hole in the slab. Depending on the age of the home and what area it's in, say, like near the Norwayne area, the concrete may be more brittle, and we will need to take extra caution.
2. Insert PVC pipe through hole that runs from below slab up through home and exit out the roof.
3. Install fan. The fan creates a vacuum under the foundation to suck radon gas up through the slab and out the exhaust pipe above the roofline.
4. Seal all PVC pipe connections. Seal slab hole. Seal any other visible cracks around slab.
5. Install manometer to show that the system is running, at a glance, to the homeowner.

We typically follow the pipe along an inside wall, up through a closet, or out of the attic in a utility room. They're usually hidden from view and we always discuss the route with you prior to cutting any holes.

That's a very common question. The fan makes a low sound like a bathroom exhaust fan on its lowest setting. Usually homeowners forget they have one after the first couple days.

Everyone can stay at home when we install. We request that kids and pets be kept out of the immediate work area, but there is no need to stay elsewhere. There will be some noise from the drilling for about 20 minutes; that will be the only real noise.

Once we're finished we'll do a quick inspection with you so you can see the manometer reading and understand what is normal, answer any questions, and you're satisfied. Then we'll set up a second radon test to see if levels came back under the EPA recommended limit of 4 pCi/L. Knowing for a fact that the radon has gone below the action level is the only sure way to know the system worked effectively.

Any final questions before installation day? Give us a call and we'll run you through it.

Radon Mitigation and Your Home's Combustion Appliances

This is something most Westland people are not aware of: Your furnace, water heater and gas fireplace all require good ventilation to be able to exhaust gases safely from the home. A radon mitigation system modifies the air pressure in your house and, if your combustion appliance isn't properly addressed with the installation you could encounter a backdrafting situation.

A backdraft is when exhaust is pulled back into living space rather than going up and out. That is carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and moisture, things you don't want in your home.

We do this check with every single job. A properly designed radon mitigation system typically won't affect combustion appliances. That said, there are occasional exceptions. A few years ago in Westland's Norwayne neighborhood many older homes had natural-draft water heaters located right next to the sump pit and the new mitigation fan had a competing draft against those appliances.

We look at these items before activating the system:

• What type of exhaust your appliance uses (natural draft, induced-draft or direct-vent)
• The location of the water heater exhaust relative to the radon mitigation system
• The condition of gas fireplace exhaust and whether its damper seals
• How well the home is sealed, as newer homes will hold pressure differently than older ones

We check for backdrafting by running a combustion appliance zone test with the mitigation system in operation, so we can see how each gas appliance reacts. If there's an issue, we'll adjust the system or recommend a solution before leaving. The EPA suggests it's part of a complete radon mitigation installation to that the safety of combustion appliances is not a concern. The problem is many homeowners don't even notice the issue until it's too late. If you begin to detect a gas-like odor in the vicinity of your water heater or you notice condensation on your vent pipes where you hadn't prior, take these as signs of appliance interference.

If you have a gas furnace, gas water heater or a gas fireplace in your Westland home, always make sure you hire a qualified radon mitigation technician to test for appliance interference before doing your radon reduction. We always check for it, and it is never an option for us, because not only is your radon level important to you, but so is making sure that we do not bring you a different problem once the first is resolved.

Real Estate Closing Deadlines & Radon Mitigation Timelines

We frequently get asked this question. A client will sell their Westland home, the home inspector reports an elevated radon level, and a closing date is fast approaching.

You need to know a few things about radon reduction. First, a standard installation doesn't take weeks. It typically takes only one day or, in some rare cases, two (for very large basements or homes with basements and crawl spaces). It is the re-test which dictates the radon reduction timeline.

After a radon mitigation system is installed, one must wait a minimum of 24 hours before a radon test can be performed, and a short-term radon test must run for a minimum of 48 hours to produce a valid result., the total time from our initial visit to your final passing radon reading will be approximately four to five days. This is the amount of time you and your real estate agent need to work with.

Most Westland real estate contracts give the seller seven to ten days to remediate the findings of a home inspection. While this timeframe may seem short, it is entirely feasible if you contact a qualified radon mitigation firm as soon as the inspection comes in. We often see clients fail to close on time because they wait three or four days to see if they should address the issues first. Any delay you encounter on this front will inevitably eat up your closing deadline.

Here is what a smooth real estate transaction radon reduction timeline looks like:

1. Your real estate agent contacts a qualified radon mitigator on the same day the real estate inspection comes in.
2. The mitigator schedules your mitigation system within 24-48 hours.
3. A crew member completes your radon reduction.
4. The mitigator sets up your radon post-mitigation test 24 hours after system completion.
5. Your test results come back as "passing" after 48-72 hours showing the levels have been reduced below the EPA action level of 4.0 pCi/L.

As the buyer of a home in Westland, you're entitled to request that the sellers address your radon issues before closing on the property. Per the EPA, radon mitigation should reduce indoor radon levels below 4.0 pCi/L (picocuries per liter of air). That is the value that is of importance on your paperwork.

Typically, the deal gets sealed without issue as long as the test results come back with a pass. We've helped homeowners near Norwayne and throughout Westland reach their closing dates by completing the job quickly, when it counts. But, we can't make up for time already spent. Don't hesitate on this one.

Looking to get ahead of your real estate closing date? We're here to help.