Radon pump install

[fatjay]

When my wife was pregnant, I gave up my office in the spare bedroom and moved to the basement. My basement radon levels were about 0.38 in the summer, with the basement windows open. US limits are 4.0. A 1.0 reading is about 2 cigarettes a day as far as cancer goes. Since closing up the basement for the winter, it went up to about 1.3.

Although I checked yesterday and for some reason it went up to 4.08. So I got a radon pump and some pvc and some wire. The pump was $172, along with $190 in pvc, switches and wire I already had.

I put the pickup in the sump hole, ran pipe along the back wall, up, out a hole, to the pump, and up the wall. I installed a switch with outlet so I can turn it off in warmer weather when I have the house more opened up.

 

[mrmikey]

I'd put a cover over the sump, bet it would lower it even more by putting a negative pressure under the slab.

 

[fatjay]

I'd put a cover over the sump, bet it would lower it even more by putting a negative pressure under the slab.

I have a floating slap on top of lots of cracked concrete, i'm pretty sure the radon is not only coming up through the sump pit. Although I don't know, so I'm open to new knowledge.

 

[WinterDeere]

More typical install would be to core-drill a 4" hole opposite corner of basement from that sump, dig (shop vac) out some dirt, fill with crushed stone, then plug suction pipe in there and silicone in place. Will create a negative pressure over entire slab, with sump being primary inlet (not outlet) to sub-slab space.

 

[jyoutz]

I had one installed this past summer in our basement. They drilled the slab and installed like winter Deere described. The fan is on the pipe that goes under the slab and exhausts outside. You did well with your pricing. They installed 2 units, on on each side of the basement and I paid just shy of $4500.

 

[fatjay]

I'm not sure I could create a seal around the sump pit without replacing the sump pump itself. That thing almost never gets water, it has to do hurricane levels of water, but when it does, water does get in the basement, and travel to that pit, so it may not be in my best interest to seal it.

 

[WinterDeere]

Don't seal the sump pit. You drill a separate hole for the radon suction pipe, and seal around that.

 

[fatjay]

That makes a little sense. But wouldn't that just be like sucking on the ground? I have no idea what is under my slab. I'd imagine it would just pull full vacuum all the time.

 

[WinterDeere]

That makes a little sense. But wouldn't that just be like sucking on the ground? I have no idea what is under my slab.

There should be 4" - 6" of 2A crushed stone beneath the slab.

I'd imagine it would just pull full vacuum all the time.

Yep... that's the idea! If pressure below the slab is less than pressure above, no radon gas from the ground can be drawn into living space.

 

[4570Man]

That makes a little sense. But wouldn't that just be like sucking on the ground? I have no idea what is under my slab. I'd imagine it would just pull full vacuum all the time.

The slab would have to be on clean stone to work. If the slab is on dirt or crusher run it wouldn’t be able to move any air through it.