Well, my basement project just got more complicated

[VinnieVOL]

So a few weeks ago Stogie came over and we framed up my basement over the weekend.  (Major props to Stogie, btw)  Looks great, walls and doorways are clean and we even framed up some closets, too.  I'm really proud of it.

So like I usually do I take to the interwebz and read up on everything related to a project I'm doing, to the point of obsession.  At some point one of my wife's friends said "have y'all tested for radon?" and I just looked at her like she was nuts.  So I read up about it and get scared enough to go buy a cheap radon test.  I put it in my basement, closed everything off, and left it there for the instructed amount of time.  Sent the test in and got the results back today... and it's high.  So of course now I throw my hands up in frustration, as I was ready to get it wired and all.  Supposedly the EPA recommends taking action if the results are over 4.0 pCi/L and my results were 7.6.  It says to test again if the results are high and I will, but does anyone here have any experience with this?  Should I now be worried about my upper floor, too?  In the Spring and Fall we open our windows quite a bit to air things out.  Or, is this mainly something I should be concerned with in the basement before I put anymore money into finish it?

I've noticed a crack where the basement floor meets the wall all around the basement where it has settled.  I patched the part we framed with hydraulic cement, but I'm guessing one of the things I'll need to do is patch the crack all the way around the basement.  The floor drain on the basement floor is supposedly another avenue for radon to get in.  The next step I suppose is a ventilation system or some measure of moving air.  The website says there are companies you pay to come mitigate radon, too.  

This was just not part of the plan!  

[GreggO]

Geezereee! Be sure and wrap up in foil before you go down there from now on!

Seriously, there are mitigation firms that can get the basement properly sealed and you really don't want to expose your family to that stuff long-term. I have no idea how simple/difficult it is, but you need to consider resale value as well. Whatever you spend is a lot less than you would loose in value of your investment to this point. Fortunately, it costs probably $5k less than doing a finished basement from what I've heard.

Good luck!

GreggO

[volsboy]

It's always something.

[NC Enginerd]

vent and pump it out.

[Inspector Vol]

vent and pump it out.

This. Large apartment complex in town put in vents when building for possible radon issues. Probably the only building in town that has anything like it.

[midtnvol]

Plug the cracks, fill with water, presto, indoor pool. You're welcome.

[Tnphil]

Plug the cracks, fill with water, presto, indoor pool. You're welcome.

Charge the neighborhood kids 5 bucks to swim and the soccer moms 10 bucks to park. Soon you'll have enough to move to South FL and won't have to worry about a basement.

[Creek Walker]

Don't you wish now you hadn't checked? 

Seriously, that's fairly high. I need to check mine again since we have living quarters in the basement.

[73Volgrad]

Unless you are experienced or know someone that is, you will need to seal all cracks in concrete floor and joints to CMU walls.  You can cover or plug the floor drain with something removable if you get water in.

The radon treatment company will likely come in and dig a a couple of trenches in the concrete floor to gain access to the rockfill under the floor.  They will put in a French-type drain (slotted pipe with wrapping) so air in the porous rock fill laden with Radon can be captured.  Then they will either run the vent pipe up to a height above the roof so you get a chimney effect to vent air or install a small exhaust fan to continually vent. Make sure they patch the floor with a decent hydraulic concrete (self-leveling would be nice) so you can put a decent cover in the man-cave.

If this sounds like a lot of work, it is.

A viable alternative would be to install one of the new exhaust fan systems that exhausts a given volume of air constantly and pulls in the small volume of fresh air that passes through a heat exchanger that uses the exhaust air to heat or cool the fresh outdoor air being drawn in.  This ensures a constant supply of fresh outside air while exhausting bad air.  The trick and solution is you need to exhaust enough air while providing fresh air to dilute any Radon concentrations.

If you cannot guess, I am an engineer, a PE actually.  PM me if you like. I am retiring end of the month and I will have time to talk.  I live in Knoxville Vinnie.  Where you live?

[RockyMtnVol]

Radon is a gas, heavier than air. It's pretty common here in Colorado (we have uranium mines, you know). Upper floors = no problemo, but the gas will settle in the lowest area and must be vented out. Getting it done professionally is best - the duct and fan will be hidden & quiet, but any fan & duct that vents air from the lowest level to outside (garage will work) is good.

[VinnieVOL]

Good tips, guys.  The funny thing is when I ask people that live around here "did you ever test for radon?" they look at me like I'm nuts.  Doesn't seem like something a lot of people think about here in East TN.

I'll probably start with looking into a vent/exhaust system.  The thought of paying some guys to come and cut up my beautiful basement floor doesn't make me happy.

And now Stogie is threatening to sue me for exposing him to high levels or radon.   

[EmerilVOL]

Good tips, guys.  The funny thing is when I ask people that live around here "did you ever test for radon?" they look at me like I'm nuts.  Doesn't seem like something a lot of people think about here in East TN.

I'll probably start with looking into a vent/exhaust system.  The thought of paying some guys to come and cut up my beautiful basement floor doesn't make me happy.

And now Stogie is threatening to sue me for exposing him to high levels or radon.   

Tell Stogie I'll get some gnarly pictures of radon poisoning from my dr friends so he can have show and tell in the court room......always like to support a brother in sueing those people that poison others..  oops can't do that then I would be violating the VTTW support all your friends...oh well nevermind Stogie your on your own!!!!