Radon reduction using sub floor fans
- New York Univ. School of Medicine, NY (United States)
The basement and second floor {sup 222}Rn concentrations in an energy efficient home were measured hourly for 6 y using continuous monitors of our design. The home had a subslab pipe network installed during construction, and for the past 2 y a 150 cfm fan was operative venting air via ductwork inside the chimney exiting on the roof. During this measurement interval, experiments were conducted with the fan in 3 modes: (1) with the subslab fan off, (2) in the conventional direction auctioning air from beneath the slab to outside, and (3) reversed, blowing outdoor air into the network under the slab. We have a large data base to show that the indoor {sup 222}R n concentration varies inversely with the indoor/outdoor temperature difference. In order to compare the 3 fan modes directly, we selected 50 to 90 d periods when the outdoor temperature was essentially the same. For the 3 modes, the fan off, blowing upward, and blowing downward, the basement concentration averaged 80, 38, and 34 Bq m{sup -3}, respectively. Radon peaks or surges occur over a period of about 1 d during falling barometric pressure. With the fan blowing downward, these {sup 222}Rn peaks tend to be smaller but only marginally so. We conclude that in this home the reduction in {sup 222}Rn with the fan and subslab pipe network operating was essentially the same regardless of the direction of flow from the fan.
- DOE Contract Number:
- FG02-87ER60547
- OSTI ID:
- 394056
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9607135-; ISSN 0017-9078; TRN: 96:028734
- Journal Information:
- Health Physics, Vol. 70, Issue Suppl.6; Conference: 41. Annual Meeting of the Health Physics Society, Seattle, WA (United States), 21-25 Jul 1996; Other Information: PBD: Jun 1996
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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