Testing of indoor radon reduction techniques in eastern Pennsylvania: an update. Published paper, May 1985-March 1987
The paper updates information from EPA tests of indoor radon-reduction techniques on 38 houses in the Reading Prong area of eastern Pennsylvania. All were basement houses with hollow-block or poured-concrete foundation walls. The reduction approaches tested in most houses involved active soil ventilation, including: suction on the footing drain tile system; suction under the concrete slabs, using pipes inserted through the slabs from inside the houses; and ventilation of the void network inside hollow-block foundation walls. Heat-recovery ventilators (HRVs) were tested in three houses. Current results confirm that, for the houses tested, drain tile suction appears consistently able to provide high radon reductions when a complete loop of drain tile exists, often reducing high-radon-level houses to 4 pCi/l (148 Bq/cu m) and less. Sub-slab suction (with pipes through the slab) can also provide high reductions if enough suction pipes are located properly. Placing one or more sub-slab suction pipes near each perimeter wall appears to aid in treating the major soil gas entry routes, although fewer pipes can sometimes give high reductions if conditions are favorable. Ventilation of block wall voids can be effective if major wall openings can be adequately closed, and if there are no major slab-related entry routes remote from the walls.
- Research Organization:
- American ATCON, Inc., Wilmington, DE
- OSTI ID:
- 6288064
- Report Number(s):
- PB-87-188124/XAB; TRN: 87-028585
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Testing of indoor radon-reduction techniques in 19 Maryland houses. Final report, January 1987-June 1989
Some results from the demonstration of indoor radon reduction measures in block basement houses. Report for June 1985-February 1987
Related Subjects
HOUSES
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
AIR POLLUTION CONTROL
RADON
CLOSURES
FOUNDATIONS
PENNSYLVANIA
RADIATION MONITORING
SOILS
VENTILATION
WALLS
AIR POLLUTION
BUILDINGS
CONTROL
ELEMENTS
FEDERAL REGION III
FLUIDS
GASES
MECHANICAL STRUCTURES
MONITORING
NONMETALS
NORTH AMERICA
POLLUTION
POLLUTION CONTROL
RARE GASES
RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
SUPPORTS
USA
500300* - Environment
Atmospheric- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)