Natural-basement ventilation as a radon-mitigation technique. Final report Jun 89-Feb 91

Technical Report · Wed Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1992

OSTI ID:5268229

Cavallo, A; Gadsby, K; Reddy, T A

The report documents a study of natural basement ventilation in two research houses during both the summer cooling season and the winter heating season. (NOTE: Natural basement ventilation has always been recommended as a way to reduce radon levels in houses. However, its efficacy has never been documented. It has generally been assumed to be a very inefficient mitigation strategy since it was believed that dilution was the mechanism by which radon levels were reduced.) Ventilation rates, environmental and house operating parameters, and radon levels have been monitored; it can be concluded that natural ventilation can reduce radon levels two ways: (1) by simple dilution, and (2) although less obvious, by providing a pressure break that reduces basement depressurization and thus the amount of radon-contaminated soil gas drawn into the house. Thus, basement ventilation can be a much more effective mitigation strategy than was previously believed. It might be especially useful in houses with low radon concentrations (of the order of 10 pCi/L) or those with low levels that cannot be mitigated cost-effectively with conventional technology.

• Research Organization: Princeton Univ., NJ (United States). Center for Energy and Environmental Studies
• OSTI ID: 5268229
• Report Number(s): PB-92-166958/XAB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540130* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
AIR POLLUTION
AIR POLLUTION CONTROL
BASEMENTS
BUILDINGS
CONTROL
DEPRESSURIZATION
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELEMENTS
FLUIDS
GASES
HOUSES
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
MITIGATION
MONITORING
NONMETALS
POLLUTION
POLLUTION CONTROL
RADIATION MONITORING
RADIOECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
RADON
RARE GASES
RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
SEASONAL VARIATIONS
VARIATIONS
VENTILATION