Radon reduction and radon-resistant construction demonstrations in New York State

Technical Report · Fri Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1991

OSTI ID:5848576

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the New York Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) cosponsored a project in New York State to demonstrate radon migration techniques in existing homes with elevated radon concentrations and to test radon-resistant construction techniques in new houses. The first part of the existing home evaluation demonstrated radon migration techniques in homes where the indoor radon concentrations exceeded the EPA guidance of 4 pCi/L. Results demonstrated that sealing all accessible foundation penetrations in the basement was an effective way to reduce the radon concentration, although not below the EPA guideline, and that sealing aids in the effectiveness of an active depressurization system. Basement pressurization also proved to be an effective method. Water aeration systems were effective at mitigating radon from residential water supplied although the system tested was large and noisy. Activated charcoal filters adsorbed the radon and eventually became an unacceptable source of gamma radiation. The second part of the existing home evaluation involved the inspection of homes where radon mitigation systems were installed in 1984 as part of an earlier NYSERDA/Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation (NMPC) project. It was found that new systems and techniques, such as in- line centrifugal fans, were generally superior to the earlier method using axial computer-type fans. Polyurethane caulk was found to be in good condition; butyl caulk, on the other hand, had deteriorated. In the new house task, a radon-resistant system was developed for integration into a house during construction. This system included sealing foundation floors, sealing concrete block foundation walls, and passive sub-slab ventilation. This integrated system reduced the radon concentration in new test houses below that of control houses, but the reduction was not usually sufficient to meet the EPA guideline.

• Research Organization: New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, Albany, NY (United States); Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC (United States). Office of Research and Development; Fleming Group, East Syracuse, NY (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: NYSERDA; New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, Albany, NY (United States)
• OSTI ID: 5848576
• Report Number(s): NYSERDA-91-11; ON: TI92007035
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320107* -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Building Systems-- (1987-)
AERATION
AIR POLLUTION CONTROL
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BLOWERS
BUILDINGS
CLEANING
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
CONTROL
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
DECONTAMINATION
DEPRESSURIZATION
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
DOCUMENT TYPES
EVALUATION
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
FILTERS
FOUNDATIONS
HEAVY NUCLEI
HOUSES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INSPECTION
ISOTOPES
MATERIALS
MECHANICAL STRUCTURES
MONITORING
NEW YORK
NORTH AMERICA
NUCLEI
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC POLYMERS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PETROCHEMICALS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
PLASTICS
POLLUTION CONTROL
POLYAMIDES
POLYMERS
POLYURETHANES
PROGRESS REPORT
RADIOISOTOPES
RADON 222
RADON ISOTOPES
RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
SEALS
SUPPORTS
SYNTHETIC MATERIALS
USA
WATER