Testing of indoor radon-reduction techniques in basement houses having adjoining wings. Final report, August 1988-September 1989

Technical Report · Thu Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1990

OSTI ID:6255517

Messing, M

The report gives results of tests of indoor radon reduction techniques in 12 existing Maryland houses, with the objective of determining when basement houses with adjoining wings require active soil depressurization (ASD) treatment of both wings, and when treatment of the basement alone is sufficient. In five basement houses with adjoining slabs on grade, ASD treatment of both wings provided an incremental additional radon reduction of 0 to 5.2 pCi/L, compared to ASD treatment of either one of the slabs alone. However, basement-only treatment reduced radon to <4 pCi/L in all five houses. In six basement houses having adjoining crawl spaces, ASD treatment of both wings (including sub-liner depressurization of the crawl space) provided little additional reduction compared to basement-only treatment, when sub-slab communication was good. When communication was not good, treatment of both wings was required to achieve <4 pCi/L. Tests of one fully slab-on-grade house showed that, when there is good aggregate under the slab, a one-pipe sub-slab depressurization system can achieve <1-2 pCi/L, even when there are forced-air supply ducts under the slab.

• Research Organization: Infiltec, Falls Church, VA (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6255517
• Report Number(s): PB-91-125831/XAB; CNN: EPA-68-02-4287
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540130* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring &amp; Transport-- (1990-)
AIR POLLUTION
AIR POLLUTION CONTROL
BASEMENTS
BUILDINGS
CONTROL
DEPRESSURIZATION
DOCUMENT TYPES
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FEDERAL REGION III
FLUIDS
GASES
HOUSES
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
MARYLAND
MASS TRANSFER
MONITORING
NONMETALS
NORTH AMERICA
POLLUTION
POLLUTION CONTROL
PROGRESS REPORT
RADIATION MONITORING
RADIOECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
RADON
RARE GASES
RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
SOILS
USA