Why DIY Radon Mitigation Can Be Risky: Leave It to the Professionals
If radon levels in your home exceed safety thresholds, it’s crucial to mitigate these levels to protect the health of everyone who lives or spends time there. Radon is a Class A carcinogen, known to cause significant health issues in both humans and animals. Ensuring quality in radon mitigation is essential, which is why DIY efforts are often not recommended.
At Absolute Radon Safety, we provide top-notch radon mitigation systems and equipment, installed by experienced professionals who know how to effectively capture radon at its source and prevent it from contaminating your air supply at dangerous levels. We strongly advise leaving radon mitigation installations to our experts, as attempting this yourself without the necessary training poses several risks to both you and your property. Here are some key reasons why you should call in the pros for this job.
Licensing and Certification Requirements
In Colorado, radon mitigation requires a specific license and certification. It’s best to contact a professional who is qualified and authorized to perform this work.
Risk of Piercing Pipes
One of the primary challenges in installing a radon mitigation system is working with extensive piping. This involves not only installing new pipes to vent radon out of the home but also navigating around existing plumbing and systems.
As professionals, we have the expertise to avoid these areas and ensure that no damage is done during installation. Without this expertise, you risk piercing or damaging other pipes in your home, leading to costly repairs and potentially creating an even greater radon hazard.
Backdrafting Dangers
Another significant risk of DIY radon mitigation is backdrafting, where the radon system inadvertently pulls in carbon monoxide from your furnace or water heater flues. This can lead to severe health issues for you and your family.
Our professionals know how to properly vent the radon system to avoid negative pressure that could cause backdrafting. Without this knowledge, it’s easy to create a hazardous situation that could jeopardize your health.
Risk of Radon Re-Entering
One of the most common mistakes in DIY radon mitigation is improper sealing, which allows radon to re-enter the home.
This error, while seemingly minor, can have serious consequences. Even if you’ve installed a system to remove radon, a single improperly sealed area can render your efforts ineffective, exposing you and your family to dangerous levels of radon once again.
Condensation Concerns
Radon mitigation systems regularly handle air that’s high in humidity, and proper installation is required to direct water and condensation away from the system to prevent damage.
If you’re not familiar with handling humidity and moisture, you could inadvertently cause damage to the system through condensation. This can lead to further problems, such as mold growth or even significant flooding in your home.
Sub-Slab Challenges
Radon mitigation systems are most effective when installed over a gravel base beneath the concrete slab. However, many homes or buildings have dirt or clay as the base material, which can reduce the system’s effectiveness.
A professional installer will assess your home’s specific needs and, if necessary, redesign the sub-slab to ensure the system works optimally. Without this expertise, you could end up with a system that doesn’t adequately protect you from radon.
Importance of Post-Installation Testing
One of the advantages of hiring professionals is the post-installation testing and inspections we conduct to ensure the system is functioning properly and keeping your home safe.
If you install the system yourself, you may not be aware of the importance of post-installation testing or know how to conduct it. This could result in undetected radon levels, putting your family’s health at risk.
Warranty Benefits
Hiring a professional for radon mitigation also comes with the benefit of a warranty. Most professional companies offer warranties on their work, meaning that if any issues arise after installation, they will address them at no additional cost to you.
Without professional installation, you won’t have the same level of protection, and any problems that occur will likely require you to pay out of pocket for repairs.
Adding Future Home Value
If you plan to sell your home, a professionally installed radon mitigation system can add value to your property. Potential buyers often look for homes with existing mitigation systems, as it shows a commitment to health and safety.
DIY installations, however, may not be as effective or attractive to buyers, potentially diminishing the added value when it comes time to sell.
For more information on why DIY radon mitigation should generally be avoided unless you have professional training, or to learn about our radon testing and mitigation services, contact our team at Absolute Radon Safety today.
