How to Get Rid of Radon in Your Basement

The colorless, odorless gas radon can contribute to lung cancer, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Fortunately, you can do several things to reduce your levels in your basement and anywhere else in your home. The most effective methods require professional intervention.

Instructions

• 1

  Use polyurethane caulk to seal cracks in the basement floor. The EPA notes this alone will not sufficiently reduce levels, however.

• 2

  Keep the basement windows open from spring throughout late fall when possible.

• 3

  Pour water in the floor drains every 30 days to keep the traps from drying out.

• 4

  Work with a contractor certified in radon mitigation. He can evaluate your house and determine the best type of radon reduction system. He will choose on the following methods for a home with a basement.

  Subslab depressurization involves a contractor installing pipes under the basement floor that gather the radon from soil before it can enter the house. The radon will move up the pipes and through a ventilation system that leads outdoors. Passive subslab suction works in a similar manner but relies on natural air currents and differences in pressure rather than a formally constructed ventilation system using a fan and other components. Sump-hole suction involves inserting a pipe that joins with the pump that normally suctions water away from the foundation of the house---this prevents radon from entering as well. Lastly, block wall suction can move radon away from basements with hollow-block foundation walls.