Record Display for the EPA National Library Catalog

RECORD NUMBER: 18 OF 23

Main Title Testing of Indoor Radon Reduction Techniques in 19 Maryland Houses.
Author Gilroy, D. G. ; Kaschak., W. M. ;
CORP Author CDM Federal Programs Corp., Fairfax, VA.;Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC. Air and Energy Engineering Research Lab.
Publisher Jun 90
Year Published 1990
Report Number EPA-68-02-4268; EPA/600/8-90/056;
Stock Number PB90-244393
Additional Subjects Air pollution abatement ; Radon ; Slabs ; Houses ; Maryland ; Revisions ; Performance evaluation ; Sealing ; Linings ; Basements ; Indoor air pollution ; Depressurization ; Soil-structure interactions ; Radiation monitoring ; Mitigation
Holdings
Library Call Number Additional Info Location Last
Modified
Checkout
Status
NTIS  PB90-244393 Some EPA libraries have a fiche copy filed under the call number shown. 07/26/2022
Collation 289p
Abstract
The report gives results of testing of indoor radon reduction techniques in 19 existing houses in Maryland. The focus was on passive measures: various passive soil depressurization methods, where natural wind and temperature effects are utilized to develop suction in the system; and sealing of radon entry routes into the house. Active (fan-assisted) soil depressurization techniques were also tested. Passive soil depressurization systems typically gave moderate radon reductions (30-70%), although the reductions ranged from zero to 90%. Only two houses were reduced <4 pCi/L with the passive systems. A passive system is most likely to be successful when sub-slab communication is very good, when the house has a basement with no adjoining slab-on-grade or crawl-space wings, and when the foundation walls are poured concrete instead of hollow block. Entry route sealing as a stand-alone radon mitigation measure gave zero-50% reduction in the only house where it was tested. Active soil depressurization, tested in 18 houses, reduced 16 of them <4 pCi/L, and 12 of them <2 pCi/L; reductions were often >90%. Poor sub-slab communication prevented this approach from being fully successful in the other two houses; later modifications to these two systems reduced these houses <4 pCi/L also.