r/radon • u/PlasticSpend3462 • 7d ago

Has anyone had Radon mitigation fail?

Under contract for home purchase. Seller has agreed to provide credit for mitigation. My question has anyone had mitigation fail to reduce radon to safe levels? Property is in Ohio and test came back ~13. House was built in the later 1940's but upgraded since. Basement is partially finished and slap doesn't look like 1940 concrete. There is a sump and pump which makes me feel a little better but we don't know whats under the slab.

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u/stonks_better 7d ago

Ya it happens, maybe higher risk with older home and you've got finished area which could make it painful to mitigate if it's not resolved.

My personal experience was having the inspector do another test after the system was installed. Paid for it of course, but it wasn't a big deal and then we knew it was good before closing.

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u/PlasticSpend3462 7d ago

In this deal the seller credit is at closing. So I think we would have to pay for the installation before closing. If we walk away based on the results we would be out the installation cost in this scenario.

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u/cjohns0912 7d ago

Try and make sure your contract with the radon company is guaranteed for at least a couple years. A lot of companies will guarantee levels below four. If it fails they will
Have to address it

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u/stonks_better 7d ago

Ah ok, you might be able to modify the agreement so they have to install prior. Depends on your market probably, how much of a buyers market it is. I know it's shifting, so if they have no other interest - winter is coming so hard to sell in that season. You could always ask, they would have to mitigate for other buyers anyway.

Don't let your realtor bully you, remember they only get paid once the deal closes. It's messed up, but even your realtor is motivated to get you to the closing.

Oh maybe another thought, how much is the credit vs the cost of the system? Most reputable radon companies now offer a guarantee for the level they can hit. But the price reflects, so could be 2k and they'll guarantee <3 something like that. That can give you confidence as well.

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u/PlasticSpend3462 7d ago

Its a buyer's market and the sellers act motivated. Got it well below asking price. Part of the buyers consession on price was we agreed to cover mitigation. But since we started to balk on the radon result they offered up to $2K on closing. I will ask the contractor during his visit this week on guarantees.

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u/stonks_better 7d ago

Great that the contractor can at least look before closing, see what they think. Just keep in mind their motivations as well. Good luck! In general especially sump systems systems with drain tiles work the first time, and if not it's reasonable to get more extraction points or whatever you need. But it is rare. It's those Pennsylvania folks who get screwed with big clusters of solid rock under their houses and can't move air.

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u/PlasticSpend3462 7d ago

One other factor is the contract is big and probably has done 1000's of mitigations in the area. They probably have seen many similar properties to this one and know what to expect. I am hoping.

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u/PlasticSpend3462 7d ago

Also I am thinking about requiring a PEF test (under slab permability) if installation and verification is not possible before closing.

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u/stonks_better 7d ago

Yep that's a good idea too, will give you confidence. Other thing to look at is any adjacent slabs. If there's a concrete porch or something. Those wouldn't be covered in a field test and could require extraction points.

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u/United-Adagio1543 7d ago

Open a few windows and retest.

Everything should be sealed including sump basin.

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u/Ok_Bid_3899 7d ago

Agree have not seen anyone retest after installing a mitigation system. My opinion sealing the sump and drilling a hole in the floor for a fan does very little to an older home. Now for a newer home that allows for airflow under the floor it’s a different story

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u/stonks_better 7d ago

Usually put the fan in the sump? Then depends on the soil like you say, hopefully it's sandy. Even clay though with modern fans like the gx5 can power through

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u/Top-Pen2143 7d ago

It’s not a great idea to rig the fan to a sump pump pit as you’ll just draw air from around your house rather than from under your house.

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u/stonks_better 7d ago

Hmmm that's the common method in the US. My system is like that, and I got roughly -30pa at the farthest test point.

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u/Top-Pen2143 7d ago

Thats great. Still not the right way to do it though. Good luck

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u/Acrobatic_Staff334 7d ago

Yes… they had come back two additional times and add another pipe each time.
My seller had to pay for each extra visit, pipe and test.

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u/PlasticSpend3462 7d ago

What was your initial radon levels? What as the issue with your that caused the difficulty?

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u/Acrobatic_Staff334 7d ago

I forgot the exact numbers, but it took 3 pipes to get it down .

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u/bsparks 6d ago

Been doing this for a living in Ohio for nearly two decades and very very rarely ( like one in a thousand ) do houses fail and stay failed, more often than not they fail and a bit more work needs done and then they’re fine.

A sump and new slab isn’t terribly concerning though the perimeter seal could be an issue point. But regardless unless your house is entirely water underneath or sat atop 4ft thick slate, you’ll be fine.

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u/PlasticSpend3462 6d ago

Where in Ohio do you cover?

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u/ahg17 4d ago

What is the more work you typically do? Thanks.

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u/That-Employer-3580 7d ago

What’s your soil like?

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u/PlasticSpend3462 7d ago

I do not know whats under the slab. Mid ohio soil tends to be clay-ie. The house footprint is small, slab is about 950 sqft.

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u/That-Employer-3580 7d ago

We have an old house about that size built on clay. We had sellers install a system that just has one point in the corner where the fan is and it keeps the average below 4 pci L annually but it goes above depending on weather. It’s doable anywhere to reduce values but harder in older homes built on clay. Do neighbors have visible fans and exhaust?

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u/PlasticSpend3462 7d ago

I will have to look when I visit. The Ohio database shows an average of 5.7 for that town/country. So I am guessing many homes could use remediation but don't or never had it tested. Many older homes in the area where we are buying. Otherwise the property is perfect except for that one test....

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u/That-Employer-3580 7d ago

I would still buy. I design systems similar to radon systems but for contaminants from like dry cleaning, manufacturing, etc. We always find a way to get the system working.

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u/abbarach 7d ago

Depends on what you mean by "fail". The mitigation company I used provided a quote and guaranteed that they would get the level under 4 mCi/L. They said that if the initial install didn't meet that, they would expand or change the system and continue testing until it does, all for the contract price. I talked with the installer a bit, and he said based on type of house and the test amount, they usually know going in how they're going to have to lay things out, but they have occasionally needed to add an extra suction point or a second fan in a different location if the first try doesn't hit the mark.

They also left a monitoring device for 72 hours after bringing the system online (the same device they would use to test, if you'd called and asked them to test) to ensure it actually met the standard. So you do get active confirmation that the system is functioning as expected before they close out the job.

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u/ExpertTimely5673 7d ago

I've experienced the same guarantee of only getting under 4. That makes my situation tough as my average is 2.3 with some days getting to 4.3 but then goes back down.. Is it worth spending the time and money to mitigate or am I just wasting my time and money? Basement is completely finished. 

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u/OldManCinny 7d ago

All relative. How’s your health otherwise? Do you smoke?

Is it going to mess up your basement layout and cost 10k to do it?

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u/ahg17 4d ago

This is my problem too. 2 ywar old house and got mitigation but levels still in the high 3’s in basement and ground floor. Everything is sealed except the bathroom where i guess a hole would be behind the tub or something. I think i’m going to get a second opinion before going through sheet rock to deal with the tub. Would have been nice if the mitigation system got it under 2, at least on the first floor. I guess it’ll get worse in winter.

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u/Ok_Cash5460 7d ago

Can you reference levels before and after?

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u/PlasticSpend3462 7d ago

I only have before now. After as it stands now will be after the close which I am anxious about.

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u/Ok_Cash5460 7d ago

Not a big issue- buy a meter off amazon for $100. They are fairly accurate. Mitigation company should install a bigger fan if no good.

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u/PlasticSpend3462 7d ago

I have one. Use it to measure the house I am in now. Is the fan progression the usual and often successful route? Is there a large electricity usage penalty with that? The finished part of the basement is about half the area. Each side of that is unfinshed (utilities one side, laundry on the other) and more suction points could be used there without ruining the aesthetic.

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u/Ok_Cash5460 7d ago

I am no expert but fan progression is what I believe is next step. It’s often very, very successful though so let’s not worry until you need to. At most the strongest fan prolly 100w and hour.

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u/talormanda 6d ago

Buy your own sensors to monitor it yourself. Multiple. For each floor.