Radon Protection for Homes

Builder’s Technical Session
RADON PROTECTON FOR
HOMES
Presented by:
LEONARD GIECK
LORECK HOMES
RADONCONTROLS INC.
Presented in Partnership with:
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RADON EDUCATION
•Radon Measurement Proficiency
Course
•Radon Mitigation Proficiency
Course
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RADON INSTRUCTORS
• William J. Angell
• P.J. (Pat) Wall
• Jack
Bartholomew Jr.
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LHC EXPERIMENTS
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NRPP CERTIFICATION
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ALPHA-TRACK DETECTOR
Test for 3 to 12
months
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CREATION OF RADON GAS
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Image courtesy of the Pennsylvania Department of
Environmental Protection
ALPHA-TRACK DETECTOR
1 in 15 homes require Radon
mitigation
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RADON MEASUREMENTS AND
LIMITS
Detectors measure:
Radioactive disintegration per second
Unit of measure:
Becquerel (Bq)= 1 radioactive disintegration per
second
Health Canada Guideline:
200 Bq/m3 (formerly 800 Bq/m3)
Another unit of measure:
picoCuries per Litre (pCi/L) where 1 pCi/L = 37
Bq/m3
RADON DOSE STATISTICS
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Image courtesy of the Pennsylvania Department of
Environmental Protection
RADON STATISTICS
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Estimates in the U.S. from the Environmental Protection
Agency
HOW RADON ENTERS A
HOUSE
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Image courtesy of Health
Canada
SUBSLAB SUCTION
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Image courtesy of the Unites States Environmental Protection
Agency
RADON MYTHS AND FACTS
MYTH:
Radon affects only certain kinds of homes.
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FACT:
House construction can affect radon levels.
However, radon can be a problem in homes of all
types: old homes, new homes, drafty homes,
insulated homes, homes with basements, and
homes without basements. Local geology,
construction materials, and how the home was
built are among the factors that can affect radon
levels in homes.
RADON MYTHS AND FACTS
MYTH:
Radon is only a problem in certain parts of the
country.
FACT:
High radon levels have been found in every state.
Radon problems do vary from area to area, but
the only way to know your radon level is to test
for it.
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RADON MYTHS AND FACTS
MYTH:
A neighbor's test result is a good indication of whether
your home has a problem.
FACT:
It's not. Radon levels can vary greatly from home to
home. The only way to know if your home has a
radon problem is to test it.
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RADON MYTHS AND FACTS
MYTH:
It's difficult to sell homes where radon problems
have been discovered.
FACT:
Where radon problems have been fixed, home
sales have not been blocked or frustrated. The
added protection is some times a good selling
point.
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BUILDING SUCTION
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Buildings can create vacuums, which
creates
SOIL CAPS
Frost
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SOIL CAPS
Concrete or asphalt pavement
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SOIL CAPS
Water saturated soil
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RAIN
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Rain can displace and force soil gas into
a building
RAIN
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Rain is often accompanied
with barometric pressure
WIND
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Wind creates air pressure
differentials in a house that
RADON REDUCTION
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Image courtesy of the Pennsylvania Department of
Environmental Protection
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RADON REDUCTION
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Image courtesy of the Pennsylvania Department of
Environmental Protection
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RESULTS
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RESULTS
247 Bq/m3
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RESULTS
247 Bq/m3
33 Bq/m3
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NATIONAL BUILDING
CODE ADDITIONS
NBC 9.13.4.63. Providing for Subfloor Depressurization
(See Appendix A and A-9.13.4.3.(1) to (3) in Appendix A.)
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1) A gas-permeable layer shall be installed in the space
between the air barrier and the ground to allow the
depressurization of that space.
2) An inlet that allows for the effective depressurization of the
gas-permeable layer shall be provided. (See A9.13.4.3.(2) and (6)(a) in Appendix A.)
3) An outlet in the conditioned space shall
a) permit connection to depressurization equipment,
b) be sealed to maintain the integrity of the air barrier
system, and
c) be clearly labeled to indicate that it is intended only for
the removal of radon from below the floor on-ground.
4) Where installations are constructed according to
Sentences (5) to (8), they shall be deemed to comply with
Sentences (1) to (3).
NATIONAL BUILDING
CODE CHANGES
NBC 9.13.4.63. Providing for Subfloor
Depressurization
1)5) Except as required in Sentence (3), Clean granular material shall
be installed below the floor-on ground in accordance with Sentence
9.16.2.1.(1).
2)6) A pipe not less than 100 mm in diameter shall be installed
vertically through the floor, at or near its centre, such that
a) its bottom end opens into the granular layer required fill
described in Sentence (51) at or near the centre of the floor and
no less than 100 mm of granular material projects beyond the
terminus of the pipe measured along its axis (see A-9.13.4.3.(2)
and (6)(a) in Appendix A), and
b) its top end permits connection to depressurization equipment.
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3) The granular material described in Sentence (1), near the centre of
the floor, shall be not less than 150 mm deep for a radius of not less
than 300 mm centered on the pipe described in Sentence (2).
NATIONAL BUILDING
CODE CHANGES
NBC 9.14.5.2. Sump Pits
2) Covers for sump pits shall be designed
a) to resist removal by children, and
b) to be airtight in accordance with Sentence
9.25.3.3.(7).
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USEFUL LINKS
• Radon Controls Inc.
• http://www.radoncontrols.com
• National Building Code changes regarding Radon
• www.nationalcodes.ca/eng/public_review/2009_2/subject_nbc05_rad
on.shtml
• CMHC publications on Radon
• www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca
• The Lung Association – Alberta and NWT
• www.ab.lung.ca
• Health Canada
• www.hc-sc.gc.ca
• National Environmental Health Association
• www.radongas.org
• World Health Organization Handbook on Indoor Radon
• www.who.int/rpc/guidelines/9789241547673/en/
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• Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
• www.dep.state.pa.us
Questions?
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