Radon is a naturally-occurring, radioactive gas caused by decomposing uranium in soil, rock, and water. Radon gas becomes trapped inside after entering through cracks and other holes in the foundation. All homes, no matter how old or new, are at risk of having elevated radon levels due to the pervasive nature of radon in our soil. In Indiana, it is estimated that one in every three homes has radon levels greater than (4 pCi/L), at which point the EPA recommends mitigation. Over time, exposure to radon can cause lung cancer and is currently recognized as the second leading cause of lung cancer deaths in the United States. Radon is a colorless and odorless gas, so testing is the only way to know if your levels are elevated. VET conducts short-term, mid-term, and long-term radon tests, delivers radon reports in a direct and concise manner, and designs and installs high quality, custom radon mitigation systems that are built to last. These three aspects make working with VET to combat radon levels a very efficient and effective process.

(pCi/L) = picocuries per liter of air.

While any building is at risk of having elevated radon levels there are certain areas where high levels are more frequent. Radon can affect any type of building with any type of foundation, but it is most likely to have the greatest impact on you in your home, where you spend the most time (USEPA). Although you cannot see or smell radon it is not difficult, or time consuming, to determine if levels are high in your home. Our qualified radon technicians can provide testing to determine the level of radon present in your home. The best course of action is to get your house tested and mitigate if an elevated level of radon is detected. Click here for radon zoning information by state provided by the USEPA.

• Residential radon testing

• Commercial radon testing

• Residential radon mitigation

• Commercial radon mitigation

• Crawlspace encapsulation

• Multi-family radon testing

• Multi-family radon mitigation

• Radon remediation

• Residential radon resistant new construction

• Commercial radon resistant new construction

We offer high quality, reproducible radon tests to accurately determine the radon concentration in your home or business. Depending on the characteristics of your home, we will first set an initial short-term or mid-term radon test. Initial short-term tests last between two and seven days, while mid-term testing can last from seven days to six months. If these tests show elevated radon levels, we can provide a long-term test to determine a better average of what radon concentrations are present in a home throughout the year. Long-term tests can last from 90 days to over a year.

E-Perm®

• E-Perm® radon tests are the most common tests that VET deploys to determine the radon concentrations present in structures. They utilize an Electret Ion Chamber to measure alpha particles released from radon. A Teflon Electret located in the chamber is positively charged, and voltage drops as Alpha particles contact the electret. This difference is analyzed by our lab and, given the duration that the chamber was deployed, we can calculate the concentration of radon present in your home. This type of test can be deployed for either short term, mid-term, or long-term tests. We can analyze tests for real estate transactions, or we can set mid-term and long-term tests to get an average through many seasons. VET has the capability to set dozens of E-Perm® radon tests suitable for single-family housing, multi-family housing, schools, and commercial buildings.

Continuous Radon Monitor (CRM)

• Continuous Radon Monitors are small digital boxes placed on a tripod that measure radon continuously. The continuous measurement feature of these tests means we can report humidity, temperature, low levels, and spikes during the test. CRM’s are used for short term tests, and real estate transactions, and allow us to rule out any outliers that could skew data from a strictly average based test system. Click here to view information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Our radon mitigation systems are thoughtfully designed based on the unique characteristics of your home or building to be most effective while remaining cost-conscious. The mitigation system type will be dependent upon the building or home’s foundation type in addition to the owner’s preferences. After your phone consultation, you will be sent a detailed proposal outlining the scope of work to include one of the following system types:

• Basement Internal Mitigation System

• Basement External Mitigation System

• Crawlspace Mitigation System

• Crawlspace and Internal Basement System

• Crawlspace and External Basement System

• Total External Mitigation System

• Soil Porosity: Soil contains tiny air-filled spaces between the particles. These spaces, known as soil pores, provide pathways for the movement of gases like radon. Radon gas generated from the decay of uranium in the soil can easily migrate through these pores.

• Pressure Differences: The movement of radon gas into a home is influenced by pressure differentials between the soil and the indoor environment. Typically, the pressure inside a building is lower than the pressure in the soil surrounding it. This pressure difference acts as a driving force, allowing radon to flow from the soil into the home through openings or cracks in the foundation.

• Foundation Openings: Radon can enter a home through openings in the foundation, including cracks in floors and walls, gaps around utility pipes or cables, sump pump pits, and floor drains. Even minor cracks or gaps can provide sufficient entry points for radon gas.

• Construction Joints: Radon can also infiltrate through construction joints, such as the points where different building materials meet, such as where the foundation walls meet the floors or where walls intersect. These joints often have small gaps or spaces that can allow the entry of radon.

• Crawl Spaces: If a home has a crawl space beneath it, radon can easily migrate from the soil into the crawl space and then into the living areas above. Radon levels in crawl spaces can be particularly elevated because they are closer to the ground and have a higher likelihood of having cracks or openings.

To get accurate readings of radon in a structure Closed Building Conditions (CBC) should be established for 12 hours before the test, and for the duration of the test. CBCs require you to:

• Keep windows closed

• Keep exterior doors closed; except for normal entrance and exit

• Close all fireplace dampers

• Do not operate any system that vents indoor air, or brings in outdoor air (kitchen and bathroom vent fans)

• Keep indoor temperatures between 60° - 80° Fahrenheit

• Continue operating radon mitigation systems, permanent HVAC systems, and humidifiers/dehumidifiers

Only when these conditions are met 12 hours prior to and throughout thehere duration of a radon test can an accurate radon concentration be determined.

There are two main forms of mitigation systems. Regardless of what system is installed on a home, any cracks in the foundation must be sealed to provide an airtight barrier for the system to effectively extract the radon laden gas from the soil.

Passive systems are systems that are not equipped with a fan, they utilize pressure differentials to give radon gas a pathway to exit the home. Passive systems are typically utilized in newly constructed homes or in homes where radon levels are relatively low.

Active mitigation systems use a fan to create suction below the foundation to pull radon gas from the soil surrounding the structure. An active mitigation system not only reduces the amount of radon entering a home but can also reduce mold in homes by drawing moisture from the soil and air of the building.

Click here for further information on more differences between passive and active radon mitigation systems by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.