United States

Environmental Protection
Agency

&EPA

Office of Research and

Development
Washington DC 20460

EPAl625/R-921016
June 1994

Radon Prevention in the

Design and Construction of
Schools and Other Large
Buildings
Third Printing with
Addendum, June 1994

ACTIVE
OUTDOOR

POSITIVE

PRESSURE

AIR

SOIL DEPRESSURIZATION
5Y STEM

POSITIVE

PRESSURE

POLYURETI-IANE SEALAN

GATIVE

PRE 55URE

NEGATIVE

PRESSU

EPA/625/R-92/016
June 1994

Radon Prevention in the Design and Construction of

Schools and Other Large Buildings
Third Printing with Addendum, June 1994

Prepared by
Kelly W. Leovic and A. 6. Craig

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Air and Energy Engineering Research Laboratory
Radon Mitigation Branch (MD-54)
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
@

Printed on RecycledPaper

Notice
The U.S. EnvironmentalProtectionAgency (EPA) strivesto provide accurate,complete, and useful information.However, neitherEPA nor any personcontributing to the
preparationof this documentmakesany warranty,expressedor implied,with respectto the
usefulnessor effectivenessof any information, method, or processdisclosed in this
material.Nor doesEPA assumeany liability for, or for damagesarisingfrom, the useof
any information,method,or processin this document.Mention of firms, tradenames,or
commercialproductsin this documentdoesnot constituteendorsementor recommendation
for use.

ii

Contents
ii
Notice...............................................................................................................................................................
V
Figures..............................................................................................................................................................
V
Tables...............................................................................................................................................................
vi
Abstract...........................................................................................................................................................
Vii
Metric ConversionFactors............................................................................................................................
...
Vlll
Acknowledgments........................................................................................................................................
1
1. Introductionand Overview.......................................................................................................................
1
1.1 Purpose..............................................................................................................................................
1.2 Scope and Content ............................................................................................................................. 1
2
1.3 Radonand its Sources.......................................................................................................................
.2
1.3.1 Why is Radona Problem?.................................................................................................
3
1.3.2 How RadonEntersa Building ............................................................................................
5
1.3.3 How to Determineif RadonPreventionis Needed............................................................
6
1.4 RadonPreventionTechniques...........................................................................................................
6
1.4.1 Soil Depressurization..........................................................................................................
7
1.4.2 Building Pressurization.......................................................................................................
8
1.4.3 SealingRadonEntry Routes...............................................................................................
9
.................................................
1.5 Why RadonPreventionShouldbe Consideredin Building Design
11
2. TechnicalConstructionInformation.......................................................................................................
11
...............................................................................................
2.1 Active Soil Depressurization (ASD)
12
2.1.1 ASD Designand Installation............................................................................................
12
2.1.1.1 Aggregate............................................................................................................
13
................................................
.....................................................
2.1.1.2 SubslabWalls
13
2.1.1.3 RadonSuctionPits .............................................................................................
16
2.1.1.4 RadonVent Pipe.................................................................................................
19
.........................................................................................................
2.1.1.5 SuctionFan
20
2.1.1.6 SealingMajor RadonEntry Routes....................................................................
20
2.1.2 Operationand Maintenance..............................................................................................
22
2.1.2.1 BeforeOccupancy..............................................................................................
22
2.1.2.2 Weekly................................................................................................................
22
2.1.2.3 Annually .............................................................................................................
22
.............................................................................
2.1.3 Additional Instructionsfor Basements
22
2.1.4 Additional Instructionsfor Crawl Spaces.........................................................................
.24
2.1.5 ASD Cost Estimates.........................................................................................................
24
.......................................................................
2.1.6 Summaryof Guidelinesfor ASD Systems

.. .
III

Contents (continued)
24
2.2 Building Pressurizationand Dilution .............................................................................................
24
2.2.1 DesignRecommendations
for HVAC Systems...............................................................
26
2.2.2 Standardsfor Ventilation .................................................................................................
26
2.2.3 Guidelinesfor Installationand Operation........................................................................
26
2.2.4 Maintenance.....................................................................................................................
27
2.2.5 Summaryof Building PressurizationGuidelines.............................................................
27
2.3 SealingRadonEntry Routes...........................................................................................................
28
2.3.1 RecommendedSealants...................................................................................................
28
2.3.2 SealingConcreteSlabs.....................................................................................................
28
2.3.2.1 SlabJoints..........................................................................................................
28
2.3.2.2 SlabPenetrationsand Openings........................................................................
29
2.3.2.3 CrackPrevention................................................................................................
29
2.3.2.4 SubslabMembranes...........................................................................................
29
2.3.3 SealingBelow-GradeWalls.............................................................................................
29
2.3.3.1 Wall Types.........................................................................................................
30
2.3.3.2 Coatingsfor Below-GradeWalls ......................................................................
31
2.3.4 SealingCrawl Spaces.......................................................................................................
31
..........................................................................
2.3.5 Summaryof SealingRecommendations
31
2.4 Guidelinesfor MeasuringRadonLevels........................................................................................
33
CaseStudy........................................................................................................................
AppendixA:
35
AppendixB:
References........................................................................................................................
37
................................................................................
and
Contacts
Regional
Offices
AppendixC:
EPA
38
Addendum.....................................................................................................................................................
38
IncreasingPressureField Extensionby Modifying SubslabWalls ...............................................
38
ImprovedSuctionPits ....................................................................................................................

iv

Figures
l-l
l-2
l-3
1-4a
I-4b
l-5
l-6

2
Radondecaychart. ...........................................................................................................................
3
Examplesof negativepressuresourcesin a typical building. .........................................................
4
Typical radonentry routesin slab-on-gradeconstruction................................................................
Typical radonentry routesin concreteblock basementwalls. ........................................................ 4
5
Typical radonentry routesin pouredconcretebasementwalls. ......................................................
5
Typical crawl spacefoundationentry routes....................................................................................
7
Subslabdepressurizationtheory.......................................................................................................

2-l
2-2a
2-2b
2-3a
2-3b
2-3~
2-3d
2-4a
2-4b
2-5
2-6
2-7
.2-8
2-9
2-10
2-11
2-12
2-13

12
Typical subslabdepressurizationsystem.......................................................................................
14
....................................................................................................
Interior footing/foundationwall.
14
Thickenedslabfooting. ..................................................................................................................
15
Outsidewalls and postload bearing...............................................................................................
16
Interior walls betweenroomsand outsidewalls load bearing.......................................................
17
Hall and outsidewalls load bearing...............................................................................................
18
All interior walls load bearing........................................................................................................
18
Section1 (correspondsto Figures2-3aand b). ..............................................................................
19
Section1 (correspondsto Figure 2-3~andd). ...............................................................................
20
Radonsuctionpit. ...........................................................................................................................
21
Sealingpipe penetrationsthroughroof. .........................................................................................
23
Submembrane
depressurizationin crawl space..............................................................................
25
Building positivepressurizationwith HVAC system....................................................................
26
Exampleof building depressurizationwith HVAC system..........................................................
Everyother interior wall block is turnedon its sideto allow soil gasto passthrough.................39
39
Interior CMU wall..........................................................................................................................
40
...........................................................................................................
Revisedsubslabsuctionpit.
40
Smallersubslabsuctionpit.............................................................................................................

Tables
2-l
2-2

24
EstimatedCostsfor PrimaryASD Components............................................................................
27
......................
Examplesof OutdoorAir Requirementsfor Ventilation in CommercialFacilities

A-l

Costof Mitigation Systemin JohnsonCity Hospital..................................................................... 34

Abstract
It is typically easierand much lessexpensiveto designand constructa new building
with radon-resistantand/or easy-to-mitigatefeatures,than to add thesefeaturesafter the
building is completedandoccupied.Therefore,whenbuilding in an areawith thepotential
for elevatedradon levels, architectsand engineersshould use a combinationof radon
preventionconstructiontechniques.To determineif your building site is located in a
radon-pronearea,consultyour EPA RegionalOffice or stateor local radiationoffice.
We recommendthe following threeradonpreventiontechniquesfor constructionof
schoolsand other large buildingsin radon-proneareas:(1) install an activesoil depressurization (ASD) system,(2) pressurizethe building using the heating,ventilating,and airconditioning(HVAC) system, and (3) sealmajor radon entry routes.Specificguidelines
on how to incorporatetheseradon preventionfeaturesin the designand constructionof
schoolsand other largebuildings are detailedin this manual.
Chapter 1 of this manual is a generalintroduction for those who needbackground
informationon the indoor radon problemand the techniquescurrently being studiedand
applied for radon prevention.The level of detail is aimed at developingthe readers
understandingof underlyingprinciplesand might best be usedby school officials or by
architectsand engineerswho needa basicintroduction.
Chapter 2 of this manual provides comprehensiveinformation, instructions,and
guidelines about the topics and constructiontechniquesdiscussedin Chapter 1. The
sectionsin Chapter2 contain much more technicaldetail and may be best usedby the
architects,engineers,and buildersresponsiblefor the specificconstruction details.

vi

Metric Conversion Factors

Although it is EPA policy to usemetricunitsin its documents,non-metricunitshave
been usedin this report to be consistentwith commonpracticein the radon mitigation
field Readersmay refer to the following conversionfactorsas needed.
Non-Metric
cubic foot (ft)
cubic foot per minute(fP/m)
foot (ft)
gallon (gal.)
horsepower(hp)
inch (in.)
inch of water column (in. WC)
mil (0.001 in.)
picocurieper liter (pCi/L)
pound per squareinch (psi)
squarefoot (ft)

YieldsMetric

Times

liters (L)
liter per second(L/s)
meter(m)
liters (L)
watts (WI
centimeters(cm)
pas&s (Pa)
micrometers(pm)
becquerelsper cubic meter(Bq/m)
pa=aB (Pa)
squaremeter(m*)

28.3
0.47
0.305
3.79
746
2.54
248.9
25.4
37
6894.8
0.093

vii

Acknowledgments
The information containedin this technicaldocumentis basedlargely on research
conductedby the Air and Energy EngineeringResearchLaboratory (AEERL) of the
EnvironmentalProtectionAgencys (EPAs) Office of Researchand Development.
W.A. Turner of the H.L. Turner Group and T. Brennan of CamrodenAssociates
preparedthe initial draft of the documentin 1991undercontractnumberOD2009NCSA.
ScottR. Spiezleof SpiezleArchitecturalGrouppreparedthefiguresundercontractnumber
68-DO-0097. Technical writing serviceswere provided by the Kelton Group under
contractnumber2D0682NASA.
Drafts of this documenthavebeenreviewedby a large numberof individualsin the
governmentand in the privateand academicsectors.Commentsfrom thesereviewersin
additionto thosefrom the individualslistedabovehavehelpedsignificantlyto improvethe
completeness,accuracy,and clarity of the document.The following reviewersoffered
input: William Angel1of MidwestUniversitiesRadonConsortium; Timothy M. Dyessand
D. Bruce Henschelof EPAs AEERL; DeaneE. Evansof AJA/ACSA Joint Council on
ArchitecturalResearch;KennethGadsbyof PrincetonUniversity; Patrick Holmesof the
Kentucky Division of CommunitySafety:NormanGrant of Quoin Architectsand Engineers:GeneFisher,JedHarrison,DaveMurane,DavePrice, and Brian Ligman of EPAs
Office of RadiationPrograms;Clifford Phillips of Fairfax County Pubic Schools;Steve
Sandersof Auburn University;DaveSaumof INFILTEC; Arthur E. Wheelerof Wheeler
EngineeringCo.; LarraineKohler of EPA Region2; Bill Bellangerof EPA Region3; Steve
Chambersof EPA Region7; Phil Nyberg of EPA Region8; Michael Bandrowskiof EPA
Region 9; Kevin Teichmanof EPAs Office of Technology Transfer and Regulatory
Support; Ruth Robenolt of EPAs Office of Communications;Jerry L. Clement of
EducationalFacilities in Houston,TX; and ThomasE. Toricelli of T.E. Toricelli AIA
Architects.

..
VIII

Chapter 1
Introduction and Overview
1.1

who needa basic introduction to radon and radon reduction

techniques.Thosewho arealreadyfamiliar with theproblems
Radonis a naturallyoccurringradioactivegasin ambient of
constructingradon-resistantbuildings should go on to
air. It can also accumulatein varying amountsin encIosed
Chapter
2. Chapter1 containsthe following sections:
buildings. Radon is estimatedto causemany thousandsof
lung c<ancer
deathseachyear.In fact,the SurgeonGeneralhas
1.3 Radonand Its Sources-an introduction to the probwarnedthat radon is the secondleadingcauseof lung cancer
lem of indoor radon.
in the U.S. today. Only smoking causesmore lung cancer
1.4 Radon PreventionTechniques-an overview of curdeaths(1).
rent constructionmethodsfor radon prevention.
Our increasedunderstandingof therisks posedby indoor
radon has underscoredthe needfor constructiontechniques 1.5 Why RadonPreventionShouldBe Consideredin Building Design.
thatpreventexposureto radonin residentialand non-residential buildings. The Indoor Radon AbatementAct of 1988
Chapter 2-Technical
Construction Information:
states,The nationallong-termgoal of the United Stateswith Chapter2 of this manualprovidescomprehensiveinformarespectto radon levels in buildings is that the air within tion, instructions,and guidelinesabout the topics and conbuildingsshouldbe asfree of radonas theambientair outside structiontechniquesdiscussedin Chapter 1. The sectionsin
the building. This manualis intendedto addressthis goal in Chapter2 containmuchmoretechnicaldetail thanChapter1,
the new constructionof schoolsand other large buildings.
andmaybebestusedby the architects,engineers,andbuilders
The U.S. EnvironmentalProtectionAgency (EPA) has responsiblefor the specific constructiondetails. From the
developedconstruction techniquesthat are being used to informationpresentedin this manual,readersshouldbe able
reduceradon levels in new buildings.This manualprovides to selectradon preventiontechniquesthat <areappropriateto
architects,engineers,designers,builders,and schoolofficials their particularsituation.
with an understandingof operatingprinciplesand installation
Chapter2 also briefly coverssourcesof informationon
instructionsfor theseradon preventiontechniques.Research measuringradonin schoolsand otherlargebuildings.Appenindicatesthatmanyradonpreventionfeaturescan be installed dix A containsa casestudy of a step-by-stepinstallationof
relativelyeasily and inexpensivelyduring building construc- radon preventiontechniquesin a recently constructedlarge
tion. Installing thesefeaturesduring constructionincreases building. Radon levels and associatedcosts of the radon
their effectivenessand involves less labor, disruption, and preventionfeaturesareincluded.Referencesare in Appendix
cost than when these same featuresam installed after the B, and AppendixC lists the EPA RegionalOffices.
building is completedand occupied.Thus, the primary purposeof this manualis to provide informationand guidelines
The recommendationsin this manualare basedon the
aboutradon preventiontechniquesso that they can be cost- best availableinformationgatheredfrom numerousresearch
effectivelyincorporatedinto a building during the designand projectsin existingand new construction,and in currentfield
constructionstages.
practice.Most new schoolsandotherlargebuildingsuseslabon-gradeconstruction;therefore,this manualfocuseson ra1.2
Scope and Content
don preventiontechniquesthat can be applied to slab-ongrade buildings. But becauseradon can enter a building
This manual is divided into two parts:
regardlessof its foundationtype, it also presentstechniques
Chapter l-Introduction
and Overview: Chapter1 of applicableto buildingswith basementand crawl spacefounthis manual is a general introduction for those who need dations.
backgroundinformationon the indoorradonproblemand the
As researchcontinuesand experiencein the application
techniquescurrently being studied and applied for radon
prevention.The level of detail is aimed at developingthe of radon-resistantconstructiontechniquesgrows, a varietyof
readers understandingof underlying principles and might techniquesmight alsoprove effectivein reachingradon rebestbe usedby schoolofficials or by architectsand engineers duction goals.Thesegoals are to keep radon levels in new

Purpose

construction well below the currently recommendedEPA

action level of 4 pCi/L and as closeto the long-termnational
goal of ambientradonlevels(0.4 pCi/L) aspossible.Many of
theseradon preventiontechniqueswill eventuallyproveto be
transferableto the architects and engineerscommonpractices and, it is hoped, will be adopted in national building
codes by the model building code organizations.EPA is
currently working with the American Societyof Testingand
Materials(ASTM) to developa standardfor radonprevention
in the constructionof largebuildings.

1.3

Radon and its Sources

releasedin the form of radiation.This radiationconstitutesthe

healthhazardto humans.
Whenradon and radon decayproductsare presentin the
air, somewill be inhaled.Becausethe decayproductsarenot
gases,theywill stick to lung tissueor largerairborneparticles
that later lodge in the lungs. The radiation releasedby the
decay of these isotopes can damagelung tissue and can
increaseones risk of developinglung cancer.The healthrisk
dependson how long andat what levelsa personis exposedto
radondecayproducts.Radonand radondecayproductscause
thousandsof deathsper year in the United States(1).

The following subsectionsanswerthree basic questions

Like otherenvironmentalpollutants,thereis someuncerthat manypeoplehaveaboutradon:
tainty aboutthemagnitudeof radonhealthrisks.However,we
know more aboutradon risks than the risks from most other
1) Why is radona problem?
cancer-causingsubstances.This is becauseestimatesof radon
risks are basedon the studiesof cancer in humans(under2) How doesradon entera building?
ground miners).Additional studiesof more typical popula3) How shouldone evaluatea constructionsite?
tions are underway. Smoking combined with exposureto
elevated
levelsof radon is an especiallyserioushealthrisk.
1.3.1

Why is Radon a Problem?

Children have been reported to have greaterrisk than

adultsof certaintypesof cancerfrom radiation,but thereare
currentlyno conclusivedataon whetherchildrenareat greater
risk thanadultsfrom radon.

Radon is a colorless,odorless,radioactivegasproduced
by the radioactivedecayof radium-226,an elementfound in
varying concentrationsin manysoils andbedrock.Figure 1-l
showsthe seriesof elementsthatbegin with uranium-238and
eventuallydecayto lead-210.Of all theelementsandisotopes
in the decaychain,radon is the only gas.Becauseradon is a
gas,it caneasilymovethroughsmallspacesbetweenparticles
of soil and thusentera building. Radoncanentera building as
a component of the soil gas and reach levels many times
higher thanoutdoor levels.

Radonlevelsare usually measuredin picocuriesper liter

of air @G/L). Currently, it is recommendedthat indoor
radon levelsbe reducedto less than 4 pCi/L. But the lower
the radon level, the lower the health risk: therefore,radon
levels should be reduced to as close to ambient levels as
feasible (0.4 pCi/L). For additional information on the estiWhile many of the isotopesin the uranium-238decay matedhealthrisks from exposureto variouslevelsof radon,
seriesexistfor a long timebeforetheydecay,radonhasa half- refer to EPAs A CitizensGuideIORadon,SecondEdition(1).
life of only 3.8 days.Radondecayproductshaveevenshorter
Architectsand engineersshouldconsiderthe healthrisks
half-lives than radon and decaywithin an hour to relatively of radon prior to constructing new buildings or renovating
stablelead-210.At eachlevel of this decayprocess,energyis existingbuildings in radon-proneareas.Including radonpre-

Lead
19.4

Figure l-l.

Radon decay chart. Time shown in half-life.

2

l-7

vention techniquesduring building design and construction entry. Sourcesof negativepressurein a typical building are
will reduce the chance that a building will have a radon shownin Figure 1-2.
problemand also reducethe cost of reducingradon levels,if
Other Ways Radon Enters a Building
needed.
Radonalso can enter buildings when there are no pres1.32
How Radon Enters a Building
sure differences.This type of radon movement is called
The most commonway for radon to enter a building is diffusion-driventransport.Diffusion is the samemechanism
from the soil gas through pressure-driventransport.Radon that causesa drop of food coloring placedin a glassof water
can also enter a building through diffusion, well water, and to spreadthrough the entire glass.Diffusion-driventransport
constructionmaterials.Thesemodesof radonentry arebriefly is rarely the causeof elevatedradon levels in existingbuildexplainedbelow.
ings. It is also highly unlikely that diffusion contributessignificantly to elevatedradon levels in schoolsand other large
Pressure-Driven Transport
buildings.
Radoncanentera building throughpressure-driventransAnother way radon can enter a building is through well
port only if all of the following four conditionsexist:
water. In certain areas of the country, well water that is
supplied directly to a building and that is in contact with
1) a sourceof radium to produceradon
radium-bearingformations can be a source of radon in a
2) a pathway from the sourceto the building
building. At this writing, the only known healthrisk associatedwith exposureto radonin water is the airborneradonthat
3) an openingin the building to permit radonto enterthe is releasedfrom the water when it is used.A generalrule for
building
housesis that 10,000 pCi/L of radon in water contributes
4) a driving force to moveradon from the sourceinto the approximately1 pCi/L to airborneradon levels.It is unlikely
that municipalwater suppliedfrom a surfacereservoirwould
building throughthe opening
containelevatedlevelsof radonand,thus,buildingsusingthis
Pressure-driventransportis the mostcommonway radon sourceof water should not needto conduct radon testingof
enters a building. Pressure-driventransport occurs when a the water.
lower indoor air pressuredraws air from the soil or bedrock
Radon can also emanatefrom building materials.Howinto thebuilding. This transporthappensin many schoolsand
other large buildingsbecausethesebuildings usuallyoperate ever, this has rarely been found to be the causeof elevated
at an inside air pressurelower than that of the surrounding levelsin existingschoolsandotherlargebuildings.The extent
soil. Negative pressure inside buildings is due in part to of the use of radium-contaminatedbuilding materialsis unbuilding shell effects.For example,indoor/outdoortempem- known but is generallybelievedto be very small.
turedifferences,wind, and air leaksin the shellof thebuilding
Becausepressure-driventransport is by far the most
can contribute to negative pressuresin the building. The commonway radon entersa building. this manualdots not
designand operationof mechanicalventilation systemsthat addressthe other ways that radoncan enter a building.
depressurizethe building can also greatly influence radon
Roof Exhaust Fan

Positive Pressure
@=
Figure 1-2.

Negative Pressure

Examples of negative pressure sources In a typical buildlng.

3

Kitchen Range Exhaust Fan

-

strutted today are slab-on-gradesubstructures,Section2.1 of

this manualemphasizesradon preventionfor slab-on-grade
Elevatedlevelsof radoncanoccur in any building regard- buildings.However,manyof the radonpreventiontechniques
less of foundation type. Figures 1-3, l-4, and l-5 show used for slab-on-gradesubstructuresare also applicable to
commonradonentry routesfor buildings constructedon slab- basementsand crawl spaces.
on-grade, basement,and crawl space foundations,respectively. Becausea large majority of the new buildings con-

Radon Entry and Substructure Type

Wall Cracks and Form Ties

Plumbing Pipe
\

Floor Joist

Floor Joints/Cracks
Concrete Floor Slab

Poured Concrete Wall

Q=
c3
Figure 1-3.

11 Perimeter

Poured
Positive Pressure
= Negative Pressure

Typical radon entry routes in slab-on-grade constructlon.

Soil Gas/Radon Movement

through Hollow Core Block

Plumbing Pipe
\lT

CL-.,.. L-.ic.*

Wall Joints/Cracks
Floor Joints/Cracks
Concrete Floor Slab

Concrete Block Wall

Concrete Block Wall

0+

= Positive Pressure

@ = Negative Pressure

Flgure l-4a.

Typical radon entry routes in concrete block basement walls.

4

Wall Cracks and Form Ties

Plumbing Pipe
Floor Joist

Joints/Cracks

Poured Concrete Wall

Figure Mb.

Concrete Floor Slab

11 Perimeter

Poured Concrete Wall

I Positive Pressure

= Negative Pressure

_ ,.

Typical radon entry routes in poumd concrete basement wsiis.

Wall Penetration
Floor Penetration

Plumbing Penetration

4,

I.

Earth Floor

z Positive Pressure
0
Figure i-5.

Typical crawl space foundation entry routes.

The specific additional requirementsfor basementsubstructures(suchassealingof basementwalls) arediscussedin

Section2.1.3. The additionalrecommendedrequirementsfor
crawl spacesare discussedin Section 2.1.4 (submembrane
depressurization).

1.3.3

= Negative Pressure

How to Determine if Radon

Prevention is Needed

soils at a building site with subsequentindoor radon levels

containedin a building built on that site. Bedrock and soils
interactin complexwayswith dynamicbuilding behaviorand
environmentalfactors.There are too many combinationsof
factors that causeelevatedindoor radon concentrationsfor
simplecorrelationsto exist.

In the absenceof a simple test to determinewhen radon

preventiontechniquesare needed,the discussionbelow covAn often-askedquestionis Can one determineifradon- ers various sourcesof information to assist architectsand
resistantconstruction techniquesare necessaryfor a given engineerswith site assessment.
site? A simple and inexpensivestandardizedtest that could
conclusivelyidentify problemsiteswould be very helpful. At EPA National Radon Potential Map
presentthere are no reliable, easily applied,and inexpensive
Onesourceof guidanceis the growing body of radondata
methodsfor correlatingthe resultsof radonevaluationtestsof
availableat local, state,and regional levels.With thesedata,
5

EPA is compiling a National RadonPotentialMap. The map

integratesfive factorsto produceestimatesof radonpotential.
Thesefactorsareindoor radonscreeningmeasurements,
geology, soil permeability, aerial radioactivity, and substructure
type. All relevantdatawere collectedand carefully evaluated
so that the five factorscould be quantitativelyrankedfor their
respectivecontribution to the radon potential of a given
area.The mapassignseverycounty of the U.S. to oneof three
radon zones. Zone 1 areas have the highest potential for
elevatedlevels,Zone 2 areasalso havepotential for eievated
indoor radon levels but the occurrenceis more variable,and
Zone 3 areashavethe leastpotential for elevatedlevels.

building budgetwill probably be muchlessthan $1.OOper ft2

of earthcontactfloor areain mostpartsof the country.In most
cases (buildings that are already designed to have subslab
aggregateand plastic vapor retarder), sealing major radon
entry routesand installing an ASD systemwill add lessthan
$0.10 - $0.20 per ft2of earthcontactfloor areato total costs.
Therefore,it is often more cost-effectiveto build using radon
preventiontechniques,ratherthanwaiting until thebuilding is
completedand then having to add a radon mitigation system.

1.4

Radon Prevention Techniques

Like mostother indoor air contaminants,radon can best

be
controlled
by keeping it out of the building in the first
The radon potential estimatesassignedon the map are place,ratherthan
removingit onceit hasentered.The followstatedin termsof predictedaveragescreeninglevels.They are
ing
subsections
briefly
describethe recommendedradonprenot intended to predict annual averagemeasurements,but vention techniquesdiscussed
in Chapter2 of this manual:
rather to assessthe relative severity of the potential for
elevatedindoor radon levels. We recommendyou use this
1.4.1
Soil Depressurization. A suction fan is usedto
mapwhen it becomesavailableto help determinewhenradon
producea low-pressurefield undertheslab.T%is
preventionconstructiontechniquesmight be needed.
low-pressurefield preventsradonentry by causing air to flow from the building into the soil.
Radon Levels in Nearby Buildings
1.4.2
Building Pressurization. Indoor/subslabpresRadon levels in a sampleof existing U.S. schoolbuildsure relationshipsare controlled to preventraings were recently surveyedby EPA. Measurementsto date
don entry. More outdoor air is supplied than
indicatethat many schoolsand other largebuildings throughexhausted so that the building is slightly presout the country haverooms or classroomswith radon levels
surized comparedto bolh Ihe exterior of the
above4 pCi/L. Many havebeenmeasuredat levelsin excess
building and the subslabarea.
of 20 pCi/L. It is expectedthat the geographicdis!ributionof
the radonproblemin schoolsand other largebuildingswill be
1.4.3
SealingRadon Entry Routes.Sealmajorradon
similar to that for homes.You can contactregional,state,or
entry routesto block or minimize radonentry.
local officials for information about radon levels in nearby
These radon prevention techniquesare relatively inexbuildingsand usethis information,togetherwith theNational
pensive
and easy to install. WC recommendthat all threeof
RadonPotential Map, to help decide if you are in a radonthese
techniques
be usedin new constructionto ensuremaxiprone area.
mumradoncontrol.
Soil

1.4. I

Soil Depressurization

Severalstudieshave attemptedto make simple correlaThe most effectiveand frequently usedradon-reduction

tions betweenradon or radium concentrationsin the soil and technique
in existingbuildings is activesoil depressurization
indoor radonconcentrations.No direct correlationshavebeen (ASD).
found.
How an ASD System Works
Building Materials
An extremely small percentageof U.S. buildings with
indoor radon concentrationsgreater than 4 pCi/L can be
attributedto building materials.Most of the building material
problems have arisen from the use of known radium-rich
wastessuch as aggregatein block or in fill aroundand under
houses, or in areasof buildings with no ventilation.None of
the existing large buildings studiedin EPAs Air andEnergy
Engineering ResearchLaboratorys researchprogram have
had any identifiable problem associatedwith radon from
building materials.However,be awarethat building materials
are a potential problem. But unlessbuilding materialshave
been identified as radium-rich in that region of the country,
thechanceof obtainingsignificantradon levelsfrom building
materialsis very small.

An ASD systemcreatesa low-pressurezonebeneaththe

slab by using a powered fan to create a negativepressure
beneaththe slab and foundation.This low-pressurefield preventssoil gas from entering Lhebuilding becauseit reverses
the normaldirection of airflow wherethe slab andfoundation
meet. If the low pressurezone is extended throughout the
entire subslabarea,air will flow from the building into the
soil, effectively sealingslab and foundationcracksand holes
(2). For a simplified view of the operating principle of an
ASD, refer to Figure l-6. A similar systemwithout a fan for
activation*is referredto asa Rough-in of an ASD system,
and is briefly discussedat the end of this section.

The following are essentialinstructions for the design

and constructionof a soil depressurizationsystem:
. Place a clean layer of coarse aggregateof narrow
Summary
particle sizedistribution(naturallyoccurringgravelor
Basedon currentresearchandthe additionalcostof radon
crushedbedrock)beneaththe slab.
resistantconstruction features,the expectedimpact on the

DepressurizationFan

Subslab DepressurizationSystemcreates low pressure zone

beneath the slab. This preventsradon-containingsoil gas from
entering the building by changing the direction of airflow. Air
exhausted from under the s&b is releasedabove the roof
where the elevatedradon levels can dilute into the
atmosphere.

HigherAir Pressure

Low Air Pressure

RadonSuction Pit

Figure l-6.

Subslab depressurkatlon

= Positive Pressure

I NegativePressure

theory.

Eliminateall majorbarriersto extensionof the subslab ings can easily overcomea passivesystem.Also, the large
number of radon suction pits and vent pipes neededfor
low pressurezone,suchas interior subslabwalls.
systemsto be effectivein a largebuilding would make
. Install radon suction pit(s) beneath the slab in the passive
installationmoreexpensivethan an ASD system.Therefore,
aggregate(one radon suction pit for each area sepa- in radon-proneareaswe recommendyou do not usepassive
ratedby subslabwalls).
soil depressurizationsystems.We do recommend,as a mini. Install a vent stackfrom the radon suctionpit(s) under mum,that the designfeaturesfor an ASD systembe roughedin for later activationif needed.
the slab to the roof.
. Install a suctionfan on the vent stack.(The fan should ASD Costs
be operatedcontinuously,and the systemshould be
Severalfactorsaffectthe costof an activesoil depressurequipped with a warning device to indicate loss of ization system.Incrementalinstallation costs for a system
negativepressurethroughfan failure or other causes.) designedinto a new largebuilding rangefrom aslow as$0.10
per ft2 of earth contact area to more than $0.75 per ft2,
.
Sealall major slaband foundationpenetrations.
dependingon the availability of aggregateand sealingcosts
Rough-in for an ASD System
(3,4,5,6,7,8). If aggregateis aheadypart of the design,the
costswill be at the low end. Incorporationof the aggregate
A rough-in for an ASD systemis the sameas an ASD and vapor retarderis consideredgood architecturalpractice
systemexcept there is no fan. For new constructionwhere and is required by code in most areas of the U.S., and,
radonlevelsareelevatedevenmarginally,the installationof a thereforewould not be considereda radon-preventioncost.
rough-in systemis a prudentinvestmentandis recommended.
For comparison,a recent EEA survey showedthat the
If a building is found to havea radonproblem,thena rough-in
can easily be convertedinto an ASD systemby installing a averagecostfor installingASD in an existingschoolis about
fan.
$0.50per ft* (9). Thesecostscould rangefrom about$0.10up
to $3.00 per ft* of earth contactfloor area dependingon the
Passive Soil Depressurization
structureand subslabmaterials.
Architectsand engineersmayask,Is it possibleto install 1.4.2
Building Pressurization
a soil depressurizationsystemthat works passively(that is,
Building pressurizationinvolvesbringing in moreair to
without a fan)? Although researchhas shown that passive
systemsare sometimeseffective in home construction,they the building than is exhausted,causing a slightly positive
are not recommendedfor use in schools and other large pressureinside the building relative to the subslabarea.The
buildings.Many competingnegativepressuresin largebuild- positivepressurein thebuilding causesair to flow from inside
thebuilding to the outdoorsthroughopeningsin the substruc.

Onceradonhasentereda building, anotherway to reduce

radon levels is by diluting them with ventilation air (outdoor
air). Dilution air should be suppliedfrom outdoorsin accordancewith ASHRAE Standard62-1989(10).To reducehighly
elevatedradon levels it may be necessaryto supply higher
quantitiesof outdoorair thanthoserecommended
by ASHRAE.
(Note thatneitherpressurizationnor dilution is effectivewhen
the HVAC systemis not operating,suchas in night and week
end setback.)Additionally, dilution is not an effectivestandalone radon reduction techniqueif radon levels are substanHow Buildings Typically Operate
tially elevated.Dilution is a lessreliableand frequentlymore
costly
approachthan the otherradonpreventiontechniques.
Many buildings (both leaky and tight buildings) tend to
maintainan indoor air pressurelower thanoutdoors.It is often
In summary, building pressurizationwith the HVAC
difficult to continuouslyoperatea building to obtain slightly system can reduce radon levels; however, becauseof the
positivepressureconditionsunlessthe building shell is tight difficulty of properly operating the system in a way that
and the building HVAC systemsuppliesmore outdoor air to continuouslypreventsradon entry, building pressurizationis
each room than is exhausted.This difficulty is due to a not recommendedfor use as a stand-aloneradon-control
complexinteractionbetweenthe building shell,the mechani- system in new buildings. When building pressurizationis
cal systems,the building occupants,and the climate.
used with the other methodsof radon prevention(ASD and
Modem buildings generally are constructedwith fan- sealingof major radon entry routes),building pressurization
poweredHVAC systemsto provide outdoor air to the occu- contributesto low radon levels.
pants. Many buildings also have exhaust fans to remove
Costsand savingsfor HVAC systemsanda tight building
internally generatedpollutants from the building. If the sys- shell are not presentedbecausethey are consideredgood
tems place the earth contact area under a slightly positive architectural and engineering practice, and moreover,are
pressurewith respectto the subslab,they will preventradon mandatedby manybuilding and energycodes.
entry and will dilute radon under the slab for as long as the
Sealing Radon Entry Routes
systemsare operating. However, if these fan systems(by 7.4.3
design, installation, maintenance,or adjustment)place any
Becausethe greatestsource of indoor radon is almost
earth contact area of the building under a negativepressure always radon-containingsoil gas that enters the building
with respectto the soil, radoncan enterthroughany openings through cracksand openingsin the slab and substructure,a
in the slab.
good place to begin whenbuilding a radon-resistantbuilding
Important Features of HVAC Systemsto Prevent Radon is to make the slab and substructureas radon-resistantas
economicallyfeasible.
Entry
However, it is difficult, if not impossible,to sealevery
Thefollowing HVAC systemfeaturesandoperatingguidecrack
and penetration.Therefore,sealingradon entry routes
lines shouldbe followed for radonprevention:
and constructingphysical barriersas a stand-aloneapproach
. In radon-proneareas,eliminateair supply and return for radon control in schoolsand other large buildings, is not
ductwork locatedbeneatha slab,in a basement,or in a currently recommended.On the other hand,sealingof major
crawl space in accordancewith ASHRAE Standard radonentry routeswill help reduceradon levelsand will also
greatly increasethe effectivenessof other radon prevention
62-1989(10).
techniques.For example,sealingincreasesthe effectiveness
.
Supply outdoor air in accordancewith guidelinesin of ASD by improvingthepressurefield extensionbeneaththe
ASHRAE Standard62-1989(10).
slab.Sealingalsohelpsto achievebuilding pressurizationby
ensuring
that thebuilding is a tight box without air leakage.
. Constructa tight building shell to facilitateachievMany
of
these
sealingtechniquesarestandardgoodconslrucing a slightly positivepressurein the building.
tion practices.
. Sealslab,wall, andfoundationentrypointsasnotedin
Section1.4.3,especiallyin areasof thebuildingplanned Sealing Recommendations
to be under negative pressure by design (such as
Radonentry routesthat shouldbe sealedare:
restrooms,janitors closets,laboratories,storageclosFloor/wall crack and other expansionjoints. Where
ets,gymnasiums,shops,kitchen areas).
codepermits,replaceexpansionjoints with pourjoints
. Ensure proper training and retraining of the HVAC
and/orcontrol sawjoints becausethey aremoreeasily
systemoperators,togetherwith an adequatebudget,so
and effectivelysealed.
that the systemis properly operatedand maintained.
(This appearsto be a major areaof neglectin existing
Areasaroundall piping systemsthat penetratethe slab
or foundationwalls below grade(utility trenches,elccschoolbuildings.)
trical conduits,plumbing penetrations,etc.).
. In areaswith large exhaustfans,supply moreoutdoor
Masonrybasementwalls.
air than air exhaustedif possible.
ture and building shell; this effectively seals radon entry
routes.Building pressurizationis similar to ASD in that both
methodsblock radon entry routesusing air pressurebarriers:
but the systemsare different in that,with building pressurization, air is pushedout of the building from insiderather than
beingdrawn out from underthe slab,as in ASD. The following sectionexplainsthe principles of building pressurization
using the heating,ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC)
systems.

Limitations of Sealing
Many constructionmaterialsare effectiveair and water
barriersand also retard the transferof radon-containingsoil
gas.In practicehowever,the difficulties that arisewhenusing
sealingand physical barrier techniquesas the only meansof
control are virtually insurmountable.Physical barriers have
proven to be frequently damagedduring installation; more
over, failure to seal a single opening can negatethe entire
effort, especiallywhen radonconcentrationsare high. Nevertheless,you should seal major radon entry routes: not only
will sealingretardradontransferbut sealingwill alsoincrease
the effectivenessof ASD and building pressurization.

Poor communicationbelow the floor slab (i.e., no

aggregateor aggregatewith many fines or with wide
particle size distributionrange).

Barriers to subslabcommunication(internal subslab

walls).

Radonentry points at expansionand control joints.

Easeof running the radon vent pipe and power source

throughand/orout onto the buildings roof.

Building depressurizationcausedby the I-WAC system (or other fans) exhaustingmore air than is supplied.

The costof sealingmajor radonentry routesis dependent

All of the above factors can be controlled in new conon the building design and local constructionpractices.For
struction.
As further researchis conducted,additionalinforone example,refer to the casestudy in AppendixA.
mationon the radonpreventionfeatures,or betterguidanceon
Why Radon Prevenfion Should be
1.5
when they arenot needed,shouldbecomemoreclearandwill
be documentedin future updatesof this manual.
Considered in Bullding Design
Most of the radon preventiontechniquescoveredin this
Again, we emphasize that it is important to include
manualcan be applied to existing buildings, but installation radon prevention features during design. Including these
will cost more than if thesetechniqueswere installedduring features during building construction makes their appliinitial construction.For example,factors that increasethe cation easier and costsmuch less than adding them after
difficulty and cost to install an ASD systemin an existing the building is completed.
building include:

Chapter 2
Technical Construction Information
As outlined in Chapter 1, there are three practical and Principles of Operation
cost-effectiveapproachesto preventingelevatedradonlevels
An ASD systempreventsradonentry by creatinga negain new buildings.
tive-pressurezone beneaththe slab. If the negative-pressure
. Active Soil Depressurization(Section2.1)
zone is extendedthroughoutthe entire subslabarea,air will
flow from the building into the soil, effectively sealingslab
. Building Pressurization(Section2.2)
andfoundationcracksandholes,andthuspreventingtheentry
of radon-containingsoil gas.Figure 2-l illustratesa typical
.
SealingRadonEntry Routes(Section2.3)
ASD system.
EPA recommendsusing all three of thesemethodsto
To createthis negative-pressure
zone,a radon suctionpit
ensureeffectiveandreliable radon control.
is installedin the aggregateunderthe slab.This subslabpit is
The following three sectionspresentdetailed technical then connectedto a vent pipe that runs from the pit to the
information for implementingthe aboveapproaches.These outdoors.A suctionfan is connectedto the pipe outsideof the
sectionsmight best be used by the architectsand engineers building to producethe negative-pressurezone beneaththe
who aredevelopingthe specificationsand constructiondraw- slab,hencethe systemis active. A lower air pressurein a
ingsfor thebuilding,andby thecontractorwho is building the building relativeto the surroundingsoil is what drawsradonstructure.Guidelinesfor conductingradon measurementsin containingsoil gasinto a building. The ASD systemreverses
schools and other large buildings are briefly discussedin thepressuredifference-and thusthe airflow directionat the
Section2.4.
slab - causing the subslabpressureto be lower than the
indoor pressure.This air pressuredifferential keepsradon2.1
Active Soil Depressurization (ASD) containing
soil gasfrom enteringthe building.
This sectiondescribeshow to design,install, and mainThis manual describesthe design and installation of a
kti an ASD system.The discussionpertainsto slab-on-grade
complete
ASD system.A soil depressurizationsystemcould
substructuressincemost new schoolsand other large buildalso
be
roughed-in
and activatedwith a fan later,if needed.
ings are constructedslab-on-grade.Guidelinesfor basement
For
new
construction,
where radon levelsmay be evenmarsubstructuresare similar to slab-on-gradebuildings, except
that basementwalls add anotherpotential radon entry point ginally elevated,the installation of a rough-in systemis a
that mustbe sealed.The applicationof ASD to basementsis prudent investmentand is recommended.If the completed
briefly coveredin Section2.1.3. Radon control in buildings building hasa radonproblem,thentheroughed-insoil depreswith crawl spacesubstructuresis addressedin Section2.1.4. surizationsystemcan easily be madeactive at a low cost by
addinga fan.
In mostpartsof the U.S., designandconstructionof new
Architectsandengineersmayask,Is it possibleto inskdl
buildingswith ASD systemsis relativelyeasyandcosteffeca
soil
depressurizationsystemthat works passively(that is,
tive. Incorporating an ASD system into a new building is
without
a fan)? Although researchhas shown that passive
highly recommendedin radon-proneareas,since effective
operationof an ASD systemis dependenton building design systemsare sometimeseffectivein home construction,they
factors.Although it is possibleto addan ASD systemafterthe are not recommendedfor use in schools and other large
building is complete,the cost and effectivenessof the system buildings.Many competingnegativepressuresin largebuildwill be directly influencedby building designparametersthat ings can easily overcomea passivesystem.Also, the large
can be easilycontrolledduring building designandconstruc- number of radon suction pits and vent pipes needed for
tion. Certain parameters,such as aggregateselection and passivesystemsto beeffectivein a largebuilding would make
subslabwalls, cannotbe practically modified in an existing installationmore expensivethan an ASD system.Therefore,
in radon-proneareaswe recommendyou do not usepassive
building.
soil depressurizationsystems.We do recommend,as a minimum, that the designfeaturesfor an ASD systemshould be
roughed-mfor later activationif needed.
11

Radon Exhaust Fan

Roof Exhaust Fan
Radon Exhaust Stack

Radon Vent Pipe

Schedule 40 PVC

Note: Seal All Major Slab Openings,

Cracks, or Penetrations .
Polyurethane Sealant

Radon Suction Pit

ASTM Size #5 Aggregate or Equivalent
6=

Positive Pressure

@ = Negative
Pressure
Figure 2-l.

2.1.1

Typical subslab depressurlzation

system. Not to scale.

ASD Design and Installation

The six essentialguidelinesfor designingand installing

ASD systemsin schoolsand other large buildings are listed
below. The designand constructionproceduresfor eachare
discussedin detail in the sectionsthat follow.
1) Place a continuous4- to 6-m. layer of clean, coarse
aggregateunder the slab.(Aggregate,Section2.1.1.1)
2)
3)

4)

5)
f-2

2.1 .l .l Aggregate
Figure2-l illustrateshow the creationandextensionof a
negativepressurefield beneaththe slab will causeair to flow
from the building into the subslabarea. This direction of
airflow will prevententry of soil gas into the building. The
radon-containingsoil gas is drawn up the vent pipe and
exhaustedoutdoorswhereit will be quickly diluted to ambient
levels.

Eliminate barriersto subslabairflow such as subslab

To extendthis negativepressurefield effectively,highly
walls. (SubslabWalls, Section2.1.1.2)
permeablematerial,suchasaggregate,shouldbeplacedunder
Install a 4- by 4-ft areaby 8-m. deepradon suctionpit the slab.If the subslabmaterialhaslow permeability(suchas
(or equivalent)under the slab. (Suction Pits, Section tightly packed sand or clay), or is interrupted by interior
subslabwalls (as discussedin Section2.1.1.2), the pressure
2.1.1.3)
field might not extendto all areasof the soil under the slab.
Run a 6-m. diameterPVC radon vent pipe from the The building should be designedso that the pressurefield
radon suctionpit to the outdoors.(Radon Vent Pipe, extendsunderthe entirebuilding. To ensurethe properextension of the pressurefield, install a 4- to 6-m. layer of clean,
Section2.1.1.4)
coarseaggregatebeneaththe slabprior to the pour.
Install a suctionfan designedfor usein ASD systems.
Aggregate Specifications
(SuctionFan, Section2.1.1.5)
Sealmajor radonentry routesincluding slabandfounIn most areasof the U.S., subslabaggregateis routinely
dationjoints and cracksand utility and pipe penetra- installed(andfrequentlyrequiredby code)to providea draintions. (SealingRadonEntry Routes,Section2.3)
agebedfor moistureanda stable,levelsurfacefor pouring the
slab. The preferred aggregatefor ASD systemsis crushed
aggregatemeetingSize#S specificationsasdefmedin ASTM
C-33-90, Standard Specificationfor ConcreteAggregates
12

(11). This aggregateis in the range of l/2 to 1 in. diameter

Figure 2-3b iIlustratesthe use of subslabwalls that are
with lessthan 10 percentpassingthrough a 1/2-m sieveand perpendicularto the corridor but do not crossthe corridor. In
hasa free void spaceof approximately50 percent.
this example,the subslabwalls would not interruptthe negative pressurefield under the slab unless the subslab wall
In September1992,the averagecost for a ton of crushed extendedacrossthe corridor (not shownin Figure 2-3b). As a
stonewas $6.86.This costrepresentsan averagefor 20 U.S. result, only oneradon suctionpit would be needed.
cities, with a rangefrom $4.50 to $11.32per ton (12). For a
Figure 2-3~ showstwo subslabwalls eachparallel to the
layer of crushedstone4 in. deep,this would be about$0.10to
corridor. In this case,the subslabarea is divided into three
$0.25 per ft2.
compartments.For this design,two radon suctionpits would
Aggregate Placement
probablybe required,or threeif oneis installedin the corridor
area.
Placea minimumof 4 to 6 in. of aggregateevenlyunder
the entire slab,taking carenot to introduceany fine material.
Figure 2-3d shows the worst caseexamplefor a costIf the aggregateis placedon top of a material with a lot of effectiveASD systemdesign.Subslabwalls run both parallel
fines and compactionof the aggregateis required for struc- and perpendicularto the corridor, dividing the subslabarea
tural or code reasons,a geotextile fabric or an additional into many compartments.For an ASD systemto be effective
reinforcedvaporretarderbeneaththe aggregatecanbe usedso with sucha design,one radon suctionpit would normally be
that fme particles from the natural soil do not mix with the requiredfor eachsubslabcompartment.
aggregate.A vapor retarder should also be placed over the
Figures2-4aand2-4b illustratethe sideview of theeffect
aggregateprior to pouring the slab. Although the vapor retarder probably will not serveas a stand-aloneradon barrier of subslabwalls on the designof the ASD system.Figure2-4a
(due to inevitableholes and tearsin the plastic), it will keep correspondsto a possibleASD systemdesignfor the subslab
the wet concretefrom filling in spacesin the aggregatelayer. wall layouts shown in Figures 2-3a and 2-3b. Figure 2-4b
correspondsto the ASD systemdesignrequired for the layDrainage Mats
outs in Figures2-3~ and 2-3d. For the worst case scenario
shown in Figure 2-3d, this sideview of the suction points
In <areas
wherecrushedaggregateis not readily available would be requiredfor eachareasurroundedby subslabwalls.
or is very expensive,some residential builders have used (Note that the radon suction pit shown in the corridor in
drainagemats designedfor soil stabilization.Drainagemats Figure 24b may not be necessary.)
cost $0.60to $0.72per ft2andarenormdly placedunderonly
part of the slab. The use of drainage mats has not been
It is importantthattheissueof subslabwalls be addressed
demonstratedby EPA in any schoolsor other largebuildings. early in the planning stages so that the building can be
designedwith limited subslabbarriers. Designing subslab
2.1 .1.2
Subslab Walls
walls asillustratedin Figure2-3a will significantlyreducethe
Becauseeverysubslabareaisolatedby subslabwalls will cost of radon prevention as evidencedby the caSestudy
normally needa radon suctionpit andradon ventpipe, limit- (Appendix A).
ing subslabbarriersto airflow will reduce ASD installation
In buildings where subslabwails must be used, the deandoperatingcosts.Figure2-2ashowshow an interiorsubslab
signer
should considerconnecting subslabareasby elimiwall can interrupt the aggregatelayer and,hence,the subslab
nating
subslabwalls (Figures2-4a and 2-4b) under interior
pressurefield. Figure 2-2b, on the other hand, showshow a
doors.
This
connectingor bridging should allow the negacontinuous aggregatelayer under a thickened slab footing
tive pressurefield to extend from a centrally locatedradon
doesnot interruptthe subslabpressurefield.
suctionpit to areasthat would haveotherwisebeenisolated.
Figures 2-3a through 2-3d illustrate examplesof four This approachhas had only limited field testing, but it is
subslab wall layouts that have been observed in existing theoretically sound and is undergoing further field testing.
school buildings. The discussionbelow explainsthe effects Subslabcommunicationcould also be facilitated by using
that theseexampleconfigurationshave on ASD systemde- subslabpipe sleevesto connectareasseparatedby subslab
walls. Again, using pipe sleevesis theoreticallysound,but
sign.
hasnot yet beenfield-demonstratedby EPA.
The Figure 2-3a design is preferred for radon control
becauseinternal subslabbarriersare completelyeliminated, 2.1 .1.3 Radon Suction Pits
thus m~aximizingsubslabcommunicationand ASD system Purpose and Specifications
perfonmance.This design is referred to as post-and-beam
constructionand is very commonin modem constructionof
Radon suctionpits facilitate communicationthroughout
huge buildings. With this type of building design and the thesubslabaggregatelayer.Figure2-5 presentsan ex,ampleof
otherASD designfeaturesdiscussedin this section,oneradon a radon suction pit that has been successfullyfield-demonsuction pit should provide adequatepressurefield coverage stratedby EPA in ASD systemsin new construction.The
over 100,000ft2of groundcontactareaor larger.The building most important featureof the pit is that the end of the vent
in the Appendix A casestudyhasthis type of subslablayout. pipe terminatesin a large void (or its equivalent exposed
In anotherrecentlyconstructedbuilding with post-and-beam aggregatesurfacearea).We recommendthat for a 6-m. diamconstruction,oneradonsuctionpoint depressurizedan areaof eterverticalstack,you constructa radonsuctionpit with a 4 ft
480,000 ft*.
by 4-ft void areaand 8 in. deep.Thesedimensionsprovidea
pit void to aggregateinterfaceof about7 ft.
13

PolyWethane

Sealant ,

Concrete Block Wall

Expansion Joint with Backer Rod and

Polyurethane Pourable Sealant Flush with Slab
-7

Slab-on-Grade
.f &._
Aggregate (ASTM
Size #5 or
Equivalent)

7--

Figure 2-2a.

Interior footing/foundation

Compacted Soil

wall. Not to scale.

Concrete Block Wail

Slab-on-Grade

Aggregate (ASTM
Size #5 or
Equivalent)

Compacted Soil

Figure 2-2b.

Thickened slab footing. Not to scale.

A suctionpit with a minimumexposedaggregatesurface

areaabout 30 tunes the crosssectionalareaof the ventpipe
entranceis very effective. A concretedrainagedistribution
box or other structurethat meetsthe 30-l ratio shouldalsobe
effective.However,only theconstructiondetailedin Figure25 has beenfield-testedby EPA. As shown in Figure2-5, the
vent pipe should enter the radon suction pit horizontally so
that thesuctionpit may be locatedin a centrallocationandthe
verticalventpipemay be locatedwhereveris mostconvenient
ratherthan simply at the pit location.

systemsin existingbuildings becauseof the easeof installation. However,new constructionprovides the designerwith
the flexibility for selectingthe mostconvenientand effective
location for the radon suction pit and vent stack. When the
slabis pouredovertheradonsuctionpit asshownin Figure25, be sure to follow appropriate structural guidelines for
reinforcedconcrete.
Location of Radon Suction Pits

The radon suction pit should be centrally located. A

Alternatively,the ventpipe can exit the radonsuctionpit centrallylocatedpit will provideevenpressurefield extension
vertically. The vertical approachis normally used for ASD in all directions.Do not locate the pit near subslabbarriers
14

Radon Suction Pit

Radon Pipe Riser to be Encased

All Interior Walls 7

Non-Load Bearing

Figure 2.3a.

Outside walls and post load bearing. Not to scale.

2-4a

(suchasfootings)or nearunsealedopeningsthroughthe slab. a 4-ft by 4-ft by 8-m. deepradon suctionpit, it is necessaryto

As shownin Figure 2-5, the vent pipe shouldenterthe radon haveapproximately240 linearft of 4-m pipe (with ten3/4-m.
suctionpit horizontally. The vent pipe is then run under the holesper ft).
slab,exiting the subslabin a convenientlocation.
Onerecentlyconstructedschoolwith 50,000ft2of ground
contactused11 suctionpoints with 120linear ft of perforated
Number of Radon Suction Pits
pipe extendingfrom each suction point, totaling over 1300
With the use of a properly designedradon suction pit, linear ft. Field testingby EPA demonstratedthat only one of
ASTM Size#5 aggregate,the eliminationof subslabbarriers, the 11 suctionpoints wasneededand that the perforatedpipe
andsealingof major radonentry routes,oneradonsuctionpit wasnot necessaryfor an effectiveASD system(7).
per 100,000ft* of slab areashouldresult in a very effective
Although some designersuse systemswith perforated
ASD system.This Figure2-5 approachwasrecentlysuccessfully demonstratedby EPA in two largebuildings:onebuild- pipe insteadof a radonsuctionpit (7), this type of systemcan
ing is 60,000 ft* in area, and the other is 480,000 ft2. The significantlyincreaseconstructioncostsdueto both theqtuantity of pipe neededand thecostof placement.Therefore,EPA
60,000ft* building is discussedin detail in AppendixA.
prefersthe radon suction pit approachto installing subslab
Subslab Perforated Pipe
perforatedpipe. If perforatedpipe is used,sizeit so as not to
significantly reduce the air flow which could normally be
Instead of a radon suction pit, some designersprefer achievedthroughthe connecting6-m vent pipe.
laying perforated polyvinyl chloride (PVC) drainage pipe
under the slab and connectingthe perforatedpipe to the vent Interaction With Interior Drainage
pipe. Horizontal perforated pipe is not necessaryin ASD
Designersandbuildersof housesalsohavetried connectsystemsif the systemis designedas recommendedin this
manual.This is becausefor a subslabhorizontalpipe system ing the ASD systeminto interior footing drainagesystems.
to providethe equivalentexposedsurfaceareato aggregateas Although this connectionmight facilitatethe functioningof a
15

Figure 2.3b.

Interior walls between rooms and outside walls load bearlng. Not to scale.

System if the System iS airtight, this approachhasnot

beenevaluatedby EPA in schoolsor other largebuildings.

passive

Similarly, the use of interior footing drains for water

control can affect the pressurefield extensionof an ASD
system.Interior footing drainssometimesterminatein a sump
hole. If this is the case,the builder must seal the sumphole
airtight; if the sump hole is not sealedairtight, building air
will be drawn into the sump by the subslabsystem,and the
pressurefield will be weakened,and pressurefield extension
will be decreased.It is also possibleto use the sealedsump
hole asa radonsuctionpit; this approachis commonin houses
(5), but its applicability in schoolsand other large buildings
h,asnot beendemonstrated.
If interior footing drainsare usedandextendout beneath
the footing to daylight or to a sewer,the drain mustbe airtight
while still allowing water to drain in order for the systemto
work. Watertrapshavebeenusedin houses,but this approach
has yet to be demonstratedor evaluatedin schoolsor other
kargebuildings.

2.1.1.4

Radon vent Pipe

Specifications
For new constructionof schoolsand other large buildings,EPA recommends6-in. diametersolid PVC pipe. Other
sizesare available;4-in. pipe is normally used for drainage
systemsand plumbing stacksand is easyto route vertically.
However,if you arenot planningon sealingexpansionjoints,
we recommend you use vertical piping at least 6 in. in
diameter,This sizepipe is necessarysincegreaterairflow will
be neededto producethe samelevel of subslabsuctionand
pressurefield extensionas a systemwith sealedexpansion
joints.
Building Codes
PVC radon vent pipes are typically used in existing
buildingsbecauseof their easeof handlingandcost;however,
building codesin someareasof the countrymight preventthe
use of PVC piping in some sectionsof buildings. For example, specialrestrictionssometimesapply to pipe used in
firewall penetrationsand plenums above dropped ceilings.
16

Figure 2-3~.

Hall and outside walls load bearlng. Not to scale.

drainsback to the radon suctionpit. Accordingly, it is also

importantto avoid any low areasin the horizontal pipe that
couldblock airflow if condensationwereto accumulatein the
pipe. One architecthasnotedthat, when piping is installedin
droppedceilingsthat mayhavea drop in temperature,insulation of the piping helpsto avoid condensationproblems.

Also, building codesin someareasrequiresteelpipe; in most

Ness, coderequiressuitablefire stop detailsat any location
wherethe exhaustpiping penetratesa fire ratedwall, a ceiling
deck, or a floor deck. Generally,PVC pipe can penetratea
firewall if a materialto block fire is used.Wheninstallingthe
radon vent pipe, make sure you do not violate applicable
codes.For example,the building in the Appendix A case
study usedSchedule40 PVC pipe beneaththe slab and steel
pipe abovethe slab in order to meetstatecodes.

Labeling of SystemComponents

Piping installation
Attention to detail while installing the verticalriserswill
help ensurethe proper operationand long life of the system.
Startingat the floor slab,sealany openingsbetweenthe pipe
andthe floor slab with a high adhesivesealant(polyurethane
is currentlypreferred).Also, sealall pipingjoints. An illustration of sealingpipe penetrationsthroughthe roof is shownin
Figure 2-6. Additional details on sealantsand sealing are
providedin Section2.3.
It is importantthat all horizontalpipe runs are pitcheda
minimum of l/8 in. per ft so that accumulatingcondensation

Label the exposedradonventpipe to identify the pipe as

a componentof a radonventsystemthat may containhazardous levelsof radon.Labelsshouldbe placedat regularintervals (at least every 10 ft) along the entire pipe run. Clearly
mark all componentsof radon reduction systemsas radon
reductiondevicesto ensurethat futureownersof the building
do not removeor defeatthe system.At the roof exit, attacha
permanentlabel to the vent with a warning suchas Soil gas
vent stackmay containhigh levelsof radon; do not placeair
intake within 25 ft. Refer to local codes to determinethe
specific minimum distancefor air intakes. The suction fan
dischargelocationis coveredin greaterdetail in the following
section.

17

r--------------

Radon Suction Pit

I
I
I
I
I
i
I
I
I
I
~
L-e,,

II
I

1 1
* .

i
F-1
I >; I
kLw*
Jl -----e-w

.- -__------_--~~--

Radon Suction Pit

/

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-f
1
----

n-x--

:
3
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-------------------------

Radon Suction Pit

Subslab Footing

I
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I

y!T

gzyt!ki
Encased (Typ.)

S&slab

Footing

Similar

1
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I

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I

L----------_-_-----------___,--____-____----------------------------

Figure 2-3d.

All interior walls load bearing. Not to scale.

Radon Exhaust Stack

Roof Exhaust Fan,

Ceiling

1 Slab-on-Grade

Radon Suction Pit

Figure 2-4a.

Section 1 (corresponds to Figures 2-3a and b). Not to scale.

ia

ii3l

Radon Exhaust Stack

/
Roof Exhaust Fan

Radon Exhaust Fan

Ceiling

ASTM Size #5
Aggregate or
Equivalent
/

Figure 2-4b.

Radon Suctinn
Pitt

Vertical PVC Pipe (Radon)

Sectlon 1 (corresponds to Figures 2-3o and d). Not to scale.

2.1.1.5 Suction Fan

When to Install

being roughed-in,with the fan to be installed later if needed,

installationof the waterproofelectricalconnectionabovethe
roof during constructionwill facilitateaddition of the fan.

A suctionfan can be installedduring building construction or the piping can be terminatedand cappedat roof level
and the fan installedlater. As discussedpreviously,passive
systems(without a fan) are not recommendedfor radon
control in schoolsandother largebuildings.ASD systemfans
shouldbe operatedcontinuously;otherwiseelevatedlevelsof
radonmay accumulate.The costof operatingthe fan contimrously is comparableto the costof operatingany otherexhaust
fan in the building (suchasa restroomexhaustfan).

Suction Fan Discharge

Fan Selection and installation

The exhaustdischargeconliguration of an ASD system

should be treatedsimilarly to the dischargeof a laboratory
fume hood or other rooftop exhaustthat vents toxic fumes.
Somebuilding codes,for example,specifythat any discharge
of pollutantsmust be locatedat least25 ft from any outdoor
air intakes.Examplesof suitabledischargeconfigurationsare
presentedin the Industrial Ventilation Manual of RecommendedPractices,lgth Edition (13). and the 1989 ASHRAE
FundamentalsHandbook(14).

Use fans manufacturedspecifically for outdoor use in

radon control systems.Theseare availablefrom many vendors in a varietyof sizes.Fansnormally usedfor schoolsand
other large buildings are in-line duct fans rated from 500 to
600 cfm at zero inchesstaticpressure.Becausepiping on the
exhaustsideof the fan is underpositivepressureandmight be
subjectto leaks,thefan alwaysshouldbe mountedoutsidethe
building. Designersshould be aware that leakageinside the
envelopeof the building is not acceptable.

We recommendthat the ventpipe terminatein a vertical

position above the roof with sufficient height that the discharge does not re-enter the buihling. The discharge can
containextremelyhigh levelsof radon.If this configurationis
not possible,we recommendthat you choosea configuration
that providesat leasta 1,000to 1 dilution ratio to the nearest
air intakeor operablewindow. Thisdilution ratio is calculated
from theASHRAEFundamentalsHandbookChapter14equations (14).

Most installersconnectthe fans to the pipe systemwith

rubber sewagepipe connectors.This connectionallows for a
tight seal,quiet operation,and easyreplacementof the fan (if
needed).Additional materialsand componentsare normally
included in a systemto satisfy safetyneeds,systemperformance indications,and noise reduction. Typically code requirementsdictatethat waterproofelectricalserviceswitches
be placedwithin view of the fan to ensurethat the systemwill
not be activatedduring maintenance.If the ASD systemis

Warning Device
ASD systemdesignersshouldinclude a devicethat warns
building ownersand occupantsif the systemis not operating
properly. A preferredwarning systemhas an electronicpressuresensingdevicethatactivatesa warning light or an audible
alarm whena systempressuredrop occurs.Thesearereadily
availablefrom severalsuppliers.We adviseinstallinga device
that warns of a pressurechangerather than one that deter19

Stack Vented Through Roof

Concrete Slab
Thickened Concrete Slab
314 Pressure Treated Plywood

8 x 8 x 8 Concrete Block

Clean Coarse Aggregate

ASTM Size #5 or Equivalent
Section A

314 Pressure Treated Plywood

Stack Vented Through Roof

- 8 x 8 x 8 Concrete Block

r-

Figure 2-5.

Radon suction pit. Not to scale.

mines fan operation.Severalthings can stop a systemfrom

operatingeffectivelybesidesfan operation.Additionally, the
fan may still appearto be operatingeven though air flow is
severelyreduced.

openingsin the slabnot only reducesystemeffectiveness,but

also increaseoperatingcostsby drawing too much air from
inside the building. Section2.3 providescomprehensiveinstructionsand guidelinesfor sealing.

Install the warningdevicein an areafrequentlyvisitedby 2.1.2

Operation and Maintenance
a responsibleperson,In someschools,warning deviceshave
system operation and maintenanceconcernsfall
beenplacedneartheHVAC controlpanelsor in theprincipals into ASD
three
time
frames:
office. Someschoolshavechosento connectthe signalfrom a
warning deviceinto the energymanagementsystemcomputer . BeforeOccupancy
for the district.
. Weekly
2.1.1.6 Sealing Major Radon Entry Routes
. Annually
For an ASD systemto be mosteffective,it is importantto
seallargeopenings(suchasutility penetrationsandexpansion
joints) that CNIdefeatextensionof a low pressurefield. Large
20

Top of Stack
5 from Any Air intake

Radon Exhaust Fan

4 or 6 PVC Pipe
Polyurethane Sealant Applied Behind
Turnuo
and
on
of
Dm
I._ -.-N
Band
--.--r
----.. Too
--r
-. the

b--kf

Draw Band, Required

Minimum 1 Tumup

Approved Fasteners and Disc

(Min. of 4) Around Vent Pipe

- EDPM Boot

Slip Sheet
(if required)-

Figure 2-6.

Sealing pipe penetratlons through roof. Not to scale.

21

2.1.2.1 Before Occupancy

Measureradon levels in the building at least 24 hours
after the ASD fan is turned on. (Guidelinesfor measuring
radonlevelsarebriefly coveredin Section2.4 of this manual.)
If you have roughed-in an ASD systemwithout a fan, then
theseradonmeasurementswill determineif it is necessaryto
activateyour systemwith a fan. Many building ownerscontinuously operateASD systemsevenif radon levelswithout
the systemare below 4 pCi/L. Continuousoperationof the
systemwill further reduceradon exposureto building occupants.

2.1.2.2 Weekly
Check the pressuregauge(s)in the radon ventpipes and
the system alarm to ensurethat the fan is mainkining adequatenegativepressureto depressurizethe subslabarea.
2.1.2.3 Annually
Inspect the fan for bearing failure or signs of other
abnormaloperation,andrepair or replaceif required.

Measure Subslab Pressures

Inspectthe dischargelocationof the vent pipe to ensure

that no air intakehasbeenlocatednearby,and that a building
usagechangehasnot placedthe exhaustnear operablewindows.

If thebuilding haselevatedradonlevels,it is importantto

confirm that the ASD systemis achievingan adequatenegative pressurefield underall areasof the slab.Measurementof
the subslabpressurefield is commonlyreferredto aspressure
field extension(PFE)or subslabcommunication.

Check the HVAC system to determine if it is being

maintainedand operatedas designed.Even thoughthe ASD
systemmay be functioningas designed,excessivelypowered
exhaust without adequatemakeup air might overcomean
ASD system.

To me<asure
PFE, it is necessaryto drill about 10 small
holes(approximatelyl/4 to l/2 in. diameter)throughthe slab
at variousdistancesand directionsfrom the suction pit. Be
sureto carefully determinethe locationsof all subslabutility
linesbeforedrilling throughthe slab.Then,with the ASD fan
off, meaSurethe subslabpressurein eachof the holes.This
should be done using a sensitive device such as a
micromanometer;however,somethingas simpleas a chemical smokestick couldbe usedto determineif air flows into the
slab.Thesemeasurementsshould then be repeatedwith the
ASD fan turnedon. Oncethe PFEtestsarecomplete,theholes
shouldbe carefully sealedwith concretepatchingmaterial.

If building settling is noted, check for slab, floor, or

basementwall cracksand perform radon testing (and additional sealing,if needed)to ensurethecontinuedeffectiveness
of the system.(Refer to Section2.4 for guidelineson radon
measurements.)

The purposeof PFE measurements

is to confirm that the
ASD systemmaintainsan adequatenegativepressureunder
the slab. A minimum subslabpressureof -0.002 in. water
column(WC) is requiredat all testholesfor an effectiveASD
system.If all of the recommendationsfor ASD discussedin
this section are followed, then the pressuresat even the
farthesttestholes shouldbe at least-0.01 in. WC. If measurementsindicatethatthereis inadequatepressurefield underthe
slab, troubleshootthe systemby confiiing fan operation,
sealingmajor radon entry routes, locating potential subslab
barriers,inspectingtype of aggregateused,andinspectingthe
operationof the HVAC system.(SeeSection2.2 for information on how an HVAC systemcan overcomeASD.)

Below-gradewalls and stem walls are normally constructedof eitherpouredconcreteor masonryblocks.Section

2.3.3 discussesthe different typesof below-gradewalls and
the coatingsthat can be usedto sealthesewalls.

Somebuilders expressconcernabout drilling holes in a

newly constructedbuilding; however,measurement
of PFEis
the only way to determineif the negativepressureis being
extended.Detailed guidelines for measuringPFE are describedin numerousEPA publications(2,3,9,15)andare also
discussedin the Appendix A case study. The holes do not
compromisethe structureof the building and are normally
coveredwith finishedfloor suchas carpetor vinyl.
Provide ASD Operating Manual
An operatingmanualdescribingthe systemand its purpose should be provided to building owners. The manual
should include a discussionof systemcomponents,how to
interpret the system failure warning device, and the other
importantmaintenanceneedsof an ASD systemasexplained
in this section.

2.1.3

Additional instructions
Basements

for

Instructionsfor designingand installing an ASD system

in buildings with basementfoundationsare similar to instructions for slab-on-gradebuildings. The primary differenceis
that basementwalls provideadditionalradon entry routes.

2.7.4

Additional
Spaces

Instructions

for Craw!

This sectiondescribestwo techniquesfor radonreduction

in crawl space buildings: submembranedepressurization
(SMD) and crawl spacedepressurization.SMD is typically a
much more effective approachfor maintaining low radon
levels;consequently,constructionof crawl spacebuildingsin
radonproneareasshouldincludeprovisionsfor SMD.
SubmembraneDepressurization (SMD)
Since ASD cannot be used in crawl spaceswith dirt
floors, and difficulties are often encounteredin isolating a
crawl spacefrom the occupiedareaabove,buildersmustuse
alternateradonpreventiontechniquesin crawl spaces.SMD is
an effective technique for reducing radon levels in crawl
spaces.This techniqueis a variation of the successfulASD
method,and is shownin Figure 2-7. Researchin schoolsand
houseshas shown SMD to be the most effective year-round
approachfor reducingradon levelsin crawl spacebuildings
(15.16).
To instaIl a SMD system in a crawl space,6 mil (or
thicker) polyethylenesheetingis usedas a vaporretarderthat
forms a small-volumeplenum abovethe soil. A suctionfan
22

and vent stack are used to pull radon from under the membrane and exhaustit outside the building. Active SMD has
been widely applied in houses;limited experienceindicates
that it is also effectivein schools(16). This approachmay be
expensivein large crawl spacesdue to the need for large
amountsof polyethylene sheeting;however, becausebuildings often usepolyethylenesheetingas a vaporretarder,the
sheetingwould not necessarilybe consideredan additional
mitigation cost.
To install a SMD system,placewide polyethylenesheets
(with at least 1 ft overlapsbetweenthe sheets)directly on the
earth. Be sure to remove any large rocks, broken concrete
blocks,or otherobstructionsbeforeplacement.After the sheet
is placed, we recommendthat you seal the seamsin the
polyethylenein the vicinity of the suction point to increase
systemeffectiveness.Use the specialsealantsrecommended
by the manufacturersof the sheetingfor gluing polyethylene
together.Where the soil surface is exceptionallyhard and
smoothor thecrawl spaceis very large,usea radonsuctionpit
or perforatedpiping manifoldedunderthesheetingto improve
the pressurefield extension.In large crawl spaceswith many
support piers it might be more difficult to install SMD. If
many supportpiers exist, or if the radon suctionpoint hasto
be locatedcloseto supportpiers,sealthe polyethylenesheeting to the piers.
The polyethylene sheeting can also be sealed to the
foundationwalls to reduceair leaks;however,this additional
sealinghasproved to be unnecessaryin someexistingbuild-

ings. Currently, researchis being done to determineexactly

how much sealingof the membraneis necessary.
Crawl Space Depressurization
Crawl space&pressurizationis anothermethodfor control of indoorradon.For crawl spacedepressurization,a fan is
usedto depressurizethe entirecrawl spacearea The negative
pressurein the crawl spacerelative to the building interior
keeps the radon from entering the building. However, the
negativepressurein the crawl spacewill increaseradonlevels
in the crawl space,so this techniqueshould not be usedif
peopleneedto enter the crawl spacefrequently.Becauseof
thepotentialfor high radonlevelsin the crawl space,it is very
importantthat the areabetweenthe crawl spaceand building
interior is thoroughlysealed.This sealingis alsoimportantto
reduceenergylossfrom air flowing from the building interior
into the crawl space.
To achievea sufficient negativepressurein the crawl
space,the ventsshould be closed.Researchhas shown that
closing the crawl space vents will not create a moisture
problemif a vaporretarderis placedover the ground(17).
A forthcomingEPA manualon radonmitigationof existing schoolswiIl havea moredetailedsectionon crawl space
mitigation. Call your state radon office or EPA Regional
Office for moreinformation.

Attic/Roof Fan Creates Lower Air

Pressure Beneath the Membrane
Exhaust Stack Abo~ Roof

Permeable Material or
Perforated Pipe Network

Figure 2-7.

Submembrane depressurizaiion

E Positive Pressure

P Negative Pressure

In crawl space.
23

Pit or Perforated Pipe System

2.1.5

ASD Cost Estimates

Estimatedtypical costrangesfor the materialsneededfor

an ASD systemarepresentedin Table2-l. Material costsand
.
labor costscan vary widely by region. Also, rememberthat
becausemany buildings normally use aggregateand a reinforced vapor retarder under the slab, they are not usually
2.2
consideredan additional costof radonprevention.

For crawl space substructures, provide for a

submembrane
depressurizationsystem.(Section2.1.4)
Install an alarm systemand, to ensureASD system
effectivenessand longevity, follow all operationand
maintenancerecommendations.(Section2.1.2)

Building Pressurization
Dilution

and

The average total cost of conducting diagnosticsand

The heating,ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC)
insdbng ~1 ASD systemin an existing building is about
$OSO/ft*(9). The total cost of an ASD systemfor a new systemin a modem building has many functions; it must
60,000ft2building was$5,000(seeCaseStudy,AppendixA). regulatetemperature,humidity, air movement,andair quality
inside the facility. A properly designedand operatedHVAC
2.7.6
Summary of Guidelines for ASD
systemcanbeusedto reduceradonlevelsby buildingpressurization
and dilution.
Systems
In Lareaswhere radon is lmown to be a problem, as a
New constructionoffers the opportunity to design and
minimum, it is advisableto rough-m a soil depressurization install the HVAC systemsothat it producesa slightlypositive
systemthat can easilybe madeactivewith a fan. Attention to air pressureinside all areasof the building. Pressurizationis
dek$l in the designstageof the soil depressurizationsystem accomplishedby bringing more outdoor air into the building
will help ensureits success.The following is a review of than is removed.This hasbeenshown to reduceradonlevels
important guidelines for building and designing an ASD in existing schools.The outdoor air also increasesbuilding
system.
ventilation,and thusdilutesradon and other indoor conkaminants.
. Place a continuous4- to 6-m layer of the specified
aggregateunder the slab.(Aggregate,Section2.1.l. 1)
The following subsectionscontain designrecommenda. Eliminate barriersto subslabairflow such as subslab tions,standardsfor ventilation,andguidelinesfor installation,
operation,and maintenanceof HVAC systems.As discussed
walls. (SubslabWalls, Section2.1.1.2)
in the overview of this document,in radon-prone<areas
we
. Install a 4 by 4 ft suction pit under the slab. (Radon recommenda combinationof ASD, HVAC pressurizationand
dilution, and sealingof major radon entry routes.
SuctionPits, Section2.1.1.3)
. Run a 6-m diameterradon vent pipe from the radon 2.2.1
Design Recommendations for
suctionpit to the outdoors.(RadonVent Pipe,Section
HVAC Systems
2.1.1.4)
Building pressurizationis accomplishedby bringing in
. Install a suctionfan designedfor usein ASD systems. more outdoor air than is removed by mechanicalexhaust
systems.Excessair not removedby the exhaustsystemis
(SuctionFan, Section2.1.1.5)
forcedout of the building throughcracksandunsealedopen.
Sealmajor radonentry routesincluding slabandfoun- ings in the building shell, and is referredto asexfiltration.
dation joints andcracksand utility and pipe penetraThe conceptsof building pressurizationand building
tions. For basementsubstructure,also seal the basementwalls. (SealingRadonEntry Routes,Section2.3) depressurizationareillustratedin Figures2-8 and2-9,respectively. In both examplesthe building HVAC systemhas a
supply of 100,000cfm and an exhaustfan that withdraws

Table 2-1.

Estimated Costs for Primary ASD Components

ASD Feature

Material Cost

Comments

Crushed stone (4 in. deep

$0.10 to $0.25 per ft*

($4.50 to $11.32 per ton)

If aggregate is normally used, do not

indude as additional cost.

Radon suction pit (4 x 4 ft)

Minimal

As shown in Figure 2-5.

Vent stack (6 in. diameter PVC)

$2.00 to $3.00 per ft

Total cost depends on pipe run length.

Vent stack fittings (6 in. diameter PVC)

$20.00 to $30.00 each

Total cost depends on system design.

6 mil poly vapor retarder under slab

$0.10 to $0.30 per R*

Normally included in construction.

Suction fan

$300 to $500 each

As discussed in Section 2.1 .1.5.

Firebreaks

$100 to $150 each

At least one per stack and pit.

Sealing joints in concrete

(typical 40 x 40 ft slab sections)

$0.40 to $1.50 per linear ft

(includes material and labor)

Highly variable, depending on building

design and location.

24

Although building pressurization and dilution can reduce

15,000 cfm. However, in Figure 2-8 there is an outdoor air
supply of 20,000 cfm, or 20% of the total supply. As a result, radon levels and improve indoor air quality, they do present
the building illustrated in Figure 2-8 is under a positive some concerns as a stand-alone radon control technique.
pressureand 5,000 cfm of air will exfiltrate from the building. These include:
This positive pressure will keep radon from entering the
If total building exhaust capacity is not balanced with
building while the HVAC system is operating. On the other
an
equal or greater amount of conditioned makeup air
hand, the scenario in Figure 2-9 shows an outdoor air supply
(outdoor
air), the pressurein the building interior will
of only 5,000 cfm, or 5% of the total supply. In this case,the
be
negative
with respect to the subslab area. This
building is depressurizedby 10,000 cfm. This depressurizanegative
pressure
acts as a driving force for radontion will cause air to infiltrate into the building and can
containing
soil
gas
to be drawn into the building.
exacerbateradon entry into the building. The natural stack
effect can also contribute to building depressurization.
Open windows and doors make it very difficult to
achieve a consistent positive pressurein the building.
To minimize the amount of outdoor air neededto pressurize a building, the shell of the building must, be tightly
Start/stop operation of the HVAC system for various
constructed.In addition to facilitating building pressurization,
occupancymodesdoesnot allow for continuous builda tight building shell will reduce energy costs and allow for
ing pressurization.If the HVAC systemis turned off or
improved environmental control. For details on measuringair
set back during unoccupied periods, then the specific
leakagerates,refer to ASTM E779 Standard Test Method for
hours of preoccupancystart-up to reduce radon levels
Determining Air Leakage Rate by Fan Pressurization (18):
that have built up while the system was off should be
Note that large buildings may be difficult to test by this
determined on a building-by-building basis.
method becauseof the larger leakage area.
The design and operation limitations of different types
Measurements in existing schools show that a slight
of HVAC systemsmust be considered when designing
positive pressure(as little as +O.OO
1 in. WC relative to subslab
a system to pressurize the building. For example, the
and outdoors) reducesradon levels by preventing radon entry.
design of variable air volume (VAV) systems must
So, radon entry should be prevented while the HVAC system
take into consideration the effects of minimum flow
is operating if the building is pressurized.
conditions on ventilation and pressurization of the
building.
The supply of outdoor air also helps to reduce radon
levels by dilution. For a given constant rate of entry, radon
For additional information on the effects that different
concentrations in a building are inversely proportional to types of HVAC systemshave on radon levels in schools,refer
ventilation rates.Thus, for example, to reduceradon levels by to the recent EPA report HVAC Systems in the Current
a factor of 10, one would have to increase the air exchange Stock of U.S. K-12 Schools*(20).
rate by that same factor (19). In most cases, such a large
exchangerate may be neither practical nor desirable.

Exhaust Fan

u,wuw~mauaes
necycleo Air 80,000 CFM

Exhaust 15,000 CFM

Positive Pressure From
5 MO

CFM

E Positive Pressure
= Negative Pressure

Figure 2-8.

Buildlng positive pressurization

with HVAC system.

25

Exhaust Fan

Infiltration
10,000 CFM
-m

Infiltration
10,000 CFM

/
@= Positive Pressure
Q=
Figure 2-9.

2.2.2

Example of building depressurization

Negative Pressure

with HVAC system.

Sealall supply and return ductwork at all seamsand

joints.

Standards for Ventilation

For many yearsit has been commonpracticeto design

largebuildings with approximately10%more supplyair than
returnair in orderto reducedraftsfrom infiltration. Following
this sameprocedurein a building with a tight shell is likely to
producea net positivepressurein the building during normal
operation.Examplesof recommendedventilation standards
for commercialbuildings,from ASHRAE Standard62-1989:
Ventilation for AcceptableIndoor Air Quality (lo), are
summarizedin Table2-2. The ASHRAE guidelinesarebeing
adopted by many statesand national building codes as a
standardin new construction.The applicationof this standard,
coupledwith tight construction,is expectedto reduceentry
of soil gas and increasedilution of building contaminants.
Both the increasedventilationand the pressurizationshould
help to reduceindoor radonlevels.

2.2.3

Guidelines for Installation

Operation

Constructthe building tightly.

Control operationof the HVAC relief dampersso that
theymodulateto maintaina positivebuilding pressure
of 0.005 to 0.010 in. WC. Relief dampersshould be
controlled by sensingthe differential pressureacross
the building shell andmodulatingthe relief damperto
maintainpositivepressurein the building.
Be sureall applicablebuilding and safetycodes,standards,and guidelinesare followed. Especiallyimportant in this regard are fue codes,fuel use codes,the
National Electrical Code, and other safety and mechanicalcodes.

and

It is not practicalto providespecificradoncontrol guidelinesfor designingandoperatingeverytypeof HVAC system.

However,the following basicguidelinesfor achievingbuilding pressurizationshouldbe discussedwith the designengineersduring the planningstage.
. Plan the HVAC systemsso that the building interior in
all groundcontactroomsis at leastslightly pressurized
(for example,0.005 to 0.010 in. WC). Any effect on
moisturedynamicsandcodeacceptabilitymustalsobe
addressedby the building designers.
.
Avoid subslabsupplyand/orreturn ductwork.
.

Sealall floor and wall penetrations(especiallyunder

through-wallunits and in mechanicalrooms,seeSection 2.3).

Be sure to preservethe intended indoor air quality

purposesof mechanicalventilation devices.Exhaust
fans should remove the moisture, fumes, and other
contaminantsgeneratedwithin thebuilding. Supplyair
systemsshould provide temperedair, free of objectionablequantitiesof contaminants.

2.2.4

Maintenance

ProperHVAC systemmaintenanceis essentialto ensure

continuedreductionof radon levels and adequateindoor air
quality. This is especiallyimportantin areasknown to have
radon problems.The following items are intendedfor buildIn radon-proneareas,do not locateair supplyor return ing owners and operatorsto assistin proper operationand
maintenanceof HVAC systems.
ductwork in a crawl space(10).

26

Table 2-2.

Examples of Outdoor Air Requirements for Ventilation in Commercial Facilities (Source: ASHRAE Standard 62-1989)

Type of Facility

Estimated Occupancy,
Persons per 1000 ft2 of floor

Lobbies
Conference Rooms
Assembly Rooms
Dormitory Sleeping Areas
Office Spaces
Reception Areas
Smoking Lounges
Barber Shops
Beauty Shops
Supermarkets
Ballrooms & Discos
Transportation Waiting Rooms
School Classrooms
School Laboratories
School Auditoriums
Hospital Patient Rooms
Operating Rooms
Correctional Cells

Area

Outdoor Air Requirements

(&n/Person) Non-smoking Area

30
50
120
20
7
60
70
25
25
8
100
100
50
30
150
10
20
20

15
20
15
15
20
15
60
15
25
15
25
15
15
20
15
25
30
20

Note: For complete listing refer to ASHRAE Standard 62-1989 (10).

Annually
. Replaceair filters at leasttwice a year if high quality,
medium efficiency pleated air filters are used and
more frequentlyif non-pleatedor disposablelow efficiencyfilters areused.
. Check the HVAC systemand exhaustfans to determine if they arebeingoperatedasdesigned.Excessive
exhaustwithout adequatemakeupair will depresstuize
the building, rendering building pressurizationineffective.
. Inspect the HVAC systemcomponentsand controls
for failure or signsof faulty operation(suchas lossof
dampercontrol) that would restrict the supply of outdoor air. Note: two states,California and Maine, currently requireannualinspectionsfor correctoperation
of the ventilation systemsin schools;other statesare
consideringsimilar requirements.
. If an ASD systemis also installed, inspect the dischargelocationof the ASD ventpipe to ensurethat an
air intake has not been located nearby, or building
usagechangehasnot placedthe exhaustnearoperable
windows.

ating under minimum outdoor air conditions. This positive

pressurizationwill reduce radon entry, and the additional
outdoor air will help to dilute radon that does enter the
building.
A building designedto control indoor air contamimants
(including radon) shouldinclude:
. Pressurizedgroundcontactrooms
.

A well-balancedair distributionsystem

Adequatemakeupair

A tight building shell (lessthan 1.0 ach at 25 Pa)

Mechanicalsystemsshouldbe designedand installedto

meet the needsof occupanthealth, safety,comfort, energy
conservation,and building longevity. Meeting theseneeds
requiresan understandingof how the climate, the building,
and the occupantsinteract. Building pressurizationalone,
however,cannotalwaysconsistentlypreventradonentry.For
example, operable windows can make it very difficult to
achieve pressurization.A properly designed and operated
mechanicalsystem,in conjunctionwith an ASD systemand
sealing of major radon entry routes, should provide costeffectiveradonpreventionin new buildings.

Once Every 5 Years

Sealing Radon Entry Routes
2.3
. Test and balance the HVAC system.Rebalancethe
This section on sealing radon entry routes covers the
following topics:
systemasrenovationsand usagechangesoccur.
. RecommendedSealants(2.3.1)
2.2.5
Summary of Building
Pressurization Guidelines
. SealingConcreteSlabs(2.3.2)
In a building with a tight shell, slight positivepressuriza- . SealingBelow-gradeWalls (2.3.3)
tion can be achievedby supplying about 10% more outdoor
air than is mechanicallyexhaustedwhen the building is oper. SealingCrawl Spaces(2.3.4)
27

Recommendedsealantsfor radon-resistantnew construction arebriefly coveredin Section2.3.1.Sections2.3.2.2.3.3,

and2.3.4 coversealingthe mostcommonradonentry routes.
Section2.3.2 is applicableto ah three substructuretypesslab-on-grade,basement,and crawl space- that are constructedwith poured concrete slabs. Section2.3.3 is applicableto basementsubstructures.Section2.3.4providesadditional sealingrecommendationsfor limiting radonentry from
the crawl spaceinto the building interior.
On-goingEPA researchon radon-resistantnew construction in homeshasencounterednumerousdifftcultiesin achieving a reliable, gastightphysical barrier betweenthe soil gas
andthebuilding (5). This researchindicatesthata nearperfect
sealingjob is necessaryto achievehigh radon reduction in
homesusing sealingas a stand-aloneradon reduction technique in radon-proneareas.Becauseof the difftculties of
achievingcompletesealing, it is normally much more cost
effectiveto include ASD (Section2.1) and adequateHVAC
systemdesign and operation (Section 2.2) in the designof
new buildings in radon-prone areas. However, sealing of
major radon entry routes (as discussedbelow) and good
constructionpractice will enhancethe performanceof both
ASD andHVAC radonpreventiontechniques.

2.3.1

Recommended

Sealants

is alwaysa potentialradonentrypoint. To facilitatesealingof

this joint after construction, contractors have deliberately
createda significant floor/wall joint detail so that it will be
easy to work with and seal. One approachis to install an
expansionjoint with the top l/2 to 3/4 in. of thejoint removable after the concrete sets. This approach leaves enough
spacefor sealingwith a suitablepolyurethanecaulkingbefore
floor coveringis installed.Another approachis to round the
slabat the floor/wall joint with an edgingtool and sealit with
polyurethanejoint compound.The expansionjoint shouldbe
as thin as possible (or eliminatedif code permits) to make
sealingeasier.It is importantto sealthis joint duringconstruction becausethejoint is ofteninaccessibleafter the buildings
walls are raisedand floor coveringis laid.
Architectsand engineersshouldalso be awarethatbuildingsconstructedwith a combinationof differentsubstructures
may haveadditionalentry routesat the interfacebetweenthe
two typesof substructures.
Pour Joints and Control Saw Joints
Cracksaredifficult to avoidwhenlargeconcreteslabsare
poured.To minimize cracking,builderseitherusepour joints
becausethe slab was poured in sections,or saw-cutthe slab
(control saw joints) to control where a crack will occur, or
both. If neither of thesetechniquesnor post-tensioninghas
beenemployed,largerslabswill crackunevenlyin unpredictable locations.To facilitate sealing these cracks,make the
joint or saw-cutlarge enoughto sealwith polyurethanecaulk
after the slab sets.To sealproperly, both sidesof cold joints
shouldbe tooled whenpouredand then sealedwhencured.

Sealantsusedfor radon-resistantapplicationsmust have

good adhesionto concreteand be durable and elastic.The
popularity of polyurethaneas a suitable elastomericjoint
compoundis basedon a combinationof strong adhesionto
concreteunderdifficult conditions,long servicelife, andgood
elasticity (5). Avoid silicone caulks becausethey do not
2.3.2.2 Slab Penetrations and Openings
adhereto concretewell.
Major slabpenetrationsandopeningsshouldbe seaIedto
Whenyou apply sealants,be suresurfacesareclean,dry,
reduce
radonentry andto improveASD andbuilding pressurand free of grit and that the surface temperatureis above
ization
systemperformance.Theseslabpenetrationsandopenfreezing.Apply sealantsin accordancewith themanufacturers
ings
include
utility penetrationsand sumpholes.
recommendedpractice.Typical dimensionsfor caulk beads
are l/2 in. deepby l/4 in. to l/2 in. wide. It may be necessary Utility Penetrations
to usebackerrod whenapplying sealantin wide gaps.
Examplesof utility penetrationsthroughthe slabinclude
2.3.2
Sealing Concrete Slabs
water and sewer lines, utility lines to unit ventilatorsand
This sectioncoversall buildings constructedwith con- radiators,electrical serviceentries,subslabconduits,air conditioner condensatedrains, and roof drains. The openings
creteslabs:slab-on-grade,basement,and crawl space.
aroundtheseslabpenetrationsshouldbe sealedwith polyureConcreteis normally a good radon barrier. The major thane caulks. Many builders use plastic sleevesto protect
problemswith concreteslabsarejoints, slabpenetrations,and metal pipes from corrosionwhen they passthrough the concracks.The following subsectionsprovideguidanceon avoid- creteslab.Thesesleevescanbe removedafter the concreteis
ing theseproblemsby: 1) sealingslabjoints, penetrations,and set, and the spacearound the pipe can then be sealedwith
openings:2) preventingrandomcracksin slabs;and 3) using polyurethanecaulk. The sametechniquesshouldbe usedfor
subslabmembranes.For additionalinformation,refer to Con- pipespassingthrough block walls.
crete Floors on Ground (21) and Guide for Concrete Floor
In mostconstruction,floor drainsemptyinto a sewerpipe
and Slab Construction (22).
rather than the soil. In thesecases,the drain itself is not of
2.3.2.1 Slab Joints
concern as a radon entry route. The only concern is the
Slabjoints of concernfor radon entry include the floor/ openingaroundthepipepenetrationasdiscussedabove.Where
the floor drain does drain into the soil, the drain should
w<alljoint, pour joints, and control sawjoints.
includea filled water trapto preventsoil gasfrom enteringthe
building
Floorf Wall Joint
The floor/wall joint (alsocalledperimetercrack)of a slab
is locatedbetweenthe edgeof the floor slabandtheinterior or
exteriorloadbearingwalls. As a coldjoint, thefloor/walljoint
28

Use higher strength concrete: Typical schoolconcrete

slab constructionuses concrete with a 28&y compressive
Although sump holes are rare in new constructionof strengthof 3,000to 3,500psi. Concretecanbe madestronger
largebuildings,theyareoccasionallyusedascollectionpoints by increasingthe cement content, by reducing the water/
for a subslabdrainagesystem.The sump hole can createa cementratio, or both.
radon collectionsystemthat shouldnot be open to the building interior. An alternativesubslabdrainagesystemis onethat 2.3.2.4 Subslab Membranes
drains by gravity to daylight, servingthe samepurposeas a
Membranesof plasticsusedto control liquid water pensump hole without the radon entry routes. If draining to etrationand water vapor diffusion also are effectivein condaylight is not possible,then sealthe sumphole so that there trolling air movement.If they can be adequatelysealedat the
are no air leaks to the building interior. Seal the sumphole joints andpenetrationsandinstalledintact,membranesCNIbe
with a gasketandlid, and ventthe sumpto the outdoorsusing used in conjunction with the sealedconcrete slab to help
plastic pipe (as discussedin Section 2.1.1.3). Also install a providea physicalbarrierto radonentry.Theuseof a polyethsubmersiblesumppump to removeany water collectedin the ylenevaporretarderwill alsoenhancethe effectivenessof an
sump through a check valve to approveddisposal.Sealed ASD systemby keeping wet concreteout of the aggregate
surnpshave been used as suction pits for ASD systemsin during pouring.
housesby attachinga fan to the PVC pipe (15); however,this
Many typesof membranesare availableincluding:polyapproach has not been field-tested in schools and is not
ethylene film, reinforced polyethylene film, polyethylenerecommended.
coatedkraft paper,PVC membranes,andEPDM membranes.
Radonmitigatorssometimesusesiliconeratherthanpoly- Polyethylenesheetingis commonlyusedas a subslabvapor
urethanecaulksfor sealingsumplids andaccessportsbecause retarderin mostareasof the country.The currentprevalence
theymakea tight fitting gasketthat canberemovedat a future and low cost of this material indicate it is worthwhile to
date.This is satisfactoryif the sumpcoveris bolteddown and continue its use even though it is an imperfect barrier for
the sealis airtight.
radon.
2.3.2.3 Crack Prevention
2.3.3
Sealing Belo w-Grade Walls
Cracking of concrete is a natural result of the curing
Below-grade walls and stem walls are normally conprocess.Factorsthat affect the curing processinclude water structedof eitherpouredconcreteor masonryblocks.Because
content, cementcontent, aggregatecontent,humidity, tem- thesewalls are in direct contact with the soil, they can be
perature,carbondioxide levels,air movementover the slab major radonentry routes.This sectiondiscussesthe different
surface,andpreparationof the subslabarea.Reinforcementis typesof below-gradewalls and the coatingsthat cranbe used
one of the methodstypically used in large slabs to reduce to sealthesewalls. Penetrationsandopeningsthroughbelowcracking.Concreteshouldbe reinforcedandplacedin accor- gradewalls into the soil canalsobe majorradon entryroutes.
dance with American Concrete Institute (ACI) codes and Thesepenetrationsand openingsshouldalways be sealedas
standardpractice. AC1 publishes a number of documents discussedin Section2.3.2.2.
outlining standardpractice.A numberof theseapply to crack
prevention.Specifically,thereaderis referredto AC1302.1R- 2.3.3.1 Wall Types
89, Guide for ConcreteFloor and Slab Construction(22).
Poured Concrete Walls
The builder should @eatthe slab in one or more of the
In schoolsand other large buildings, foundation walls
following waysto reduceslabcracking.
madeof pouredconcreteare generallyconstructedto a miniReinforce with ferrous metals: Imbeda combinationof mum compressive strengthof 3,500 psi. A poured concrete
rebarand wovenwire meshin the slabto increaseits strength. wall can be an excellent barrier to radon; however,as with
concreteslabs, the major problems are cracks,joints, and
Reinforce with fibers: Various fiber additivesareavail- penetrations.We recommendthat concretewalls be built in
able to reinforcepouredconcreteand reducecracking.These compliancewith guidelinesestablishedby AC1 to ensurea
fibers are discussedin AC1 544, State-of-the-ArtReport on strongfoundationand to minimize cracking(24,25).
Fiber-ReinforcedConcrete.
Masonry Block Walls

Sump Holes

Usewater-reducing admixtures: Theseadmixtures(also

Foundationwalls built of concretemasonryunits canbe

known as plasticizers)retain workability at a lower water
designed
with open cores,filled cores,or coresclosedat or
content,increasingthe strengthof the concreteslab.SeeAC1
near
the
top
courseor at slablevel.In addition,masonrywalls
212.1R-89, Admixturesfor Concrete,for more information
are frequentlycoatedwith an exteriorcementitiousmaterial
(23).
(referredto as parging) for water control. This coating is
Cure properly: Propercuring is critical to the strength usually coveredat the bottom of the wall to make a good
2nddurability of poured concrete.Strongerconcretecan be exterior seal at the joint betweenthe footing and the block
achieved by slowing the drying rate. Approachesinclude wall. Other typesof coatingsare discussedbelow in Section
watering the slab during drying, covering it with wet sand, 2.3.3.2.Uncoatedblocks are not effectivewater or Soil-gas
wet sawdust,or a waterprooffilm, or coatingit with a curing barriers.
compound.
29

Concreteblocks are more porous than pouredconcrete,

althoughthe parge or waterproofmgcoatscan moderatethe
difference.RecentEPA laboratorytestshaveconfiied that
concretemasonry walls can allow substantialairflow, although there is a great deal of variation in the porosity of
blocks(26).
Whenmasonryconstructionis used,it is mandatorythat
concreteblock walls be built accordingto guidelinesissued
by the NationalConcreteMasonry Association(NCMA) and
AmericanConcreteInstitute/AmericanSocietyof Civil Engineers.Their publicationscover thiclmessof block, reinforcing, pilaster location, control joints, sequencingand other
issuesthat influencecrackingand foundationstrength(5).

Coal tar modified polyurethane: coal tar modified

polyurethaneis a cold-applied liquid waterproofmg
system.The coatingdrieshard but has someelasticity.
One problem with this material is that it can be attackedby acidsin groundwater,but it can be defended
by a protectionboard.The performanceof any liquidapplied waterproofingsystemis limited by the capabilities of the applicator,and it is difficult to achieve
evencoatson verticalsurfaces(5).

Polymer-modifiedasphalt:polymer-modifiedasphalt
is anothercold-appliedliquid waterproofmgsystem.
As with thesystemmentionedabove,the quality of the
installationdependson the applicator,andit is difficult
to achievean evencoatingon a vertical surface.High
gradepolymer-modifiedasphaltis superiorto coal tar
modified polyurethanein elasticity, crack-spanning
ability, and resealability, but inferior in its resistance
to chemicals(5).

Membranewaterproofingsystems:membranewaterproofing is advantageousover liquid-appliedsystems

in that quality control over thicknessis ensuredby the
manufacturingprocess.Most membranesystems<are
also chemicallystableand have good crack-sp,anning
ability. Effectivewaterproofingdemandsthatconcrete
seamsbe smoothso the membraneis not punctured.
Reinforcedthermoplasticmembranescan be applied
in variousways:affixedto walls, laid beneathconcrete
slabs,or on a layerof sand.Thermoplasticmembranes
are rated highly for resistanceto chemicalsand longevity. Rubberizedasphaltpolyethylene membranes
havesuperiorcrack-bridgingability, comparedto fully
adheredthermoplasticmembranes(5). However,se<ams
and overlapsmust be carefully and completelysealed
for membranesto functionascompleteradonbarriers.
Manufacturersrecommendationsfor sealant,application procedures,and safetyprecautionsshouldbe followed.

Stemwalls and Interior Walls

Stemwalls,alsocalled frost walls, arebelow-gradefoundationsthat support the load of the above-gradewalls, and
thereby,the roof. Thereis a footing beneathstemwallsbelow
thefrost line. The sealingof the slab/stemwalljoint is covered
under Section2.3.2.1.
If stemwallsare constructedof concreteblocks,then the
top blocks must be solid. This solid block can help prevent
radonfrom enteringthe building: it will also makethe building easier to mitigate if it has elevatedradon. Sealing the
bottomcourseshould preventsoil gasbeneaththe slab from
enteringthe block wall.
2.3.3.2 Coatings For Below-Grade Walls
There are buihling codes that dictate dampproofmgor
waterproofingtreatmentsfor foundations.Any waterproofing
materialthatprovidesadequateprotectionagainstwatershould
greatly reduce convectivesoil gas movement.Properly applied waterproofing materialswill help block the pressuredrivenentry of soil gas.Waterproofingbarriersagainstpressure-drivengasflow shouldmeetthe following criteria:good
adhesion,crack-spanningability, flexibility and elasticity
through a wide temperaturerange, punctureresistance,and
chemicaland structural stability over time. The advantages
and disadvantagesof various types of coatingsfor exterior
and interior below-gradewalls are discussedbelow.
Exterior Wall Coatings
. Bituminous asphalt: the most common exterior
dampproofmgtreatmentfor foundationwallsis a parge
or spray coat cover using bituminous asphalt.The
parge coat is most often used for concretemasonry
walls. However,data from Oak Ridge NationalLaboratory indicatethat bituminousasphaltcanbe attacked
by soil and groundwaterchemicals,specificallyacids
(5). Bituminousmaterialsmay alsolosetheir elasticity
at below-freezingtemperatures.Thesefeaturesrender
bituminous asphalt an undependablewaterproofing
treatment;thus, builders should not use bituminous
asphalt for sealing radon entry routes. Bituminous
asphaltis listed by code organizationssuchas Building Officials andCodeAdministrators(BOCA),Council of AmericanBuilding Officials(CABO), andSouthem Building Code CongressInternational (SBCCI)
only for dampproofmg.

Surfacebonding cement:surfacebonding mortar or

cement is approved by some building codes as
dampproofmgtreatment,but not as a waterproofing
treatment.A number of manufacturersproduce cementsand mortarsimpregnatedwith fibrous glassor
other fibers. Some of thesemay be chemically unstablein the alkalineenvirotunentof Portlandcement
(5).
Interior Wall Coatings
. Cementitiouswaterproofing: a number of additives
can be mixed with concrete to create cement-like
waterproofing. This type of waterproofingis appropriateonly for interior applicationsbecauseit is inelastic, does not have good crack-spanningability, and
cannotresisthydrostaticpressure.
. Interior paint asa barrier: a variety of interior applied
masonrypaintsareavailable.Someof thesehavebeen
testedby EPAs Air andEnergyEngineeringResearch
Laboratory.Resultsof thesetestsshow that a number
of interior paints can be effective radon baniers if
properly applied(26).

30

2.3.4

Openingsaroundutility penetrationsthat passthrough

the slabshouldbe thoroughlysealed.

Sealing Crawl Spaces

Elevatedlevelsof radon can alsobuild up insidea crawl

space,especiallyif the crawl spacehasan earthenfloor rather
thana pouredconcreteslab.Radonin thecrawl spacecanthen
enterthe occupiedareaabovethe crawl spacethroughcracks
and openingsin the floor. Thorough sealingof thesecracks
andopeningswill help to reduceradonentry into the occupied
<area.

Drain footingandinterior drainagesystemsto daylight

if possible.If a sumphole is necessary,a submersible
pump should be used, the hole sealedairtight to the
building, and the sumpventedto the outdoors.
To reduceslab crackingthe builder can reinforce the
concretewith ferrousmetalsor fibers,usewaterreducing admixtures,usehigherstrengthconcrete,andmake
surethat the concreteis curedproperly.

In schoolsand other large buildings, the floor abovethe

crawl spaceis typically a suspendedconcreteslabratherthan
a wood floor (asin houses).A pouredconcretefloor slabis a
goodbarrier to radon;however,asdiscussedin Section2.3.2,
joints and cracksin the slab are potentialradon entry routes
and must be sealed.Sealingand crack preventiontechniques
for slabs,coveredin Section2.3.2, shouldbe followed.

Subslabmembranescanbe usedunder theslabto help

provide a physical barrier to radon entry: however,
their most useful purposeis probably to prevent wet
concretefrom seepinginto the aggregateduring construction.

Openingsand penetrationsbetweenthe crawl spaceand

theoccupiedareaaboveshouldbe eliminatedwherepossible. Sealing Below-grade Walls
All otheropeningsandpenetrationsshouldbe carefullysealed
Poured concretewalls are good barriers to radon <as
during construction.Openingsand penetrationsof particular
longascracksandopeningsaroundutility penetrations
concernare similar to those coveredin Section2.3.2.2 and
are
sealed.
include:
. If masonryblock walls are used, selectblocks with
. water andsewerlines
low air flow permeabilityand apply exterior and/or
. utility lines to unit ventilatorsandradiators
interior
coatingsto the walls.
. electricalserviceentries
. If stem walls and interior walls are constructedof
In areaswith a high potentialfor elevatedradonlevels,it
concreteblocks,the top blocksshould be solid.
may also be necessaryto take a more direct approachby
installinga submembrane
depressurization
systemin thecrawl Sealing Crawl Spaces
space.This technique actually reducesradon levels in the
. Thoroughly seal all cracksand openingsin the floor
crawl spacerather than reducing radon entry from the crawl
abovethe crawl space.
spaceinto the building and is coveredin Section2.1.4.
. Crawl spacebuildings constructedin radon-pronearRadonin thecrawl spacecanalsoentertheoccupiedarea
easshoulduse suspendedconcretefloors (ratherthan
aboveif duct work for the HVAC systemis locatedin the
wood) above the crawl space and a submembrane
crawl space.Therefore,in radon-proneareas,neitherair supdepressurization
system.
ply nor return duct work shouldbe locatedin the crawl space.
For additional information, refer to ASHRAE Standard62- 2.4
Guidelines for Measuring Radon
1989(10).
Levels
l

2.3.5

Summary of Sealing
Recommendations

EPA is currentlyrevisingtheir guidelinesfor conducting

radon measurements
in schools.Contactyour local, state,or
EPA RegionalOffice for a copy of theseupdatedguidelines
While physical barriers and sealing entry routes will for radon measurementsin schoolsand for radon measurereduceradon levels,the primary importanceof sealingis to mentguidelinesfor largebuildings.
enhancethe effectivenessof ASD systemsand building pressurization.The following lists summarizeguidelinesfor recIn addition to measuringradonafter the building is conommendedsealantsand for sealing concreteslabs,below- structed,EPA recommendsthat schoolsbe retestedsometime
gradewalls, and crawl spaces.
in the future. This is particularly important if there are any
changesto the building structureor HVAC system.A sugRecommendedSealants
gestedschedulefor retestingis:
. Use polyurethanesealantssince they adherewell to
If theresultsof theinitial testingwereall below 4 pCi/
concrete,havea good servicelife, and goodelasticity.
L, retestall frequentlyoccupiedground-contactrooms
sometimein thefuture. As a building settles,cracksin
.
Sealantsshould be applied,accordingto manufacturthe
substructureor other structural changesmay iners recommendations,onto a cleandry surface.
creaseradonentry.
Sealing Concrete Slabs
If any areasinitially testedabove4 pCi/L, requiring
. Slabjoints (floor/wall joints, pour joints, and control
radonmitigation,retesttheseareasperiodically.Specific guidelineson post-mitigationtestingwill be prosawjoints) should be tooled when pouredand sealed
vided in an updatedEPA manualon radon mitigation
with polyurethanecaulk aftercuring.
in schools.
31

If major renovationsto a building or HVAC system

areplanned,retestthebuilding beforehand.If elevated
radon levels are detected,incorporateradon-resistant
featuresaspart of the renovation.

32

Appendix A
Case Study
Application of Radon Prevention Design Features to a
Johnson City Rehabilitation Hospital Building

Background

retarder was placed on top of the aggregateprior to

pouring the slab.

Information

In late 1990 and 1991, EPA had the opportunity to

demonstrateASD in a largehospitalbuilding underconsuuction in JohnsonCity, Tennessee(6.7). The hospitalbuilding
is one story with a floor area of about 60,000 sq ft. The
building is slab-on-gradeconstruction with no foundation
walls penetratingthe slab.Mechanicalpiping, electricalconduit, and structuralcolumnspenetratethe slab with the columns sitting on footings beneath the slab. These columns
supportsteelbeamsoverheadwhich in turn carry thebarjoists
for the roof (post-and-beamconstruction).

3. Sealingof all pour andcontrol sawjoints and any slab

penetrationswith a polyurethanecaulking. (No expansion joints were usedin the building.)
4.

This type of constructionis usedin mostcommercialand

industrial buildings currently being built in the U.S. where
dimensionsarelargein both directions(lengthandwidth). All
internal walls are gypsum board on metal studs, and the
exteriorwalls are metal stud supportinggypsumboardon the
inside surfaceand an exterior insulation finish systemon the
outside.

Installationof one subslabradonsuctionpit, as shown

in Figure 2-5. The pit was locatedin the approximate
centerof the slab and had a 6-in. stack leadingto the
roof. If a radonproblemwerefound when the building
was completed,plans were to install a turbo fan capable of moving 500 cfm of soil gas at zero static
pressure.

5. Continuousoperationof the HVAC fans in order to

pressurizethe building in all areasexceptthosewhere
negativepressureis necessaryto control odors, noxious chemicals,or infectiousdiseases(toilets,kitchen,
pharmacy,soiledlinens ares,isolation wards,etc.).

The 4-m thick slab waspouredovera 6 mil vaporbarrier

underlainwith a 4-in. layer of coarse,crushedaggregatethat
was continuousunder the entire slab. The slab was divided
into about15 ft squaresby a combinationof pourjoints (1,000
linear ft) andcontrol sawjoints (5,000linearft). No expansion
joints wereused.Turneddown exteriorfoundationwalls were
used, eliminating an exterior floor-to-wall joint. In other
words, the slab,exterior foundationwalls, and footingswere
pouredmonolithically.

Results

AI1 of the above recommendationswere acceptedand

incorporatedinto thebuilding design.Upon completionof the
shell of the building and sealing of the slab, EPA made
diagnostic measurementsto determineeffectivenessof the
ASD systemin depressurizingthe entire subslabarea.(Refer
to MeasureSubslabPressuresin Section2.1.2.1.)Testholes
were drilled through the slab at varying distancesfrom the
radon suctionpit, including a seriesaroundthe entire pcrimeter
about6 ft from the slabedge.Radonlevelsbelow theslab
EPA wasrequestedto review theplansand specifications
were
measuredby *sniffing with a continuousmonitor and
and to recommenda radon mitigation systemsincethe region
was known to have high radon potential. After this review, rangedfrom about200 to 1,800pCi/L,.
five recommendationswere madeto the architectdesigning
A suction fan was attachedto the radon vent stack in
the building and incorporatedin the plansand specifications. order to determinethe subslabpressurefield. The suctionfan
1. Good compactionof the clay soil under the aggregate movedabout200 cfm of soil gasat a vacuumof about 1.5in.
to decreasepermeability of the material under the WC. Subslab pressuremeasurementswcrc made using a
micromanometer.Negativepressurewas 0.47 in. WC in the
aggregate.
radonsuctionpit, 0.22in. WC 50 ft from theradon suctionpit,
2. Minimum of 4 in. of crushedaggregate-meetingSize and 0.18 in. WC at the farthest point on the perimeter (a
#.5specificationsas definedin ASTM C-33-90(ll)distanceof 185ft). This is consideredextremelygood cxtcncarefully placed so as not to include any soil. The sion of the negativepressurefield. Extrapolationof thesedata
stonewas not tampedafter it was placed,and a vapor indicatesthat the mitigation systemcould mitigate a slab as
largeas 1,OOO,OOO
fL2.
33

Upon completionof the building, radonlevelsweremeasuredin half of the building using open-facedcharcoalcanisters.The I-IVAC and the ASD systemswere off for this first
set of measurements.
Radonlevelsrangedfrom lessthan 0.5
pCi/L (lowest detectablelevel with the open-facedcanisters
used)to 53 pCi/L. The highestlevelswere in the bathrooms,
particularly thoseattachedto the patient rooms.The patient
room with the highest bathroom radon level had a radon
readingof 10pCi/L. This wasthe highestradonlevelfoundin
any non-bathroomareain the buihling.

Table A-l.

Cost of Mitigation System In Johnson City

Hospital

Change Order Description

Change aggregate to ASTM Size #5 stone
Seal all slab cracks and penetrations
with polyurethane caulking
Install subslab suction pit and stack to roof
Install suction fan and alarm system
Total cost

cost ($)
0
2583
1275
1510
$5368

To determinethe effect of the HVAC systemalone,the

entirebuilding was then measuredwith the HVAC systemon
and the ASD systemoff. Again, someof the bathroomshad
A low cost, single point ASD system,installed during
elevatedradon levels as did someof the patientrooms.The
bathroomwith the highestradon readingwasagainthe high- construction,has loweredradon levelsin a one-story60,000
est in the building with the I-WAC operating,testing6 pCi/L. ftz hospitalbuilding to nearambientlevels.LeveIsas high as
53 pCi/L were measuredin the building with both the HVAC
The final seriesof testswere madewith both the HVAC and ASD systemsoff, and levels as high as 16 pCi/L were
und ASD systemsoperating. The 20 bathroomswith the measuredwith the HVAC system operating and the ASD
highestradon levelsin the secondseriesof testsand manyof systemoff.
the patient rooms were remeasured.No measurableradon
The featuresof this radon-preventionsystemare:
levels were found in any of the rooms tested.This is not
surprising in view of the relatively high negativepressure 1. Slab-on-gradepost-and-beamconstructionwith no barunderthe entire slab with the ASD systemin operation.
riers to soil gasflow below the slab.
In the Indoor Radon AbatementAct of 1988, the U.S.
2. Continuouslayer of coarse,narrow particle size range
Congressset a long-term goal of reducing the radon level in
crushedaggregatea minimumof 4 in. thick.
all buildings in the U.S. to a level as low as that surrounding
3. Careful sealingof all slabcracksandpenetrationsand
the buildings (i.e., ambient).This building, built in a radonthe useof a 6-mil plasticfilm betweenthe slaband the
prone area,appearsto meetthe long-termambientgoal.
aggregate.

Conclusions

4. Low permeabilitylayer beneaththe aggregate.(In this

Incrementalcostsof theseradonpreventionfeatureswere
case,the compactedclay beneaththe aggregateditself
easilytabulatedsincethe contractfor thebuilding hadbeenlet
was highly impermeable.)
beforethe ASD systemwas addedto the design.Hence,the
cost of the ASD system and sealing was coveredby four
5. A subslabradonsuctionpit havinga void to aggregate
changeordersfor which the constructioncontractorcharged
interfaceareaof 5 to 7 ft2and a 6-in. diameterstackto
an additional$5,300.This is lessthan$0.10per sq ft of floor
the roof.
space.Specificationshad alreadycalledfor 4 in. of aggregate
6. An exhaustfan (on the stack)capableof exhaustinga
under the slab, and there was no charge for the changein
minimumof 500 cfm at no head.
aggregatesize used. The other three changeorderscovered
installation of the radon suction pit and stack to the roof,
For additionaldetailson this and other casestudies,refer
sealingof all pour and control sawjoints with a poIyurethane to References3,4,6,7,8, and 16.
caulking,andinstallationof the suctionfan and alarmsystem.
The costs of the four changeorders are summarizedin
Table A-l. A survey of eight recently constructedschool
buildings showedthat the cost of installing radon mitigation
systemsduring constructionrangedfrom $0.30to over $1.00
per sq ft (8). Hence, the mitigation systeminstalledduring
constructionin this new building cost only a fraction of the
cost of systemsinstalledin the eight schools.

34

Appendix B
References
ing, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers,
Inc., Atlanta, 1989.

1. U.S. EnvironmentalProtectionAgency, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,and U.S. Public
Health Service.A Citizens Guide to Radon(Second
Edition), May 1992.
2.

3.

U.S. EnvironmentalProtection Agency. Radon Reduction Techniques in Schools-Interim Technical

Guidance.U.S. EPA Offtce of Radiation Programs.
EPA-520/l-89-020 (NTIS PB90-160086). October
1989.
Leovic, K.W. Summaryof EPAs Radon Reduction
Researchin SchoolsDuring 1989-90.U.S. EPA, Office of Researchand Development.EPA-600/8-90072 (NTIS PB91-102038).October 1990.

11. American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM

C-33-90), Standard Specification for Concrete Aggregates,1990.
12. EngineeringNews Record,September7.1992, pg 45.
13. Industrial Ventilation 19* Edition: A Manual of RecommendedPractices,Committeeon Industrial Ventilation, Lansing,MI, 1986.
14. 1989ASHRAE FundamentalsHandbook,Chapter14,
page 14.4,Figure 17.

4.

Craig, A.B., K.W. Leovic, and D.B. Harris. Designof

radonresistantand easy-to-mitigatenew schoolbuildings. Presentedat the 1991 InternationalSymposium
on RadonandRadonReductionTechnology,Philadelphia, PA, April 1991.

5.

U.S. EnvironmentalProtectionAgency. Radon-resistantConstructionTechniquesfor New ResidentialConstruction-Technical Guidance. Office of Research

and Development.EPA/625/2-91/032.February1991.

6.

Craig, A.B., K.W. Leovic, and D.B. Harris. Designof

New Schoolsand Other Large Buildings Which are
Radon-ResistantandEasyto Mitigate.Presentedat the
Fifth InternationalSymposiumon the Natural Radiation Environment,Salzburg,September1991.
Craig, A.B., D.B. Harris, and K.W. Leovic. Radon
Preventionin Constructionof SchoolsandOtherLarge
Buildings-Status of EPAs Program.Presentedat the
1992 InternationalSymposiumon Radon and Radon
ReductionTechnology,Minneapolis,MN, September
22-25, 1992.
Craig, A.B., K.W. Leovic, and D.W. Saum.Cost and
Effectivenessof Radon Resistant Featuresin New
SchoolBuildings,HealthyBuildings-IAQ9 1,Washington, D. C., September4-8,199l.

15. U.S. EnvironmentalProtection Agency. Radon Reduction Techniquesfor DetachedHouses-Technical

Guidance(SecondEdition). EPA-625/5-87-017,January 1988.
16. Pyle, B.E. and K.W. Leovic. A Comparisonof Radon
Mitigation Optionsfor Crawl SpaceSchool Buildings.
Presentedat the 1991 Symposiumon Radon and Radon Reduction Technology,Philadelphia,PA, April
1991.
17. Dutt, G.S., D.I. Jacobson,R.G. Gibson, and D.T.
Harrje. Measurementof Moisturein Crawl SpaceRetrofits for EnergyConservation.Presentedat the Building ThermalEnvelopCoordinatingCouncil,Ft.Worth,
TX, 1986.
18. American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM
E779), Standard Test Method for Determining Air
LeakageRateby Fan Pressurization,1987.
19. Cavallo, A., K. Gadsby, and T.A. Reddy. Natural
BasementVentilation as a Radon Mitigation Technique.EPA&O/R-92-059 (NTIS PB92-166958).April
1992.
20. Parker,J.D. HVAC Systemsin the Current Stock of

U.S. K-12 Schools.EPA-600/R-92-125(NTIS PB92218338).July 1992.

Leovic, K.W., H.E. Rector, and N.L. Nagda.Costsof

Radon Diagnosticsand Mitigation in School Buildings. Presentedat the 85th Annual Meetingand Exhibition of the Air and WasteManagementAssociation,
KansasCity, MO, June21-26, 1992.
10. ASHRAE 1989.Ventilation for AcceptableIndoor Air
Quality. Standard62-1989.AmericanSocietyof Heat-

21. Portland Cement Association, Concrete Floors on

Ground,Skokie, IL, 1990.

22. AmericanConcreteInstitute (AC1 302.1R-89),Guide

for ConcreteFloor andSlabConstruction,Detroit, MI,

1989.
23. American Concrete Institute (AC1 212-lR-89), Ad-

mixturesfor Concrete,Detroit, MI, 1989.

35

26. Ruppersberger,J.S. The Use of Coatingsand Block

Specificationto ReduceRadonInflow ThroughBlock
BasementWalls. In: Proceedings:The 1990 Intemational Symposiumon Radon and Radon Reduction
Technology.Volume2: SymposiumOral Papers(Sessions V-IX). EPA-600/g-91-026b (NTIS PB91234450),July 1991.

24. American Concrete Institute (AC1 318-89). Building

CodeRequirementsfor ReinforcedConcrete,Detroit,
MI, 1989.
25. AmericanConcreteInstitute(AC131&l-89), Building
CodeRequirementsfor StructuralPlain Concrete,Detrait, MI, 1989.

36

Appendix C
EPA Regional Offices and Contacts
Region 1

Region 6

(CT, I-9 MA, IQ%RI, V

JFK FederalBuilding
Boston, MA 02203
Attention: RadiationProgramManager
(617) 5654502

(AR LA NM OK. TX)

1445RossAve.
Dallas TX, 75202
Attention:RadiationProgramManager
(214) 655-7223
Region 7

Region 2

(IA, KS, MO, NE)

726 MinnesotaAve.
KansasCity, KS 66101
Attention:RadiationProgramManager
(913) 551-7020

(NJ, NY)
26 FederalPlaza
New York, NY 10278
Attention: RadiationProgramManager
(212) 2644418

Region 8

Region 3

(CO, MT, ND, SD, UT, WY)

999 18thSt.
DenverPlace,Suite 500
Denver,CO 80202-2405
Attention:RadiationProgramManager
(303) 293-1709

(DE, DC, MD, PA, VA, WV)

841 ChestnutBuilding
Philadelphia,PA 19107
Attention: RadiationProgramManager
(215) 597-8320
Region 4

Region 9

(AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC,TN)

345 CourtlandSt. N.E.
Atlanta, GA 30365
Attention: RadiationProgmmManager
(404) 347-3907

(AZ, CA, I-K W

75 HawthorneSt.
SanFrancisco,CA 94105
Attention:RadiationProgramManager
(415) 744-1045

Region 5
Region 10

(IL N ML MN OH, WI>

77 WestJacksonBlvd.
Chicago,IL 60604
Attention: RadiationProgramManager
From: IN, MI, MN, OH & WI:
(800) 621-8431
From: IL:
(800) 572-2515

(AK, ID, OR, WA)

1200Sixth Ave.
Seattle,WA 98101
Attention:RadiationProgramManager
(206) 442-7660

37

Addendum
This addendum to the technical guidance manual, Radon Prevention in the Design andConstruction of Schoolsand
Other Large Buildings, is included in this printing of the
manual in order to make available new technology which has
been developed and field-verified since the manual was initially printed. In the future, the entire manual will be revised
and all new technology, including this addendum, will be
incorporated into the body of the manual.

CMUs turned on their sides.In the school where this was first
demonstrated,the contractor made the change to all interior
walls at no extra cost. Basedon these resuits, we recommend
that blocks be turned on all interior walls in buildings in which
ASD is installed except toilet walls serving as pipe chases.
These should not be turned and should be sealedfrom any
open contact with the subslabaggregate.

Increasing Pressure Field Extension by

Modifying Subslab Walls

Improved Suction Pits

The suction pit recommendedin the manual is described

in Section 2.1.1.3 (page 13) and illustrated in Figure 2-5 (page
Section 2.1.1.2 describesthe effect of subslabbarriers on 20). Since the manual was issued, two new suction pits of
pressurefield extension (PFE). It states,...the designershould improved design have been developed and field-tested. The
consider connecting subslab areas by eliminating subslab first is shown in Figure 2-12. It is constructedfrom angle iron
walls...under interior doors....Subslabcommunication could which supports a covering of expanded metal decking. This
also be facilitated by using subslab pipe sleeves to connect new suction pit is smaller (3 by 3 ft in areaand 12 in. deep) but
has the same void-to-aggregate interface (7 ft*) as the one
areasseparatedby subslab walls.
shown in Figure 2-5.
Another technique, now field-tested, has been shown to
The secondnew suction pit is smaller and much simpler
be extremely effective in improving PFE through block walls.
Every other concretemasonry unit (CMU) is turned on its side to construct. It is shown in Figure 2- 13. It is constructedfrom
in the first row of block below the slab in interior walls. This a rolled cylinder of expandedmetal decking with a sheetmetal
allows soil gas to passthrough the subslabwall, significantly top and bottom. When it is 8 in. tall and fitted with a 6 in.
improving PFE. PFE tests have shown that this essentially stack, it will exhaust an area of at least 20,000 ft*. When the
makes the wall disappear as far as PFE is concerned. This area to be covered is less than about 10,000 ft*, the pit can be
technique is shown in Figures 2-10 and 2- 11.In one field test, 6 in. tall and fitted with a 4 in. stack and a smaller fan if the
adequate negative pressure was still maintained after the distancebetweenthe pit and the fan is not too great (less than
pressurefield had passedthrough four successivewalls with about 20 ft).

38

Figure 2-10.

Every other lnterlor wall block Is turned on Its side to allow soll gas to pass through.

CMU Wall

4 Concrete Slab on
10 mil Vapor Barrier

.
,
\U

Seal All Slab Joints & Pipes

u/Y./
,v

I
h I

Ik/,

Lintel Block Filled with Concrete

Turn Every Other 6x6~16

CMU Horit. So Soil Gas Can
Pass Through

Figure 2-11.

Interior CMU wall.

39

Footing

11/2x18 Ga.TypeB
Gab. Mtl. Deck
I

6 - #4 Rebar x 8 0 Long
E.W. Centered Over Pit

6 Suction Pipe

Angle 2x2x1/4 cont.

T 8 B Around
Perimeter of Pit

Figure 2-12.

Poured Concrete
Base

Angle 2x2x1/4 Vert.

@ ea. Comer
\
Expanded Metal on
All 4 Sides Welded to
Angle Supports

Revised subslab suction pit

Rigid
Direction

6 or 8x48 #13 Expanded Metal Decking (1/2xl)

Rolled into Cyhnder and Overlap Welded

Steel Plate
wee;;0

Metal
Decking
Cylinder

Figure 2-13.

4 112 Hole for 4 Suction Pipe (6 Pit)

6 l/2 Hole for 6 &tion

Pipe (8 Pit)

Smaller subslab suction pit.

40

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