Sellers often pay closer attention to cost than quality when making this decision. Many do not keep the buyer’s best interest in mind. American Radon Mitigation is not interested in cutting corners to be the lowest bid, especially when it comes to your family’s health. We treat your home as if it were our own, aiming to reduce radon to its lowest possible level.

As the buyer, you can insist that we install a personalized mitigation system in your new home so you can be confident in the air you breathe for years to come. Another option is to ask the seller to take some money off the price of the home so that you can have quality radon reduction system installed. Most buyers, once educated, are more than willing to pay the difference to have it done the right way.

Yes. The key to getting your radon levels as low as possible is to create a vacuum under your entire home. American Radon Mitigation performs a thorough diagnostic process often overlooked by other contractors called Diagnostic Testing and Pressure Field Extension (PFE) testing.

To test PFE, we establish suction points and drill a number of small holes through the concrete floor in different areas of your home. We use a gauge that measures pressure (or vacuum) to ensure we’re creating enough suction in that area of the building. This gauge helps us decide:

• Where the best location for a suction point is
• If any additional suction points are necessary
• What size vent pipe is needed
• What adjustments are needed to control pressure using valves on each suction point
• Which radon fan is the best choice for your home

American Radon will obtain a permit for radon mitigation if required by your city. Permits typically range from $50 to $150. Once the work is completed, an inspector from the city will come out and inspect the radon reduction system to be sure it was installed properly.

Some mitigation companies do not pull permits. That can be an issue when you go to sell your home. You are required to answer the following question on the Seller’s Property Disclosure Statement: “Are you aware of any work performed on the property for which appropriate permits were not obtained?”

The following cities in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area require a permit for radon mitigation:

• Anoka
• Blaine
• Brooklyn Park
• Coon Rapids
• Eagan
• Eden Prairie
• Elk River
• Hopkins
• Minneapolis
• Ramsey
• Shakopee
• Paul

Many cities do not require a permit for radon mitigation including:

• Andover
• Apple Valley
• Arden Hills
• Big Lake
• Bloomington
• Buffalo
• Burnsville
• Champlin (up to homeowner)
• Edina
• Hugo
• Lakeville
• Maple Grove
• Minnetonka
• North Oaks
• Otsego
• Plymouth
• Richfield
• Robbinsdale
• Roseville
• Cloud
• Louis Park
• Woodbury

Some cities require the contractor to have a specialty license, bond, and certificate of insurance on file to obtain a permit. Minneapolis and Ramsey have some of these requirements.

Yes, American Radon will provide a written estimate to be signed before work begins.

DO NOT allow a radon contractor to wire the fan themselves. This could be a fire hazard and any damage may not be covered by your homeowners insurance, as the work was not completed by a licensed electrician.

American Radon can arrange for a licensed electrician to wire your radon fan. The licensed electrician will pull the necessary permits and their work will be inspected. The typical charge is generally between $275 and $475.

If the radon fan is in the attic, it needs an outlet within 6 feet of the fan. If the fan is outside, all wiring is required to be protected in conduit, unless otherwise permitted by local code, and should not be a plugged disconnect. Your radon fan cannot be plugged into an extension cord.

American Radon warranties materials and workmanship for one year. Most radon fans carry a five-year manufacturer’s warranty.

American Radon records the negative pressures from the test holes once the system is installed and leaves a copy with you. We provide you a free post-mitigation test kit to verify radon levels have been reduced.

Yes. American Radon takes the time to educate all homeowners on system operations and what to do if you encounter a problem.

Our goal is to protect you and your family by reducing your radon levels as low as possible, typically below 1 pCi/L. The average outdoor radon level in the Midwest is between 0.3 and 0.7. It is not possible to reduce indoor radon levels below outside concentrations.

With diagnostic testing, we are able to design a system for you based on fact, not guesswork. If a post-mitigation radon test reveals elevated levels, American Radon will recommend additional sealing, suction points, and/or fan upgrades.

American Radon would be happy to provide our certification numbers, reviews, and references at your request.

We like to take a phased approach when quoting and designing your radon system. This allows us to potentially save you money by not mitigating areas (such as crawl spaces and garages) that may not be the source of your radon.

Yes. Fire stop collars prevent a fire from spreading from the garage to the house. Unfortunately, we often see contractors skip this very important step. We take your family’s safety seriously and never skip important measures such as this.

American Radon uses environmentally-friendly products that are virtually odorless, non-flammable, and low in volatile organic compounds (VOCs) whenever possible.
Some sealing products such as polyurethane caulk, PVC glue, and primer leave your family’s health at risk while they cure. Their use should be avoided.

Yes, American Radon uses only the highest-quality materials in all our systems.

For example:

• Our sump basket covers are clear Lexan and can support the weight of an adult.
• All roof flashing carry a 10-year manufacturer’s warranty.
• A majority of the radon fans we use have long-lasting, German-made motors.

Many contractors use thin-wall PVC pipe that becomes brittle and cracks easily when cold. American Radon uses only schedule 40 PVC pipe, which is higher-quality and longer-lasting.

Typically, we use 4-inch pipe when higher airflow is required, systems requiring high suction and low flow utilize 2-inch and 3-inch pipe. When pipes will be exposed to the cold, we always use 4-inch, as it is less susceptible to freeze in the winter.

The pipe must exhaust one foot above the roof, at least 10 feet above the ground, and 2 feet above any window within 10 feet, according to code. This prevents high radon concentrations from re-entering a building or being inhaled while outdoors on a patio or deck.

Yes. Back drafting is the reverse flow of exhaust gases from fuel-fired appliances (such as water heaters and furnaces) that results in a buildup of carbon monoxide inside your home. American Radon tests for back draft and takes measures such as sealing air leaks to fix most back draft issues. Additional makeup air is sometimes required.

Yes, American Radon will leave your home as clean if not cleaner than the way we found it.

Some fans are louder than others. We bring a fan when we visit your home for an estimate so you can hear what it sounds like. We do offer a system noise suppressor, which reduces the noise by approximately 75 percent.

Yes, we offer a variety of accessories, including:

• Low airflow alarms
• Water alarms
• Noise suppressors
• Digital radon monitors

No. The goal is for radon-laden air to move up and away from your home. Rain caps are a magnet for ice build-up and can allow radon to re-enter your home through nearby windows. The small amount of rain that does enter the system will simply flow down into the soil as the pipe is pitched to allow for condensation to drain. We do install a critter guard to keep any small animals and birds from entering the system.

Indoor radon fans are against code. If the vent pipe or fan were ever to develop a leak on the exhaust side of the fan, it would pump high levels of radon into the home.

Depending on your property, the order of preference is typically:

1. Garage attic: It’s less invasive, quieter, protected from outdoor elements, and aesthetically pleasing.
2. House attic: It’s protected from outdoor elements and aesthetically pleasing.
3. Exterior of the home: It’s less expensive, but results in a shorter fan life, more susceptible to freeze up, and is not aesthetically pleasing.

Yes, we insulate all pipe in garages and attics, as required by code. This helps prevent system freeze-up and any water damage due to condensation on the pipe dripping onto the drywall.