Cost-Effective Strategies to Control Radon in Residences
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 121, Issue 2
Abstract
Many control strategies can be used to address health and comfort concerns posed by high levels of indoor air contaminants. Sufficient experience exists to develop models that estimate the effectiveness and cost of radon (Rn) mitigation strategies in single-family houses. In this paper, cost curves are developed that use one or several control strategies to achieve a range of concentration reductions. The results indicate preferred “cost-optimal” strategies at various mitigation levels. Rn control strategies considered include sealing, block-wall ventilation, subslab ventilation, drain-tile ventilation, ventilation with and without heat recovery, and water treatment. For a case-study residence typical of U.S. single-family homes, cost-effective control is provided by sealing soil-gas entry routes, block-wall ventilation, and heat-recovery ventilation. Other strategies can provide similar Rn reductions, but at higher costs. The sensitivity of results to climate and energy-price assumptions is explored. Identifying strategies that are cost-effective will help to increase their use and reduce risks.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
1.
Clifford, G. (1990). Modern heating, ventilating and air conditioning . Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, N.J.
2.
Cothern, C. R., and Rebers, P. (1990). Radon, radium, and uranium in drinking water, Lewis Publishers, Chelsea, Mich.
3.
Cothern, C. R., and Smith, J. E. (1987). Environmental radon, Plenum Press, New York, N.Y.
4.
DePierro, N., Key, T., and Moon, J. (1991). “The effectiveness of radon reduction in New Jersey.”Proc., 1990 Int. Symp. on Radon and Radon Reduction Technol., 7.83–7.100.
5.
DeGarmo, E. P., Canada, J. R., and Sullivan, W. G. (1979). Engineering economy, McMillan Publishing Co., New York, N.Y.
6.
Dumont, R. (1985). “The effect of mechanical ventilation on Rn, NO 2 and CH 2 O concentrations in low-leakage houses and a simple remedial measure for reducing Rn concentrations.”Proc., APCA Conf. on Indoor Air Quality in Cold Climates, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
7.
Ericson, S., and Schmied, O. (1988). “Modified design in new construction prevents infiltration of soil gas that carries radon.”Radon and its decay products: occurrence, properties, and health effects. P. K. Hopke, ed., American Chemical Society, Washington, D.C., 526–535.
8.
“Fundamentals.” (1985). ASHRAE handbook . American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers, New York, N.Y.
9.
Henschel, D. B (1988). “Radon reduction techniques for detached houses.”EPA/625/5-87/019. Office of Air Radiation, Air and Energy Engineering Research Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, N.C.
10.
Henschel, D. B., and Scott, A. G. (1987). “Testing of indoor radon reduction techniques in eastern Pennsylvania.”Proc., 2nd APCA Int. Conf. on Indor Radon, 146–159.
11.
Henschel, D. B., Scott, A. G., Robertson, A., and Findlay, W. O. (1991). “Evaluation of sub-slab ventilation for indoor radon reduction in slab-on-grade houses.”Proc., 1990 Int. Symp. on Radon and Radon Reduction Technol., U.S. EPA Office of Radiation Programs, Las Vegas, Nev.
12.
Hopper, R. (1991). “National ambient radon study.”Proc., 1991 Int. Symp. on Radon Reduction Technol., U.S. EPA Office of Radiation Programs, Las Vegas, Nev.
13.
Lao, K. Q. (1991). Controlling indoor radon, Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, N.Y.
14.
Lowry, J. D., and Lowry, S. B.(1987). “Modeling point-of-entry radon removal by GAC.”J. Am. Water Works Assoc., 80, 85–88.
15.
Marcinowski, F. (1992). “EPA National residential radon survey: Summary report. EPA 402-R-92-011, Radon Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
16.
Marcinowski, F., and Napolitano, S.(1993). “Reducing the risks from radon.”Air Waste Mgmt. Assoc., 43, 955–962.
17.
Makofske, W. J., and Edelstein, M. R. (1988). Radon and the environment, Noyes, Park Ridge, N.J.
18.
Messing, M., and Henschel, B. D. (1991). “Radon mitigation experience in houses with basement and adjoining crawl spaces.”Proc., 1990 Int. Symp. on Radon and Radon Reduction Technol., 7.19–7.30.
19.
Mosely, R. B. (1992). “A simple model for describing radon migration and entry into houses.”Indoor radon and lung cancer: reality or myth?, F. T. Cross, ed., Batelle Press, 339–356.
20.
Mowris, R. J., and Fisk, W. J. (1988). “Modeling the effects of exhaust ventilation on 222 Rn entry rates and indoor 222 Rn concentration.”Health Phy., 54, 491–501.
21.
Nazaroff, W. W. (1988). “Entry by pressure-driven flow or molecular diffusion? A reassessment of 222 Rn concentrations measured in an energy-efficient house.”Health Phy., 55, 1005–1009.
22.
Nazaroff, W. W.(1992). “Radon transport from soil to air.”Rev. Geophy., 30, 137–160.
23.
Nazaroff, W. W., Boegel, M. L., Hollowell, C. D., and Roseme, G. D.(1981). “The use of mechanical ventilation with heat recovery for controlling radon and radon daughter concentrations in houses.”Atmos. Envir., 15, 263–270.
24.
Nazaroff, W. W., Doyle, S. M., Nero, A. V., and Sextro, R. G.(1987). “Potable water as a source on airborne radon-222 in U.S. dwellings: a review and assessment.”Health Phys., 52, 281–295.
25.
Nazaroff, W. W., Feustel, H., Nero, A. V., Revzan, K. L., and Grimsrud, D. T.(1985). “Radon transport into a detached one-story house with a basement.”Atmos. Envir., 19, 31–46.
26.
Nazaroff, W. W., Lewis, S. R., Doyle, S. M., Moed, B. A., and Nero, A. V.(1987). “Experimentals on pollutant transport from soil into residential basements by pressure-driven airflow.”Envir. Sci. Technol., 21, 459–466.
27.
Nitschke, I. A., Traynor, G. W., Wadech, M. E., and Clarke, A. W. (1985). “Indoor air quality, infiltration and ventilation in residential buildings.”NYSERDA Rep. 85-10, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority and Niagara Mohawk Power Corp., New York, N.Y.
28.
Osborne, M. C. (1987). “Resolving the radon problem in Clinton, NJ, houses.”4th Int. Conf. on Indoor Air Quality and Climate, Berlin, Germany, 17–21.
29.
Prill, R. J., Fisk, W. J., and Turk, B. H. (1990). “Evaluation of radon mitigation systems in 14 houses over a two-year period, J. Air Waste Mgmt. Assoc., 40, 740–746.
30.
Samet, J. M., and Spengler, J. D. (1991). Indoor air pollution . The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, Md.
31.
Turk, B. H., Prill, R. J., Fisk, W. J., Grimsrud, D. T., and Sextro, R. G.(1991). “Effectiveness of radon control techniques in fifteen homes.”J. Air Waste Mgmt. Assoc., 41, 723–734.
32.
Turk, B. H., Prill, R. J., Grimsrud, T. D., Moed, B. A., and Sextro, R. G.(1990). “Characterizing the occurrence, sources, and variability of radon in Pacific Northwest homes.”J. Air Waste Mgmt. Assoc., 40, 498–506.
33.
Wadden, R. A., and Scheff, P. A. (1982). Indoor air pollution, John Wiley & Sons, New York, N.Y.
34.
Weather data handbook. (1990). McGraw-Hill, New York, N.Y.
35.
“Ventilation for acceptable air quality.” (1989). ASHRAE Standard 63-2989, American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Atlanta, Ga.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 121 • Issue 2 • February 1995
Pages: 120 - 131
Copyright
Copyright © 1995 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Published online: Feb 1, 1995
Published in print: Feb 1995
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.