Are All Radon Fans The Same?

To some, radon mitigation might seem like a straightforward process. However there are many variables that affect the system we design and what kind of fan we use. There are options for higher suction, higher airflow, or the average sized fan that we use for most jobs.

Some of these variables include the soil content, the size of the house, and how many suction points we need.

1. Soil Content- The soil underneath the slab is a huge factor that determines what fan we use. For example, if there is lots of tight clay then we need a higher suction system to be able to draw the radon through the clay. Though if there is nice, porous gravel below the slab, then we can use a higher airflow fan because we'll be able to get that reach a lot easier.

2. Size Of The House- The bigger the house, generally the more airflow we need in order to reach every corner of the slab. We use charts to determine the best sized fan, depending on how large the house is and it helps tremendously in getting radon levels down.

3. Number Of Suction Points- The number of points we need to draw from largely affects the fan we use. For example, if we need to suck from a crawlspace as well as the basement slab, then we'll need a higher suction fan to make sure we're getting enough draw from each section of the house.

After taking these points into consideration, we have a pretty accurate idea of what fan we need. So once the system is complete and running, we put a "U-tube manometer" on the pipe, this tells us the amount of suction we're getting from our system. Each fan has a range that it's most effective in. This is our final check to verify that we used the right fan.

We care so much about choosing the right product because by not oversizing or under sizing the fan, it makes the system as efficient as it can be and ensures the homeowner isn't overpaying in energy costs for their mitigation system as well as the fact that higher suction fans tend to be louder so we avoid using them when we can. It also helps us by making sure we don't get calls back if the levels didn't come down far enough or the homeowner has complaints about how the system is running.