IEMA - Guide to Radon Mitigation         (Illinois Emergency Management Agency)

Your radon level is 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) or higher. What are your options?

Contact a mitigation professional licensed by DNS to reduce the radon levels in your home.

Request two or three price estimates from licensed mitigation professionals. The cost of a radon reduction system generally
ranges from $900 to $2500, depending on characteristics of the house and choice of radon reduction methods.

Talk to your mitigator and be sure you understand the mitigation design.

Residents of a dwelling may install a mitigation system in their own dwelling; however without proper equipment or technical
knowledge, you could actually increase your radon level or create other potential hazards.


















IEMA  Assures Consumer Protection

  • IEMA-licensed mitigation professionals have passed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) radon
    qualification course and exam, or an equivalent course and exam approved by the department.

  • IEMA-licensed radon professionals work to a Quality Assurance Program and a Worker Protection approved by the
    department.

  • IEMA investigates and resolves complaints and non-compliance reports.

  • IEMA performs performance audits on a regular basis to evaluate individual professional compliance.

  • IEMA radon regulations ensure that radon measurements and mitigations performed by licensed professionals are
    standardized throughout the state

Mitigation Systems Reduce Radon By:

  • Collecting radon prior to entry into the building and discharging it to a safe location. Modifying building pressure
    differentials. Diluting radon concentrations with increased ventilation.

Mitigation Systems In Illinois Must Include:

  • Effective radon reduction
  • Unobtrusive and permanent installation
  • Quiet operation
  • Energy efficient operation and maintenance
  • A system function indicator
  • A primary suction point independent of the sump pit
  • Sump covers with observation ports
  • Exhaust above the highest eave
  • Sub-Slab Pressurisation (SSD)
















Active sub-slab suction uses a fan to draw radon from beneath the house. SSD systems collect radon prior to entry and exhaust
it to a safe location above the highest eave.

Sub-Membrane Pressurisation (SMD)

SMD is performed in crawl spaces and areas that are directly in contact with rock or soil. Suction is created:

  • Under a specified polyethylene or equivalent flexible material (plastic sheet) permanently installed over exposed soil or
    rock
  • By a fan drawing radon from beneath the plastic sheet and exhausting the radon outdoors above the highest eave.
  • Discharging Above The Highest Eave

Discharge above the highest eave ensures that there is significant dilution of exhaust by outdoor air to minimize re-entry into
the house and minimize exposure to persons in the yard and neighboring areas. To ensure public health and safety, IEMA
requires that the point of discharge from fan-powered soil Pressurisation systems be located:

  • Above the highest eave of the roof;
  • As close to the roof ridge line as possible;
  • 10 feet from any window, door or other opening (into the building) that is less than 2 feet below the exhaust point;
  • 10 feet or more from any opening to an adjacent building

Sealing:

Sealing enhances radon reduction techniques, such as SSD, SMD and Heat Recovery Ventilation. Reducing the loss of
conditioned air increases radon reduction system effectiveness and cost efficiency. DNS does not recommend the use of
sealing alone to reduce radon concentrations. Sealing alone has not been shown to lower radon levels significantly or
consistently.

New Construction Systems:

Since 1995, radon control methods have been part of the Council of American Building Officials (CABO) "One and Two Family
Dwelling Code." Several Illinois municipalities have adopted variations of the CABO code requiring the installation of radon
control methods in newly constructed residences. These methods are known as passive and skeletal new construction systems.
Passive or skeletal new construction systems are not acknowledged mitigation systems and may or may not reduce radon
concentrations in homes to below the USEPA’s Action Level, 4.0 picocuries per liter of air (4pCi/L). IEMA encourages
homeowners to test their home to determine the actual radon levels. With test results of 4 pCi/L or more, passive and skeletal
new construction systems should be converted to active soil Pressurisation systems by mitigation professionals licensed by
IEMA. IEMA recommends that post-mitigation measurements be performed by measurement professionals licensed by IEMA in
order to ensure defensibility and reliability of test results.

Passive New Construction:

Passive new construction systems rely solely on the convective flow of air upward in the vent pipe for sub-slab Pressurisation.
The system consists of a vertical vent pipe routed through conditioned space from the suction pit to 12 inches above the roof.

Skeletal New Construction:

A skeletal system is a system that is designed for the installation of a vent fan and may consist of multiple vent pipes. This
includes vertical and angled runs that are not necessarily routed through living space that may be joined to a single termination
above the roof or may terminate separately above the roof.
Always Perform a Post-Mitigation Test!

Post-mitigation tests are important evaluators of actual system function:

Professional post-mitigation measurements must be performed to the applicable DNS measurement protocol. The Adopted
Rule, 32 Illinois Administrative Code, Part 422, prohibits mitigation professionals from performing radon measurements at a
residence where they have installed a mitigation system.

For additional information about radon, radon measurement and mitigation, call IEMA at: (800) 325-1245 or visit the
IEMA website at:  Illinois State Radon Information
ILLINOIS LICENSED RADON MITIGATION COMPANIES:

TEL:
630-639-0301
About
Mitigation
To Schedule a Radon Test,
Call:
630-639-0301
Video
CHICAGO - ILLINOIS - NAPERVILLE
Radon Testing
by Illinois Licensed Radon Professionals

> Du Page Radon Contractors, Inc.,  NAPERVILLE, IL      (Mike Rumak)         TEL: 630-836-1918      www.dupageradon.com

> Radon Deduction Systems, Inc.,     NAPERVILLE, IL,     (Dave Masa)          TEL: 630-357-9474      www.theradonman.com

> Elliott & Associates,                          HINSDALE, IL          (Elliott Wall)            TEL: 630-325-8005      www.radonillinois.com

> Professional Radon Systems,Inc,   AURORA, IL            (Eric Lewandowski) TEL: 630-236-4200      www.proradon.com

> Heritage Radon Mitigation  Srvs.   ST. CHARLES, IL     (Jeffrey Schuman)  TEL: 630-377-9156      www.heritageradon.com

> VSI Environmental,                           LAKEMOOR, IL        (Keith Volsted)        TEL: 815-3347-1100    www.radongas.com

> Accurate Radon,                               West Chicago, IL      (Rich Whisler)        TEL: 630-876-0800       www.accurateradon.com
FOR  ADDITIONAL   RADON  MITIGATION  COMPANIES   BY  COUNTY,      VISIT:   > > > > www.radon.illinois.gov
Residential Radon Testing