Radon mitigation in South Dakota

If your home tested at or above 4.0 pCi/L, the EPA recommends fixing it. Between 2 and 4, the EPA says to consider it. The good news is that radon is one of the more fixable problems a house can have.

How a mitigation system works

The most common method is called active soil depressurization, sometimes called sub-slab depressurization. A contractor:

1. Drills a hole through the basement slab and removes a small pocket of soil underneath.
2. Runs a PVC pipe from that hole to a point above the roofline.
3. Installs a fan, usually in the attic, garage or outside, that runs continuously and pulls radon from under the house before it can get inside.
4. Seals major cracks, the sump pit and other openings so the system can draw well.
5. Adds a gauge on the pipe so you can see the system is working.
6. Retests the home to confirm the level came down.

South Dakota's DANR says the EPA generally prefers methods like this that stop radon from entering the home in the first place.

Different foundations

Foundation	Typical approach
Unfinished basement	Suction point through the slab, pipe routed up through the house or outside wall.
Finished basement	Pipe routed through a closet, utility room or garage to keep it out of sight.
Crawl space	Heavy plastic liner sealed over the soil, with suction drawn from underneath it.
Slab on grade	Suction point through the slab, often from the garage.
Mixed foundations	More than one suction point, one for each area.

Choosing a contractor

South Dakota's DANR recommends hiring a mitigation provider certified by the National Radon Proficiency Program (NRPP) or the National Radon Safety Board (NRSB). We only refer to contractors who hold one of those certifications, and you should still ask to see it.

Wondering about price? See the mitigation cost guide.

Sources: EPA, Health Risk of Radon; South Dakota DANR, Radon.