The Best Radon Exhaust Fan

Radon. The second primary cause of lung cancer in the United States and the leading cause of the same disease in people who don’t smoke. It’s so deadly that it claims the lives of about 21,000 people every year.

It’s for this reason that you should act as early as now before your house becomes a hazard zone. And one good way to protect yourself and your loved ones is to invest in a quality radon exhaust fan.

But what exactly does this product do, and how do you make sure you buy the right one?

It’s not rocket science, but it can be confusing, what with so many different kinds available in the market. So, to make your hunt easier, I’ve come up with the most important things you should look for to ensure you get the best radon mitigation fan for your home.

Understanding What Makes Radon So Dangerous

Before we proceed on talking about exhaust fans for residential radon removal, you first need to have a basic understanding of this gas. Doing so will help make you recognize the real dangers behind it, how exhaust fans can help, and what other things you can do to free your home of it, as well as other air hazards.

Here are the key facts about radon that you should know:

Radon is also known as the silent killer in homes because of its properties, or lack thereof.
We can’t see, taste, nor smell this naturally-occurring radioactive gas. This is why radon poisoning is amongst the common causes of accidental poisoning.
Unbeknownst to many, a considerable number of homes in the country have levels of this gas dangerous enough that they can lead to symptoms of radon poisoning.

As you can see, this invisible, odorless, and tasteless gas is a threat to you and your loved ones. So, before it renders your home unlivable, it’s best that you implement risk mitigation right away.

Where in Your House Radon is Usually Present In

With radon being a type of gas, it can easily find its way into your house from the ground and into the air. Most frequently though, it enters a house through the structure’s foundation, specifically through the following entry points:

Basement floor, wall, and other foundation cracks;
Floor drains;
Mortar and floor-wall construction joints;
Loosely-fitting pipes and drains; and
Exposed soil.

Take note that radon may also get into your home through your well water. But the likelihood of this happening is much lower than the methods mentioned above. Also, keep in mind that some areas in the country have higher radon risks, so be sure you check out if yours is on the high-risk list.

Quality Radon Exhaust Fan: Its Potentially Life-Saving Roles

The primary role of a radon exhaust fan is to remove the radon from below your home to an outdoor area in the safest, most efficient way possible. Think of it as the core of your complete radon risk control strategy, since it’s the only way to remove the gas from your home actively.

In active radon mitigation systems, the fan is the only moving part. You can, however, add it to your existing passive radon control system. This will help boost performance and efficiency considerably.

Establishing Radon Levels in Your Home: Key to Finding the Best Exhaust Fan

There are hundreds of radon exhaust fans sold in the market, and getting the best one means ensuring that it has adequate suctioning power appropriate to the level of radon in your home. For this, you would first need to establish just how much of this gas is present in the air inside your home.

Do-It-Yourself (DIY) testing kits are available, but you can also hire professional radon testing services for faster and more accurate results. If you decide to go with the DIY kit, we recommend the one manufactured by First Alert. There are slightly less expensive competitors on the market today, but they do not have the track record that First Alert has.

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The Higher the Radon Levels, the Higher Suctioning Power You Need

How effective your radon mitigation strategy is depends greatly on the adequacy of the suctioning power your radon exhaust fan has. Again, you’ll have a better idea once you have the results of the radon test.

What’s important is to ensure that the fan’s suggested maximum operating pressure can handle the task of drawing out the specific amount of radon in your home. This also tells you just how effectively the mitigation system is performing, the amount of pressure the fan creates, and whether sufficient airflow is present under the slab.

As a final note on suctioning power, know that a manometer is a good addition to your mitigation system. It helps to inform you just how much pressure it holds. This piece of information is critical to making certain you have enough fan pressure to draw out the needed levels of radon.

Is a Quieter Exhaust Fan the Better Choice?

In general, the more powerful the radon exhaust fan is, the stronger the noise it produces. However, this doesn’t automatically mean it’s already the best choice. Conversely, this doesn’t mean that you should settle for a fan that operates more quietly.

Newer, more innovative devices come with noise-reducing features, so you may no longer find this an issue. Keep in mind though, that higher-wattage systems can still be noisy. However, with proper installation and placement, you can prevent the fan from creating too much disturbance.

If sound is an issue, a good approach is to for a mitigation system that has lower power. You should only do this though if the lower power is still enough to bring down the radon to safer levels.

Invest in the Right Exhaust Fan Now

A radon exhaust fan can make all the difference in the safety of your entire household. So, buying and installing one is something you shouldn’t delay. The longer you do, the higher the possibility of radon accumulating inside your home, and when this happens, it may be too late.