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How many test devices will need to be placed? |
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In multi-family housing every ground unit has independent radon levels from the other ground units in the same building. One building with 6 ground units may have two units measuring above the EPA guideline that are located in two opposite sides of the building from each other. Then the next building can be found to have all 6 units high, and then the next building with just one unit high. This is why testing a small number of units is likely not to detect a possible radon problem in a complex. When testing an apartment complex according to EPA guidelines every ground unit should be tested, under closed building conditions. When the company that is hiring you requests that only a small amount of tests be performed, you should bring to their attention that the protocol is to test every ground unit, and that a potential problem may not be detected that would have been required to be mitigated at the cost of the selling company. This leaves your clients investment at risk when they sell the property if their buyers do comprehensive testing and find an undetected radon problem. It might then be at your clients expense to have it mitigated. Example costs that we have seen range from $60,000 to $150,000 to mitigate local complexes. Obviously the cost could be very different depending on the construction and the number of units with elevated radon levels. If initial screening testing is chosen, and elevated levels are found or not found, the next step is to do comprehensive testing of all the ground contact units. When testing commercial buildings, test all ground offices / occupied rooms. For large open areas, place one test device per 2000 square feet per EPA guidelines. Please call for assistance if you are planning to do the testing yourself. When testing for radon gas the EPA protocol requires 5% blank test devices, and 10% duplicate devices be placed. These are in addition to the number of test devices you will need. Mitigation Quotes: Only when all ground units of multi-family housing with elevated radon levels are identified, can a complete proposal be provided for mitigating those units following EPA guidelines. A preliminary estimate, based on cost per unit, can be provided until comprehensive tests can be performed. Large buildings mitigation proposals will be provided dependent on the testing and building structure. Proposal for design only or design and installation of radon control systems for new construction are base on the project.
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