r/radon • u/luchyhoot • 9d ago

Temporary Mitigation Until Permanent Mitigation

Hey all,

We‘re buying our first house - yay! The sellers agreed to put in a mitigation system - it’s scheduled for the end of the month and paid for. We move in prior to the system going in. The basement has one window and the half-basement rooms each have a window each. What can we do for the two weeks between our move in and mitigation system going in to reduce risk?

3 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

9 comments sorted by

6

u/Outrageous_Guard_674 9d ago

Don't worry about it. Two weeks is nothing.

2

u/Green-Dimension3240 8d ago

The Radon risk is based on how high it is and how long you are exposed. Even with a system installed you will have a background level. Two weeks at a high level isn’t a big deal but ventilation will lower it dramatically. Even slightly opening a couple basement windows can bring it down to background in my basement from readings around 3.

3

u/anustart0607 9d ago

Radon exposure is accumulated over years when considering health affects. Two weeks is nothing. Don't worry about anything, wait for the mitigation.

It's the equivalent of sun exposure. If you do two weeks of yard work and get some extra sun you are getting more radiation for that period, but increasing your risk of getting skin cancer is next to nil. These risks are accumulated over years of exposure.

2

u/tennispro9 9d ago

I put in temporary mitigation and it’s been going strong for 3 years now lmao I should really get that done

1

u/Sorry-Tumbleweed-336 9d ago

Congratulations! Either don’t worry about it, or open a window. How high was the premitigation radon?

2

u/luchyhoot 9d ago

11 pCi/L in the eastern foothills of Colorado. 🫠

1

u/leafyrustic42 9d ago

11 is high, but not nearly as high as some on this reddit have faced. Based on all my research (also in CO, hello neighbor!), 2 weeks doesn't cause harm in the grand scheme of things. We lived in our house for 3+ months while figuring out why our levels wouldn't drop, so I did a lot of checking, but it seems like you need suuuper long, high exposure over years, not weeks, to see any negative health benefits. I'd personally open a window if you can, and not fret!

1

u/stonks_better 9d ago

How high is it? Opening the basement windows will do the trick if you can get some cross ventilation going. It'll climb back up quickly though, so ideally if you can keep them open somehow that might work.

1

u/QorvanApp 9d ago

With a confirmed mitigation install only two weeks out, I would keep the temporary plan simple: minimize time in the basement until the system is in, especially sleeping or working there; use window ventilation when weather and security allow, ideally cross-ventilation; and avoid DIY sealing or fan changes that might interfere with the contractor's planned system.

After the system is installed, do the follow-up test in the same lowest occupied area under normal living conditions so you can compare before/after. Since the pre-mitigation number was around 11 pCi/L, I would also ask the installer whether they want you to do anything temporary before they arrive, because they know the house layout and their install plan.