Radon and Slabs

Radon isn’t a problem if your house is on a slab, right? To find out I went to my trusted inspector and radon tester, and this was his reply…

Radon gas comes up from the earth at a ground level slab just as it does under the basement slab.  There is an easier route for radon to enter into a basement in a home with footing tiles and an open sump crock.  But, any negative pressure inside of a slab home or a basement without footing tiles and a sump crock can draw radon up into the home through cracks in the slab floor. This negative pressure is created by items such as furnace and water heater exhausts, running a dryer or just general stack/chimney effect.  So, I have had high readings in homes on a slab, but you are correct in that it is much less frequently than a home with a basement.

So, do you want to bother with a radon inspection if buying a home on a slab? I’ll leave that decision to you 😉

You or someone you know looking to buy or sell?

Sell My House | Buy a Home | Contact Me | Newsletter

Leave a Reply