Radon

So we inspected the house, and it turns out it has radon. Radon is a gas present outside, in the air we breath everyday, and innofensive unless breathed at higher concentrations. It then causes lung cancer. See the EPA page for more info on it.

Well our concentration reading was 4.4 pCi/l, just above the EPA "action level" of 4. So we're installing a mitigation system. The Radon Guys came to the house, drilled a couple of holes in the basement to check if they were getting enough suction, and drew a map of the mitigation system they propose.

The mitigation will suck air from under the basement, using three holes in the concrete basement floor, and bring it up (through an external pipe) to 12 inches above the roof line. The pump is set outside the house, and makes less noise than a refrigerator. The whole system is maintenance free, and the pump typically lasts 8 to 10 years.

The bottom line: $1,400. Comes with a warranty - if the system doesn't bring the reading to below 2, they'll come and fix / improve it for free.