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Crawlspace depressurization

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crawl space depressurization

Crawl Space Radon Depressurization System: How It Works

A crawl space depressurization system pulls radon gas from beneath the home before it can enter the living space, venting it safely outdoors.

  • The pipe exits the crawl space either through the sill plate (most common) or cored through the concrete foundation, depending on how close the floor joists are together.
  • Mounted outside, the radon fan draws air (and radon) up through the pipe and exhausts it above the roofline or clear of the home.
  • Installed just after the fan, the hyrdo-loop component separates out any moisture pulled up with the soil gas. It’s open at the top, but covered with a screen to keep birds, insects, and debris from falling in and damaging the fan.
  • The U-tube manometer, located on the interior portion of the pipe, is a simple gauge that shows differential pressure, confirming the system is running.
  • A roughly 1-inch-thick, 12-inch-wide soil gas mat is laid under the vapor barrier. It spreads suction evenly across the crawl space so the fan can draw radon from a wide area rather than just one spot.
  • After the mat is placed, plastic sheeting is cut and fitted around obstacles providing a vapor barrier. A polyurethane sealant (e.g., Kimlink) bonds the plastic to the walls.

Frequently Asked Questions about crawl space depressurization

Check the U-tube manometer on the interior pipe. As long as there’s a visible difference in the liquid levels (not sitting at 0), the fan is running and creating suction. You can also usually hear a faint hum from the fan.

A 0 reading means no air is moving through the pipe – the fan has stopped. Since the whole system relies on the fan pulling soil gas from under the vapor barrier and out through the hydro-loop, a stopped fan means radon is no longer being vented. Call for troubleshooting.

A sudden, significant increase in pressure usually points to a blockage or restriction somewhere in the system – the fan is working harder to move air. That’s also a sign something’s wrong and worth a call.

Code requires the hydro-loop to stay open at the top so it can properly separate moisture from the air stream. The screen is just there to stop birds, bugs, and debris from falling in and reaching the fan, without blocking the airflow the code requires.

The soil gas mat spreads the fan’s suction out across the crawl space floor (minimum 3 ft per code, usually more) so radon is being pulled evenly from a wide area – not just concentrated at the pipe’s entry point.

Both the standard Class A barrier and the heavier 10-mil barrier seal effectively for radon purposes. The difference is durability – the 10-mil option is fiber-reinforced, holds up if you store items in the crawl space, and is secured with Tapcons in addition to sealant since it’s less likely to tear away from the wall.

The system depends on negative pressure building up under a sealed barrier. Any gap, seam, or loose edge lets outside air leak in and weakens the suction the fan is trying to create, so a continuous seal (polyurethane sealant + taped seams) is what makes the depressurization actually effective.

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