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General Information
Diagnostic Tests
Sometimes, it may be necessary for the contractor to perform simple
diagnostic tests in order to ensure that the appropriate radon reduction
system is selected for your home. Whether diagnostic tests are needed
is determined by the details specific to your house, including the
foundation design, the kind of material under your house, and the
contractor’s experience with similar houses and similar radon
test results.
These simple tests may include:
- Chemical smoke: is
used to find the source and direction of air movement. A contractor
can learn
airflow sources and direction by watching a small amount of smoke
that is shot into holes, drains, and sumps or along cracks. The
sources of airflow show possible radon routes.
- Soil communication
test: this test uses a vacuum cleaner and chemical smoke to
determine how easily air can move from one point
to another
under the foundation. By inserting a vacuum cleaner hose
in one small hole and using chemical smoke in a second small hole,
a
contractor can see if the smoke is pulled down into the hole
by the vacuum
cleaner’s
suction.
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