RADON PRECAUTIONS FOR SOUTH FLORIDA HOMEBUYERS:

Always expect to find Radon
Radon can always be fixed
Always perform third-party Radon clearance tests
Always look for evidence of a concealed radon mitigation system. They commonly create serious mold problems within six months to three years.
Ask why a home, not new, looks brand new inside (fresh mold remediation?)
Always be suspicious of a mechanical ventilation fresh air system installation.
IN SOUTH FLORIDA, FORMAL RADON REDUCTION RELIABILITY RESEARCH HAS BEEN INTENTIONALLY AVOIDED SINCE 2015
A successful two-day radon test is not considered more than a two-day snapshot in time. It is an unreliable indicator of long term radon reduction reliability
A two-day test including humidity is no assurance that mold will not become a serious problem within six to 36 months.

FACTS: -

Radon is even more common in highly desirable and especially well-built homes
Well-Built Homes without fresh air systems often have radon problems of up to 8 pCi/l
Installing a properly engineered mechanical ventilation system with automatic humidity control will almost always fix a radon problem of 8 pCi/l or less without the expense of installing a dehumidifier later
Homes with radon levels above 8 pCi/l often have a minor or major construction defect that may be addressed and permanently corrected by a skilled and experienced radon expert.

It is simple: In south Florida most radon problems come from the concrete building materials, not out of the ground.

Reliable Operation with a Factory-Made filter cartridge exchange every 12-24 months from out-of-doors or indoors (MERV 14-15)

No Hand Washing a Home-Made Filter every two to three months (Unrated polyester fluff or Hog’s-Hair filter, MERV 2-4

A Quality-Built, Energy-Efficient Concrete Home in south Florida will almost always have radon of up to about 8 picoCuries per liter.

Unless it already has a fresh air system

Radon up to 8 is Proof of Higher Quality/Energy Efficient Construction? YES, almost always

A. This home includes a Proprietary/Engineered Daisy Ductless Fresh Air System that IS CERTIFIED BY THE INSTALLER to:

EXCEED the Florida Ventilation Code Chapter 403, Florida Energy Code, Section R303.4 of the Florida Residential Code , ASHRAE VENTILATION STANDARD 62.2- 2023
Include a Type III MERV 14-15, 12-24 month filter cartridge system
Include an electronic humidity controller to ensure that the fresh air system will not raise indoor humidity above 59.9% (to prevent mold)
Include a Master Control Panel that allows easy average radon level adjustment with a jeweler’s screwdriver (within system performance limitations)
Include a digital airflow meter that indicates nominal air delivery rate at a glance
Include a reliable electronic radon meter to report daily and average radon levels with an audible alarm of radon system failure
Be exempt from permitting because of careful engineering design and extensive discussions with building officials

B. This home includes a proprietary radon mitigation system that is NOT CERTIFIED by the installer:

That it meets Florida Radon Mitigation Standards
That it has an undescribed fresh air filter system
That there is no means for adjusting the radon level easily
That there is no electronic humidity control system to prevent mold
That a blue or red oil-filled U-tube manometer will tell you that the fan is running but will show highest performance when the radon reduction has completely stopped

C. This home includes a proprietary radon mitigation system that is NOT CERTIFIED by the installer:

To meet Florida’s Radon Code
That it has a fresh air filter at all, or that it may have a home-made filter that needs service by hand washing every 60-90 days
To include a humidity control system to prevent mold, except that it may have a table lamp timer to turn the system on and off several times a day in an attempt to prevent mold