Troubleshooting Systems

The following is a list of the more common questions and problems associated with radon reduction systems.

	Gurgling Sound in sump pit: Sump water level above drain tiles- if sound goes away after sump pump runs, sump pump needs to turn on at a lower water level. Possible problems;    Sump Bad - Replace.    Sump pump switch bad - Replace switch assembly or pump.    Drain tile may be trapping water- difficult to fix, may need to move suction point out of sump pit and into floor.    No check valve on sump pump can cause gurgling when water level is low, can see bubbles coming from bottom of sump pump - install check valve on sump discharge line.
	Gurgling Sound coming from radon pipe: Pipe is pitched wrong or not enough.  2 inch pipe and smaller sizes tend to gurgle at elbows. Repair: Adjust pitch of pipe to allow for drainage or increase pipe size.  Adding additional suction point to allow for drainage.
	U-Tube at zero or equal levels: Check that u-tube is plugged into radon pipe. Fan not running- Check that fan is plugged in or may have been turned off.     Fan may be defective.     Fan may have frozen if temperatures have been below zero for several days - fan will restart on its own, usually if temperatures are above 20* for a few days.
	Fan running: During extended cold weather (below zero) for several days, freezing can occur on the exhaust or in the pipe on outside systems causing u-tube to read zero.
	Plastic sheeting in crawl balloons up: It is common in the winter for the plastic in the crawl to get air pockets, it is not a bubble of radon.  Placing weight on plastic when plastic is flat will help prevent this.  Additional suction from the crawl may be needed.
	I need to get into my sump pit: By all means open your sump pit to make repairs to the pump.  Most of our sump covers are only caulked in place around the outside and are split for easy removal.  Re-caulk sump cover after repairs have been made with silicon caulk.
	Radon levels won't go below 4pCi/l with an active system: Sorry but this can't be answered easily.  If you are in our work area contact us regarding inspecting your system.   If you are outside our area you will need to contact a local licensed or listed mitigation company to come out and perform diagnostic testing to determine the problem