Pressure Differences Affecting Radon Entry in New Residential Construction

by Mike Nuess, Washington Energy Extension Service, United States,



Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Environmental Engineering

Abstract:

Various conditions in a house can commonly produce house negative pressures up to 20 Pascals relative to the soil gas pressure. Depressurization of the house relative to the soil gas will result in the transfer of gas from the soil to the house. Design alterations in a building can reduce either the magnitude of this pressure difference or the volume flow of soil gas infiltration resulting from it, thereby reducing indoor radon levels. The following discussion addresses several phenomena that can and do affect the soil/house pressure difference and the associated soil gas infiltration.

Subject Headings: Soil gas | Soil pressure | Residential buildings | Gas flow | Air pollution | Residential construction | Infiltration

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