COST-EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES TO CONTROL RADON IN RESIDENCES

Many control strategies can be used to address health and comfort conc erns posed by high levels of indoor air contaminants. Sufficient exper ience exists to develop models that estimate the effectiveness and cos t of radon (Rn) mitigation strategies in single-family houses. In this paper, cost curves are developed that use one of several control stra tegies to achieve a range of concentration reductions. The results ind icate preferred ''cost-optimal'' strategies at various mitigation leve ls. Rn control strategies considered include sealing, block-wall venti lation, subslab ventilation, drain-tile ventilation, ventilation with and without heat recovery, and water treatment. For a case-study resid ence typical of U.S. single-family homes, cost-effective control is pr ovided by sealing soil-gas entry routes, block-wall ventilation, and h eat-recovery ventilation. Other strategies can provide similar Rn redu ctions, but at higher costs. The sensitivity of results to climate and energy-price assumptions is explored. Identifying strategies that are cost-effective will help to increase their use and reduce risks.