Matt Bednarz

So the house you're listing or have interested buyers for, has elevated radon in air & water concentrations...now what? The following informative tidbits are applicable to Realtors dealing with radon:

First off...DON'T PANIC! Any radon problem is fixable!

Testing: Whether you're the buying or selling agent, it behooves all parties involved that the person contracted for testing have a NEHA or NRSB certification for radon testing. This will ensure that the individual has invested some time in learning proper deployment & collection procedures. False positives can mean a quick death to any transaction, given the right mix of emotions & misinformation. So if the initial tests were conducted by an unqualified person...first things first; have the proper people do a confirmatory test. Remember that a certification does not guarantee true professionalism...but it is a start in the right direction.

Qualified Contractors: Upon confirmation that there is in fact a problem, contact a "qualified" professional. This doesn't mean surfing the web looking for the biggest coupon special discount of the month...it does mean contacting NEHA or NRSB certified contractors who will take the time to visit the home, survey the conditions, & develop a house specific mitigation strategy. Having done work in the neighborhood does not - a template make.

Contract Wording: Pay close attention to proposal or contract wording. Does it specifically state a guaranteed reduction? Or are there lofty "predictions / goals" or references to "typical results"? I've seen some craftily worded proposals that had homeowners & experienced realtors alike, convinced they were guaranteed a reduction below 1 pCi/l - only to later discover that after a careful review of the wording; they in fact had no guarantee at all. Worst yet; they would have to pay for every additional effort put forth by the contractor with no cap on expense. This is actually standard procedure for a NEHA Certified Contractor operating in CT, & in other States, so use every means of cross checking at your disposal such as the BBB etc. Certified doesn't necessarily mean scrupulous!

Timeframe: Don't wait till the very last second to have the problem addressed. It's a harsh reality of the radon mitigation business that more than one trip is sometimes necessary to get a successful reduction in radon levels. This applies more to airborne problems vs. water. In waterborne radon mitigation, once water passes through the treatment system...it's fixed. But not allowing a time cushion for work to be performed & retested can lead to postponed closing dates.

Choices: You should know that there are often options as to where systems can be installed, pipes routed, fans located & so on. Ask the contractor if more than one option exists. This can be important info to keep in your back pocket in the event a nervous buyer wants to walk because they're not happy with the proposed aesthetic impact the proposed system install will have. If option "B" will be acceptable to the buyer...perhaps negotiate that Mr. & Mrs. Seller pay for the "basic" option...but Mr. & Mrs. Buyer can have option "B" installed if they kick in the difference.

Like most things in life...you get what you pay for. A little planning can go a long way to preventing last minute blow ups. So if you are a Realtor dealing with radon, I hope these pointers help make you better prepared for the next run in with radon.

Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) & Aeration are the two most common mitigation strategies employed for radon in water removal. While aeration is considered the best available technology (BAT) for waterborne radon mitigation; when applied judiciously, GAC is a viable treatment option.

There are many different base materials from which activated carbon is made. The two most common are bituminous coal & coconut shells. Granular carbon is activated by being "baked" at extremely high temperatures in an oxygen free environment. The activation process creates an abundance of micropores which gives GAC it's enormous adsorptive capabilities. Of the two types, coconut shell GAC has a greater amount of micropores. In fact, one teaspoon of coconut shell carbon has the equivalent surface area of a football field. At CT Basement, we use coconut shell GAC.

When selecting GAC for a radon in water problem, consideration should be given to several parameters. Influent radon concentration, flow rate, proposed location of system, & size of home / potential useage demands, can all impact a GAC system's effectiveness...& ultimately, the welfare of the home's occupants. Because radon collects on the GAC bed & doesn't go away until the bed is replaced, there are two important factors to keep in mind;

#1) Service; a GAC system should be serviced at regular prescribed intervals to prevent the carbon bed from reaching "low level" radioactive waste status. A system that is ignored & ultimately left in service for years on end, will very likely reach this level, regardless of influent radon concentration. Furthermore, because GAC has the ability to remove a wide spectrum of contaminants, the carbon should be replaced regularly for hygienic reasons.

#2)Location; as radon is adsorbed on the GAC, it decays into decay products. As these decay products disintigrate further, they begin to generate gamma ray emmissions. Gammas have high penetrating power, therefore, sheet rock or basic masonry walls do not offer adequate shielding from exposure. A GAC system should not be located in the immediate vicinity of frequently occupied areas. As an example; in a bedroom closet where the bed is positioned against the wall of the closet...this is not good!

The State of Ct recommends the use of aeration systems for radon in water concentrations exceeding 10,000pCi/l. This is sound advice considering the aforementioned concerns. Beware the contractor who recklessly proposes GAC for any given radon problem & doesn't take into consideration the impact of all associated factors. Water treatment systems incorporating GAC as a part of a conditioning process should also be closely scrutinized. Many of these systems have been in place for years without any thought given to radon & the potential impact it can have on the occupants.

Iron & manganese are the two most commonly found metals in well water that are responsible for stains, discoloration, odor & bad taste. Iron is probably 10x more prevalent than manganese for no other reason than the fact that it's one of the most prevalent elements found in the earth's crust. Iron & manganese are governed by Secondary Standards, which are aesthetically based - not health related. With that said; there are some ailments related to excessive consumption of iron & manganese. The EPA maximum contaminant level (MCL) for iron is 0.3 mg/l...manganese is .05 mg/l.

Iron & manganese can be present in several forms (species). Clear water, oxidized, organic, & colloidal. The differences in species are stark, however; what the average person needs to know is; there is no such thing as a one treatment fixes all solution. When reviewing a potability analysis, beware that the results noted on the report may not tell the whole story. This is critical to understand especially when buying a home that has iron / manganese problems. A quick example; clear water iron is readily removed by a conventional water softener. Organically bound iron will need some form of chemical oxidation followed by filtration...& maintenance on this type of system can be cumbersome. The cost differentials between the two treatment technologies can be several thousand dollars

When dealing with any type of water quality issue, it is important to access the approach of the treatment professional. Are they a "one trick pony" operation that installs water softeners for every problem they come across? Does the contractor have any water treatment training beyond plumbing experience? Does the contractor have plan "B" & "C" in the event there are unforeseen issues or reactions to what has been implemented? Iron, manganese, or any type of water quality issue should not be a reason to back away from a real estate purchase provided it is addressed in the proper fashion whereby long term negative consequences are averted.

Many older homes are still serviced by a jet pump . A jet pump sits above ground oftentimes in the basement or well room and sucks the water up into the house from the well, as opposed to a submersible pump that sits down in the well & pushes the water up into the home. There are two basic types of jet pumps...shallow well & deep well. The two pump types are easily distinguishable from one another because a shallow well pump will have one singular pipe coming off the nose of the pump, while a deep well will have two pipes.

When coming across a newer looking jet pump system; if the water pressure's good, the pump isn't loud, & no big additions are planned for the home...leave it be! Jet pumps are notoriously indestructible. But if the pump is loud, in apparent disrepair, or water pressure isn't great...it probably is the right time to consider a conversion.

A Jet Pump Conversion consists of extending the casing so that it terminates above grade level. This involves the use of a casing coupling to connect a new piece of well casing & maintaining the watertight integrity of the casing. Since the well head was below grade before the conversion, a pitless adapter will be torch cut into the casing to allow the offset pipe (the pipe that transitions from vertically down in the ground, to horizontal to deliver water to the house) to remain below grade & frost level. A watertight cap is installed on the top of the casing. A new submersible pump is installed down in the ground with new submersible pump cable. A submersible pump is capable of delivering higher volumes of water at better pressure...& since the pump is down in the ground; this is all accomplished without any operational noise.

Another upgrade to consider when converting from a jet to submersible system is a constant pressure system. A constant pressure system is capable of delivering water at higher pressures to all points of use in the home simultaneously. This will be discussed in greater detail in a future blog. For now - Jet pumps are a viable water delivery mechanism...but when they're in need of replacement; a submersible system is a worthy upgrade.

The presence of a water filtration system in a Fairfield County home does not necessarily indicate a looming water quality issue. Any water source can benefit from even the most basic of filtration schemes. Fairfield County CT is a "bedroom" community for NY city. Many Fairfield County homebuyers & owners originate from, or work in, "the city". A common mantra amongst NYC dwellers moving into Fairfield County is; "NYC has the best water ever"...I want water like that in my new home here in Fairfield County.

This article's purpose is not to bash the water treatment efforts of the NYC water supplier - it's to shed a brighter light on a topic many believe is a model example. Point being; while the water may taste or look good pouring out of any given tap in NYC, the distribution system through which that water runs before exiting the tap can be - in some cases - 100+ years old! This means the water may be exposed to lead, galvinized, & iron pipe.

I guarantee that if someone were to install even the most basic of water filters on a water supply line in a NYC dwelling - they would find over time, that the filter would discolor. This is not to say that the water is bad. It does mean that there's likely more in the water than initially meets the eyes...or taste buds. Municipal supplies typically incorporate a chlorine residual in the distribution system as a means of keeping waterborne bacteria & viruses in check. While essential for obvious reasons...ingesting - or even bathing in chlorinated water is not the ideal healthy thing to do.

A water filtration system can be a last line of defense or "final barrier" against water quality issues that may not be currently present...an insurance policy of sorts. Whether the home is supplied from a municipal source or a private water well; whether the home is located in Fairfield, Westchester, or New Haven County, even a basic water filtration system can offer benefits in the form of better water quality supplied to the home. This can be a simple chlorine residual removal process or a full blown water conditioning system for a problem water well supply. The following pics illustrate basic cartridge type filtration...to back washing filters. There are many options available in the world of water filtration systems.