Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 44, November 2, 2024
(a) The certified individual shall conduct a
thorough visual inspection of the building prior to initiating any radon
mitigation work.
(b)
Terminal discharge. To prevent re-entrainment of radon,
discharges of depressurization systems, whether fan-powered or passive, must
meet all of the following requirements:
(1)
The termination point shall be above the immediate edge of the roof for vent
pipes attached to the side of the building.
(2) The termination point must be vertical,
upward, outside the structure and discharging to the atmosphere. A 45-degree
elbow is permitted. Rain caps may not be used.
(3) The termination point must be 10 feet or
more above the ground level nearest to the point of discharge.
(4) The termination point must be 10 feet or
more from an operable window unit, door or other opening into conditioned
spaces unless it is 2 feet above the top of the openings. The 10-foot distance
may be measured directly between the opening and the exhaust point or with a
flexible tape following the shortest path possible around intervening solid
objects. A chimney is not considered an opening into conditioned
spaces.
(5) The termination point
must be at least 5 feet horizontally from a vertical wall that extends above
the roof or higher than the vertical wall.
(6) The termination point must be 10 feet or
more from an opening into an adjacent structure and be:
(i) At least 12 inches above the surface of
the roof for vent pipes that penetrate the roof.
(ii) At least 10 feet from any openings of
conditioned spaces in the structure.
(c)
Fan location. A radon
fan used in active soil depressurization or a block wall depressurization
system may not be installed:
(1) Below grade,
in a window well or egress window well, or in the conditioned space of a
building.
(2) In a basement, crawl
space or other interior location directly beneath the heated or cooled spaces
of a building.
(d)
Sealing.
(1) When
accessible, the following are required to be adequately sealed with urethane
caulk or equivalent material using methods and materials that are permanent and
durable when installing a mitigation system:
(i) Perimeter channel drains.
(ii) Cracks that exist where the slab meets
the foundation wall (floor wall joint).
(iii) Expansion or control joints.
(iv) Openings around utility penetrations of
the foundation walls.
(v) Sump pits
that allow entry of soil gas or that allow conditioned air to be drawn into a
sub-slab depressurization system.
(2) When the opening or channel is greater
than 1/2 inch in width, a foam backer rod or other equivalent filler material
shall be inserted into the channel before application of the sealant. Materials
inserted into the channel must leave adequate space below the filler material
to allow subsurface drainage from the channel into the subslab
material.
(3) If the mitigator and
homeowner determine that the perimeter channel drain cannot be sealed for water
control reasons, then the mitigator may leave those areas unsealed and shall
provide the following written statements to the homeowner:
(i) This technique may contribute to
increased heating and cooling costs.
(ii) This technique may reduce the
effectiveness of the radon mitigation system.
(iii) This technique may increase the
potential for backdrafting natural draft combustion appliances.
(e)
Labeling.
(1) If the
mitigation system is accessible and visible, a system description label shall
be prominently and permanently affixed to the mitigation system piping. If the
mitigation system is concealed or not accessible, then the label shall be
placed in another prominent location. The label must be legible from a distance
of at least 3 feet and include all of the following information:
(i) "Radon Reduction System."
(ii) The name and certification number of the
mitigation certified individual or firm.
(iii) The contact telephone number of the
mitigation certified individual or firm.
(iv) The date of installation.
(v) "Building should be tested for radon at
least every two years."
(2) Each exposed and visible interior radon
mitigation system vent pipe section shall be identified with at least one label
on each floor level. The label must read "Radon Reduction System."
(f)
Required client
information. Upon completion of the mitigation project, the mitigator
shall attach an information package to the mitigation system in a secure and
permanent manner, visible location and labeled "Radon Mitigation Information."
The information package must include all of the following:
(1) A copy of contracts and warranties for
the mitigation system.
(2) A
description of the installed mitigation system and its basic operating
principles.
(3) A description of
the proper operating procedures of installed mechanical or electrical systems,
including the manufacturer's operation and maintenance instructions,
drain-filling instructions and warning device interpretations.
(4) A list of appropriate actions for the
client to take if the system failure warning device indicates system
degradation or failure.
(5) A
recommendation to retest at least every 2 years.
(6) A recommendation to have an electrical
inspection performed on the applicable components of the installed
system.
(g)
Compliance. A person conducting radon mitigation activities
shall conduct the mitigation in accordance with Department-approved mitigation
standards and shall comply with applicable statutes, regulations, ordinances
and building codes. The following protocols, "Protocols for Radon and Radon
Decay Product Measurements in Homes," "Indoor Radon and Radon Decay Product
Measurement Device Protocols" and "Pennsylvania Radon Mitigation Standards" are
available upon request from the following source:
Department of Environmental Protection Bureau of
Radiation Protection Rachel Carson State Office Building, 13th Floor 400 Market
Street Post Office Box 8469 Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
17105-8469
The provisions of this §240.308 amended under sections 301
and 302 of the Radiation Protection Act (35 P.S.
§§
7110.301 and
7110.302); section 1920-A of
The Administrative Code of 1929 (71 P.S. §
510-20); and the Radon Certification Act
(63
P.S. §§ 2001-2014).
