Is our basement air safe? — home radon test + mitigation-readiness plan (Pittsburgh) (2026-07-07)

A Pittsburgh family finished their basement into a basement rec room and later learned their county is EPA Radon Zone 1 — most homes test above the action level. They have never tested and want to know whether the air where their kids play is safe, and what it would take to fix it if it is not. This packet delivers the family's claim of safe air: correctly-placed EPA-protocol radon testing, the result interpreted against the 4 pCi/L action level, and — if warranted — a sub-slab depressurization mitigation-readiness plan scoped for a certified installer. Standard: Home radon test + mitigation-system readiness — the family-facing survey that turns "is the air in our lowest level safe to breathe?" into a documented radon picture and a mitigation-ready plan: guide correct placement of an EPA-protocol radon test (lowest lived-in level, closed-house conditions, ≥20 in. off the floor, ≥3 ft from exterior walls, away from drafts/heat/humidity), record the result, interpret it against the EPA 4 pCi/L action level, and — where action is warranted — scope a sub-slab depressurization mitigation plan (suction-point location, sump/drain-tile tie-in, fan and vent-stack routing above the eave, post-mitigation re-test) as a job spec for an NRPP/NRSB-certified radon mitigation professional. EPA A Citizen's Guide to Radon (402-K-12-002) + EPA 4 pCi/L action level + ANSI/AARST mitigation standards (SGM-SF / RMS-LB). Health-primary (radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer), ~0 tCO2e. Observation/test-guidance/planning only — never installs a fan, seals a slab, drills, or alters the HVAC; all mitigation-system work and radon-in-water treatment route to certified pros; SDG 3.9/11.1. Proof: household concerns + lowest-level occupancy + foundation/entry-pathway photos + GPS + EPA-protocol test placement + pCi/L result vs 4 pCi/L action level + mitigation-readiness plan — Real, Proven, One-of-one Method (Home radon test + mitigation-system readiness — guide a correctly-placed EPA-protocol radon test, record and interpret the result against the EPA 4 pCi/L action level, and where action is warranted scope a sub-slab depressurization mitigation plan (suction point, sump/drain-tile tie-in, fan + vent-stack routing, post-mitigation re-test) as a job spec for an NRPP/NRSB-certified radon mitigation professional. Observation, test-guidance, and planning only — never installs, seals, or drills., ~60-120 min): 1. Sit with the household first: what prompted the concern (a neighbor's result, a basement bedroom/playroom, a real-estate transaction, a known Zone 1 county)? Who spends time on the lowest lived-in level and how many hours — children, sleeping areas, and any smokers (radon + smoking multiplies lung-cancer risk)? Record any prior test and its placement. Capture their concerns in their own words. 2. Map and photograph the foundation and the lowest lived-in level: slab / crawlspace / full or walk-out basement, sump pit, drain tile, floor and wall cracks, and service penetrations — the soil-gas entry pathways a mitigation system would address. 3. Guide correct placement of the EPA-protocol test: lowest lived-in level, ≥20 in. above the floor, ≥3 ft from exterior walls/windows/doors, away from drafts, heat, and humidity; NEVER in a kitchen, bathroom, or laundry. For a short-term test, establish closed-house conditions (windows/exterior doors shut, normal HVAC) 12 hours before and throughout. Record the device type, start time, and duration. 4. Record the radon result in pCi/L and interpret it against the EPA 4 pCi/L action level. If the result is at or above 4 pCi/L, note that the EPA recommends a confirming follow-up (a second short-term test or a long-term test) before committing to a permanent system; if a continuous monitor was used, note the hourly variability. 5. Where mitigation is warranted, scope a sub-slab depressurization readiness plan as a spec for a certified installer — candidate suction-point location, sump/drain-tile tie-in, fan location and vent-stack routing above the eave/roofline, electrical availability, and the required post-mitigation re-test. This is a scope, NOT an installation; no drilling, sealing, or fan is fitted. 6. Assemble the plan with the household: the current radon picture, whether action is warranted, the mitigation scope with a rough cost band, and the NRPP/NRSB-certified-professional path. Note interim risk-reduction steps (increase ventilation, avoid using the lowest level as a bedroom for vulnerable occupants) for the window before mitigation. 7. Review the plan WITH the household so they own the result and the next step; enter photos, GPS/address, test placement + type + result, the action-level interpretation, and the mitigation-readiness plan; sign. The family's claim of safe air = this plan + this evidence — Real (tested and mapped), Proven (photo + GPS + result + signature), One-of-one (this home, this foundation, this occupancy). Equipment: EPA-listed radon test device (short-term charcoal / alpha-track kit or a continuous radon monitor), camera, tablet/clipboard with the EPA radon protocol + 4 pCi/L action-level reference + NRPP/NRSB certified-professional lookup, flashlight (foundation, sump, crawlspace, service penetrations), tape measure (test-placement height + foundation/entry-pathway mapping) Done when: Household's radon concerns and the occupancy pattern of the lowest lived-in level recorded in their own words; Foundation type and radon entry pathways (sump, drain tile, cracks, penetrations) photographed and mapped; EPA-protocol test placement documented (level, ≥20 in. height, ≥3 ft from walls, closed-house conditions, start time, device type/duration) and the pCi/L result recorded and interpreted against the 4 pCi/L action level; Mitigation-readiness plan delivered where warranted (suction point, fan + vent-stack routing, post-mitigation re-test, NRPP/NRSB-certified-installer path) OR a documented below-action-level retest-interval recommendation

Where

Residential home, Pittsburgh, PA

Pay

$95 proposed

This packet is not funded yet, so this figure is a proposed price and not money waiting in escrow. If a buyer funds it, approved proof settles that price onchain. If nobody funds it, approved proof earns provable credit toward the work instead of cash. You see which before you claim, never after.

Proof

household concerns + lowest-level occupancy + foundation/entry-pathway photos + GPS + EPA-protocol test placement + pCi/L result vs 4 pCi/L action level + mitigation-readiness plan — Real, Proven, One-of-one

This is exactly what gets it approved. Nothing settles without it.

Level

advanced

Open until

2027-07-07

How this work is done

A documented method, so this packet comes out the same whoever does it. Typically 60–120 minutes. Method of record: Home radon test + mitigation-system readiness — guide a correctly-placed EPA-protocol radon test, record and interpret the result against the EPA 4 pCi/L action level, and where action is warranted scope a sub-slab depressurization mitigation plan (suction point, sump/drain-tile tie-in, fan + vent-stack routing, post-mitigation re-test) as a job spec for an NRPP/NRSB-certified radon mitigation professional. Observation, test-guidance, and planning only — never installs, seals, or drills.

Bring

• EPA-listed radon test device (short-term charcoal / alpha-track kit or a continuous radon monitor)
• camera
• tablet/clipboard with the EPA radon protocol + 4 pCi/L action-level reference + NRPP/NRSB certified-professional lookup
• flashlight (foundation, sump, crawlspace, service penetrations)
• tape measure (test-placement height + foundation/entry-pathway mapping)

Steps

1. 1. Sit with the household first: what prompted the concern (a neighbor's result, a basement bedroom/playroom, a real-estate transaction, a known Zone 1 county)? Who spends time on the lowest lived-in level and how many hours — children, sleeping areas, and any smokers (radon + smoking multiplies lung-cancer risk)? Record any prior test and its placement. Capture their concerns in their own words.
2. 2. Map and photograph the foundation and the lowest lived-in level: slab / crawlspace / full or walk-out basement, sump pit, drain tile, floor and wall cracks, and service penetrations — the soil-gas entry pathways a mitigation system would address.
3. 3. Guide correct placement of the EPA-protocol test: lowest lived-in level, ≥20 in. above the floor, ≥3 ft from exterior walls/windows/doors, away from drafts, heat, and humidity; NEVER in a kitchen, bathroom, or laundry. For a short-term test, establish closed-house conditions (windows/exterior doors shut, normal HVAC) 12 hours before and throughout. Record the device type, start time, and duration.
4. 4. Record the radon result in pCi/L and interpret it against the EPA 4 pCi/L action level. If the result is at or above 4 pCi/L, note that the EPA recommends a confirming follow-up (a second short-term test or a long-term test) before committing to a permanent system; if a continuous monitor was used, note the hourly variability.
5. 5. Where mitigation is warranted, scope a sub-slab depressurization readiness plan as a spec for a certified installer — candidate suction-point location, sump/drain-tile tie-in, fan location and vent-stack routing above the eave/roofline, electrical availability, and the required post-mitigation re-test. This is a scope, NOT an installation; no drilling, sealing, or fan is fitted.
6. 6. Assemble the plan with the household: the current radon picture, whether action is warranted, the mitigation scope with a rough cost band, and the NRPP/NRSB-certified-professional path. Note interim risk-reduction steps (increase ventilation, avoid using the lowest level as a bedroom for vulnerable occupants) for the window before mitigation.
7. 7. Review the plan WITH the household so they own the result and the next step; enter photos, GPS/address, test placement + type + result, the action-level interpretation, and the mitigation-readiness plan; sign. The family's claim of safe air = this plan + this evidence — Real (tested and mapped), Proven (photo + GPS + result + signature), One-of-one (this home, this foundation, this occupancy).

If it does not match the plan

• Radon result at or above 4 pCi/L -> flag 'at or above EPA action level'; recommend the EPA-recommended confirming follow-up test, then route mitigation-system design and installation to an NRPP- or NRSB-certified radon mitigation professional; the survey never installs.
• Radon result at or above ~20 pCi/L (or a continuous monitor reading multiples above the action level) -> URGENT; advise the household to increase ventilation and avoid using the lowest level as a bedroom pending prompt professional mitigation, and expedite the certified-pro referral.
• Household's water is a private well AND radon is elevated -> radon-in-water can contribute to indoor air; route a separate radon-in-water test and treatment to a certified professional; do not fold it into the soil-gas mitigation scope.
• Suspected asbestos or vermiculite around the intended suction point / foundation (pipe wrap, old block-fill or attic insulation) -> do NOT disturb, drill, or scope through it; photograph intact, flag 'inspection required before mitigation', and route to a licensed inspector.
• Test placement cannot meet EPA protocol (no valid lowest-lived-in location, closed-house conditions impossible, severe drafts) -> do not report an invalid number; document the constraint and recommend a compliant retest or a continuous-monitor measurement.

What counts as done

• Household's radon concerns and the occupancy pattern of the lowest lived-in level recorded in their own words
• Foundation type and radon entry pathways (sump, drain tile, cracks, penetrations) photographed and mapped
• EPA-protocol test placement documented (level, ≥20 in. height, ≥3 ft from walls, closed-house conditions, start time, device type/duration) and the pCi/L result recorded and interpreted against the 4 pCi/L action level
• Mitigation-readiness plan delivered where warranted (suction point, fan + vent-stack routing, post-mitigation re-test, NRPP/NRSB-certified-installer path) OR a documented below-action-level retest-interval recommendation

Proof is measured against these, not judged by taste.