Radon system costs can vary tremendously–as you can imagine. I aim to give you a general idea of what to expect here. A traditional radon system is called a “soil gas depressurization system”. Fancy words for: take the air from under your home and send it out above the roofline in an energy efficient manner**. Home construction has a lot to do with how difficult this process may or may not be. Do you need to seal a 1,000+ square foot crawl space*? Or do you simply need to tap into an approved radon-ready system? The cost difference is often 2-5X between those two scenarios.
The CDPHE in Colorado estimates most systems run $1,300-3,000. Colorado is one of the least expensive states for radon mitigation due to high competition and historic “wild west” lack of consumer protection (i.e. low barriers to entry). Beware low cost mitigators you find on google. Always check that they are licensed and credentialed. Always read your contract in full. Many low cost bidders will leave out crucial system information and put the onus on the homeowner. I’ve heard horror stories about so-called professionals not wiring the radon fan ($500+ cost left out); charging mileage fees to drive in from out-of-market; using illegal or substandard materials; installing no-warranty systems or systems without a working radon level guarantee.
In my experience, a simple depressurization system can cost you $500-1,200 in materials alone (see my kits and packages page). Professional mitigators leverage their professional expertise and material discounts to work at an affordable price and ethical margin. In fact, I’ve been known to berate them for charging too little for quality work. If you’d like recommendations on contractors, do not hesitate to call, text, or email me. Lastly, be sure to maintain your radon system and service it annually (details here). Don’t be one of the scared homeowners that calls me after realizing their radon system failed several years ago and they’ve been living with high radon–those are my least favorite calls and I get one nearly every day.
*crawlspaces are the most labor intensive radon systems. Oftentimes full grown adults are working with less than 18” of clearance using caulking guns and pulling around heavy plastic. For inaccessible crawlspaces, air exchange systems are often needed. In my market these cost anywhere from $5-10K and need an HVAC licensed installer to ensure you don’t backdraft any home appliances. More info here.
**Energy efficiency is why you don’t just open up all your windows to get your radon levels down. An expertly crafted radon system can save you thousands of dollars over the life of your home. Radon fans move hundreds of CFM (cubic feet of air per minute). Imagine one hundred “basketballs of air” flying out your roof. What if all that air wasn’t from the soil but just from the inside your home? One mitigation company in Colorado Springs did just that for years: not sealing the edges of a crawlspace barrier system and letting homeowners foot the utility bill (PDS no longer recommended them after learning this news and they went out of business). Inefficient systems like that will raise your energy bill tremendously. Now what if it was a normal radon system that leaked a handful of CFM. Not a big deal right? Well, that cost adds up. One mitigation professional ran the numbers and shared them at an IEA radon meeting. Sealing less than 50′ of “hairline” concrete cracks saved over $1,200 over the lifespan of an Rn2 radon fan (a medium flow, lower energy fan) using utility data from a typical Midwestern town. Energy efficient radon system design is a specialty few licensed radon professionals have, but in my opinion, it’s worth paying for. Be sure to ask them about their energy saving design choices.
