Height of Radon Vent Pipe

[hr(bob) hofmann@att.net]

I'm wondering why radon vent pipes have to be at least the height of
the house to which they are attached. As long as the output of the
pipe is under pressure from the fan, I don't see why the vent pipe
cannot end just at the outside surface of the house, as long as it is
not an area where people congregate. Like behind a big evergreen
where the evergreen is close enough to the house that no one could
even get there. The height should not make it draw better, there are
no sparks to worry about, so what's the reason?

[k...@att.bizzzzzzzzzzzz]

So that the wind doesn't carry the radon back into the upper, living, areas of
the house.

[tra...@optonline.net]

On Jun 23, 1:54 am, "k...@att.bizzzzzzzzzzzz"
<k...@att.bizzzzzzzzzzzz> wrote:
> On Fri, 22 Jun 2012 20:15:30 -0700 (PDT), "hr(bob) hofm...@att.net"

Yes, I agree that's the reason. If the discharge was located on a
side of the house where it's far away
from any window or door, then the problem of it coming
back into the house is essentially
eliminated. Although if there are soffit vents, some of
the air could still make it's way into the attic. Then you
still have the problem of people standing near it outside.
I don't know how you can say for sure where people
will or won't congregate. Just vent it where there is no chance of
any of it getting back in and be done with it.

[Retired]

FWIW, mine was installed using aluminum rain gutter downspout pipe,
instead of PVC, from the fan to roof line. Not quite so obvious, and
easily painted same color as siding.

One thing I've wondered about. Why no rain cap, does the fan have a
rain diverter built-in ??

[hr(bob) hofmann@att.net]

On Jun 23, 10:12 am, Retired <reti...@home.com> wrote:

I have a neighbor who has a radon vent without a cap and it fills with
debris. She isn't too happy!!!

[Steve Barker]

so the stuff don't blow back in the window. Some think it's dangerous.


--
Steve Barker
remove the "not" from my address to email

[Ed Pawlowski]

On Sat, 23 Jun 2012 14:52:55 -0700 (PDT), "hr(bob) hof...@att.net"
<hrho...@att.net> wrote:


>
>I have a neighbor who has a radon vent without a cap and it fills with
>debris. She isn't too happy!!!

Has she bought the cap yet? If not, she deserves having a PITA.

[Pat]

On Sat, 23 Jun 2012 14:52:55 -0700 (PDT), "hr(bob) hof...@att.net"
<hrho...@att.net> wrote:

Having a cap does not guarantee no water or debris. Water can easily
condense as the temperature changes. So, the fan needs to handle
water regardless and to return to the original question, maybe the
pipe should be higher to avoid debris from trees.

[tra...@optonline.net]

On Jun 24, 11:25 am, Pat <p...@nospam.us> wrote:
> On Sat, 23 Jun 2012 14:52:55 -0700 (PDT), "hr(bob) hofm...@att.net"

> pipe should be higher to avoid debris from trees.- Hide quoted text -
>


Yes, about 75 ft high should avoid most trees. Any more practical
tips?

[hr(bob) hofmann@att.net]

On Jun 24, 11:16 am, "trad...@optonline.net" <trad...@optonline.net>
wrote:

> tips?- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

You just said what I was thinking.

[hr(bob) hofmann@att.net]

On Jun 23, 7:59 pm, Steve Barker <ichasetra...@notgmail.com> wrote:

The outlet is on the outside of the foundation wall, behind a heavy
hedge of evergreens. No one ever goes there except to pick up
accumulated wind-blown trash every once in a while (three times a year
maybe). So, I don'tt think anyone is going to get contaminated unless
they are homeless and set up a tiny tent behind the hedges so that no
one can see them.

[Pat]

On Sun, 24 Jun 2012 09:16:58 -0700 (PDT), "tra...@optonline.net"
<tra...@optonline.net> wrote:

>On Jun 24, 11:25嚙窮m, Pat <p...@nospam.us> wrote:
>> On Sat, 23 Jun 2012 14:52:55 -0700 (PDT), "hr(bob) hofm...@att.net"
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> <hrhofm...@att.net> wrote:

>> >On Jun 23, 10:12嚙窮m, Retired <reti...@home.com> wrote:
>> >> On 6/22/12 11:15 PM, hr(bob) hofm...@att.net wrote:
>>
>> >> > I'm wondering why radon vent pipes have to be at least the height of

>> >> > the house to which they are attached. 嚙璀s long as the output of the

>> >> > pipe is under pressure from the fan, I don't see why the vent pipe
>> >> > cannot end just at the outside surface of the house, as long as it is

>> >> > not an area where people congregate. 嚙盤ike behind a big evergreen

>> >> > where the evergreen is close enough to the house that no one could

>> >> > even get there. 嚙確he height should not make it draw better, there are

>> >> > no sparks to worry about, so what's the reason?
>>
>> >> FWIW, mine was installed using aluminum rain gutter downspout pipe,
>> >> instead of PVC, from the fan to roof line. Not quite so obvious, and
>> >> easily painted same color as siding.
>>
>> >> One thing I've wondered about. Why no rain cap, does the fan have a
>> >> rain diverter built-in ??
>>
>> >I have a neighbor who has a radon vent without a cap and it fills with

>> >debris. 嚙磅he isn't too happy!!!
>>
>> Having a cap does not guarantee no water or debris. 嚙磕ater can easily
>> condense as the temperature changes. 嚙磅o, the fan needs to handle

>> water regardless and to return to the original question, maybe the
>> pipe should be higher to avoid debris from trees.- Hide quoted text -
>>
>
>
>Yes, about 75 ft high should avoid most trees. Any more practical
>tips?

One doesn't need to avoid "most" trees. One only needs to avoid the
trees in your particular installation. My vent is above the roof line
per code and that happens to be above the nearby small trees. If it
was at the roof line, it would not be. The OP asked why the vent
needed to be higher. I gave one *possible* reason. My main point was
why it is not necessary to keep rain water out.

[tra...@optonline.net]

On Jun 25, 9:42 am, Pat <p...@nospam.us> wrote:
> On Sun, 24 Jun 2012 09:16:58 -0700 (PDT), "trad...@optonline.net"
>
>
>
>
>
> <trad...@optonline.net> wrote:

> >On Jun 24, 11:25 am, Pat <p...@nospam.us> wrote:
> >> On Sat, 23 Jun 2012 14:52:55 -0700 (PDT), "hr(bob) hofm...@att.net"
>
> >> <hrhofm...@att.net> wrote:

> >> >On Jun 23, 10:12 am, Retired <reti...@home.com> wrote:
> >> >> On 6/22/12 11:15 PM, hr(bob) hofm...@att.net wrote:
>
> >> >> > I'm wondering why radon vent pipes have to be at least the height of

> >> >> > the house to which they are attached. As long as the output of the

> >> >> > pipe is under pressure from the fan, I don't see why the vent pipe
> >> >> > cannot end just at the outside surface of the house, as long as it is

> >> >> > not an area where people congregate. Like behind a big evergreen

> >> >> > where the evergreen is close enough to the house that no one could

> >> >> > even get there. The height should not make it draw better, there are

> >> >> > no sparks to worry about, so what's the reason?
>
> >> >> FWIW, mine was installed using aluminum rain gutter downspout pipe,
> >> >> instead of PVC, from the fan to roof line. Not quite so obvious, and
> >> >> easily painted same color as siding.
>
> >> >> One thing I've wondered about. Why no rain cap, does the fan have a
> >> >> rain diverter built-in ??
>
> >> >I have a neighbor who has a radon vent without a cap and it fills with

> >> >debris. She isn't too happy!!!
>
> >> Having a cap does not guarantee no water or debris. Water can easily
> >> condense as the temperature changes. So, the fan needs to handle

> >> water regardless and to return to the original question, maybe the
> >> pipe should be higher to avoid debris from trees.- Hide quoted text -
>
> >Yes, about 75 ft high should avoid most trees.  Any more practical
> >tips?
>
> One doesn't need to avoid "most" trees.  One only needs to avoid the
> trees in your particular installation.  My vent is above the roof line
> per code and that happens to be above the nearby small trees.  If it
> was at the roof line, it would not be.  The OP asked why the vent
> needed to be higher.  I gave one *possible* reason.  My main point was

> why it is not necessary to keep rain water out.  - Hide quoted text -

>
> - Show quoted text -

Obviously the concept of a simple rain/debris cap
escapes you

[George]

I think that they do know about those ideas and wondered why the usual
radon remediation exhaust looks like this:

http://inspectapedia.com/BestPractices/Figure7-8s.jpg

I wonder if he/she is a hippie?

[Retired]

That's fine for new construction, but a retrofit on an older home
usually looks like this:

http://www.coloradohazard.com/images/radon-mitigation-system-3.jpg

(FWIW, while Googling for this image, I saw none with rain caps, and a
few did not go past roof line !!)

[tra...@optonline.net]

On Jun 25, 10:46 am, George <geo...@nospam.invalid> wrote:

> I wonder if he/she is a hippie?- Hide quoted text -

>
> - Show quoted text -

The point is that if the issue is that you need to avoid
having debris like leaves falling into the pipe, that can
be solved with a simple screen or cap. A simple
screen cover could even be in the diagram you
provided, just not shown. It's just a simple wire
screen.


So, yeah, I'd say someone who instead proposes extending the pipe up
above the height of the trees is probably a hippie.

[gregz]

All systems must account for water, condensation or rain. It's real dum to
put an open pipe sticking up. It's also real dum to use a large diameter
pipe. It does not depend on fan size, it's all about how much flow you get.
I put up a pipe with a bend above roof. I have a water collection system
for condensation. It's easy to clog. I only have to run the system in the
colder months, and a bug screen is necessary. My 120 cfm German fan is
pulling about 20-30 cfm, at 1 inch pull.
My radon is 1.5 in the summer without fan. In winter it could jump to 20
times that without fan.

Greg

[CRNG]

On Mon, 25 Jun 2012 18:24:22 +0000 (UTC), gregz <ze...@comcast.net>
wrote Re Re: Height of Radon Vent Pipe:

>All systems must account for water, condensation or rain. It's real dum to
>put an open pipe sticking up. It's also real dum to use a large diameter
>pipe.

What's really dumb is spelling "dumb" as "dum".

[gregz]

I figured somebody would say that.

Greg

[George]

I think the old work version in your image is basically the new work
version mounted on the outside. They install around here them just like
your image shows.

[George]

But you chastised the person who questioned the omission of a cap. Does
that make them a double hippy or maybe something else?

[George]

prolly...

[gregz]

I installed mine inside. Ran from planned basement wall up through bathroom
closet, one story. This guy did a good job, except probably no need for
large diameter pipes. I used 2.5 inch, to 5 inch fan. Of course, hardly no
one mentions you have to measure radon for a YEAR, before you know what's
going on.

He includes water trap and cap.

http://threethingsverydullindeed.blogspot.com/2011/02/radon-mitigation-system-installation.html

Greg

[k...@att.bizzzzzzzzzzzz]

You mistakenly assume anyone cares about what's really going on. Histeria,
and all (sorta like AGW). I had to put a system in my NY house, >20 years
ago, to sell it. There was no way I'd put it in for myself.

[gregz]

The thread is about pipes.

Would you care if someone forced you to smoke two packs of cigarettes a day
?
That's what's happening if I didn't install fan.

Greg

[hr(bob) hofmann@att.net]

On Jun 25, 8:29 pm, gregz <ze...@comcast.net> wrote:
> "k...@att.bizzzzzzzzzzzz" <k...@att.bizzzzzzzzzzzz> wrote:
> > On Tue, 26 Jun 2012 00:27:30 +0000 (UTC), gregz <ze...@comcast.net> wrote:
>
> >> George <geo...@nospam.invalid> wrote:
> >>> On 6/25/2012 11:43 AM, Retired wrote:
> >>>> On 6/25/12 10:46 AM, George wrote:

> Greg- Hide quoted text -

>
> - Show quoted text -

Well, I'm going to leave mine terminated on the outside wall about 20
inches above ground level with a dryer vent cap to keep critters out
until I am ready to sell the house, then I'll see if I even really
need it as my levels were about 3.5 in the middle of winter many years
ago, and the ground water levels have changed quite a bit with the
addition of storm water drains in a nearby subdivision that have
lowered the water table so much that my sujmp pump rarely even runs
any more.

[k...@att.bizzzzzzzzzzzz]

Of course that all depends on the severity and where the radon is measured. In
my case it was varying between 4 and 12 pCi/l in the basement. I would never
have spent $1200 (in '93 money) on it for us. OTOH, my brother's house was
almost glowing (120 pCi/l, IIRC).

[gregz]

I did not see much difference between basement and upper floor. I sent
fliers out to others on street. Pretty much didn't care. I measured
neighbors newly built house, and it was elevated, but not like my 60 year
house. I got into measuring it and trying to remedy situation when I sold a
house. It measured just over at the time. They wanted it fixed. I did some
sealing, and hired another measurement, and it passed. They still wanted
the money.

Greg

[k...@att.bizzzzzzzzzzzz]

Sure, people like to spend OPM.

[tra...@optonline.net]

On Jun 25, 9:44 pm, "hr(bob) hofm...@att.net" <hrhofm...@att.net>

> any more.- Hide quoted text -

>
> - Show quoted text -

From a practical standpoint, my guess would be that
it's OK. While there is the theoretical possibility of
the air making it's way back into the house via an open
window, door, etc, if the pipe terminates a reasonable
distance away, I would think it's unlikely. Also, the
radon exposure thing is cumulative over years and
years. Even if a bit of radon made it's way back in
once in a while through an open window, if you
average it out, I doubt it amounts to squat.

It would be interesting to see some actual experimental data that
shows how quickly a concentration of any gas dissipates after coming
out of a pipe like that into open
air when discharged. Going above the roofline is
definitely the safest, to code, not going to raise any
issues with inspections, etc.

[John Gilmer]

>
> One doesn't need to avoid "most" trees. One only needs to avoid the
> trees in your particular installation. My vent is above the roof line
> per code and that happens to be above the nearby small trees. If it
> was at the roof line, it would not be. The OP asked why the vent
> needed to be higher. I gave one *possible* reason. My main point was
> why it is not necessary to keep rain water out.

It's useful to understand why radon is so dangerous.

The gas itself is inert. But it has a relatively short half life
before it decays and become a metal. Basically, a radon atom
"instantly" becomes a radioactive metal. Within a few days half of
that first decay product has become a very slightly radioactive form of
lead with a half life measured in decades.

The "key" to solving radon problems is to dilute it to near background
atmospheric levels. At much higher levels folks just breathing in &
out will end up with trace (but measurable) amounts of radioactive lead
in their lungs. It's almost a recipe for lung cancer.

As I see it, there isn't much point in letting the vent pipe clear the
trees. You house foundation (with your house) has been trapping radon
inside. But much of the soil in "hot spots" routinely gives off radon.
Your vent gives off no more than a lawn the same size as your basement.

[tra...@optonline.net]

The point of having the vent pipe clear the trees was to avoid
leaves blocking the vent. Not my idea, and not practical IMO for
obvious reasons.