Radon Mitigation Fan monitoring

Wiki Projects & Stories
#1

I was looking at find a sensor that would let me monitor radon levels in my home. While it did lead me to the very cool uRADMonitor, the model D was a bit above my budget for this science project. Instead, I decided it would be much easier to just monitor the mitigation system (eg. a fan) to ensure it didn’t fail.

I’ve posted a parts list an instructions here, but it’s all pretty simple. Take a door/window sensor with terminals (Monoprice 15270, Linear WADWAZ-1, Schlage RS100, etc), connect it up to a differential pressure sensor, T off the tubing from the manometer (that’s the thing with the blue water it in), and connect it to the low pressure connection on the pressure switch. I chose the Dwyer 1910‑00 because it was solid (almost all metal), the most sensitive of the 1900-series line, and can be picked up for ~$20 on eBay, but any other sufficiently sensitive switch should work.

The device handler, a parts list, and basic instructions on how to put it together are here:

Hopefully someone else finds this useful!

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#2

thanks for posting this. Now I got radon sensor envy.

Radon remediation sucks - if you don’t have it done by the seller, then the next buyer of your house will stick you with it - for dubious benefit. I know Dana Reeves got lung cancer, but there is no clear link, and the radon remediation “industry” is hopelessly conflicted.

It bugs me that my radon remediation system runs all the time, collecting radon, another parasitic load It seems more effiicient to repel radon by pressurizing under the slab (as if it was airtight - not likely!), and cycling it every-so-often. At the cost of wearing out the motor a bit faster than running it all the time.

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