Radon System Inspection & Repair in Ann Arbor, MI

Systems don't run forever

A radon system isn't something you install once and forget. The fan is a mechanical part that runs 24/7, and most last somewhere in the range of five to ten years before the motor wears out. When a fan quietly dies, the system stops protecting the home, but nothing obvious changes inside, so it can go unnoticed until someone checks.

If you bought a home with a system already in place, or yours has been running for years, it's worth confirming it still works rather than assuming it does.

What homeowners may need

• Fan replacement when a motor fails
• Checking the manometer (the U-shaped gauge on the pipe)
• Troubleshooting a system that isn't lowering levels enough
• Adding a suction point to an underperforming system
• Re-testing to confirm the system is working

How to tell if yours is working

Most systems have a manometer, a small U-shaped tube of colored liquid mounted on the vent pipe. If the two sides are level, the fan has likely stopped and the system isn't running; if they're offset, it's pulling suction. That gauge tells you the fan is on, but it doesn't tell you the radon level is actually low, which is why the EPA recommends re-testing every two years even with a working system. If a re-test comes back high despite the fan running, the system may need another suction point or other adjustments to keep up.