Radon Mitigation System Installation in Saint Augustine, FL

If a test confirms elevated radon, the fix is a sub-slab depressurization system: a sealed suction point cut into the slab, PVC pipe routed to a continuously running inline fan, and an exhaust discharged above the roofline. It creates a low-pressure zone under the foundation so soil gas is drawn out and vented rather than pulled into the house.

Florida requires certification. Most states do not.

This is the part almost no radon website in Florida explains, and it is the single most useful thing to know before you hire anyone. Under Fla. Stat. 404.056(2), a person may not participate in performing radon measurement or mitigation unless certified by the Department of Health. Businesses are separately certified under F.A.C. 64E-5.1206 (measurement) and 64E-5.1207 (mitigation).

Certified mitigation businesses carry real obligations, not just a certificate:

• Pre- and post-mitigation radon measurements on every job.
• Five years of records retained.
• Compliance with the Florida Standard for Mitigation of Radon in Existing Buildings.
• A written warranty and written operating instructions handed to you.
• Any reading above 100 pCi/L reported to the state radon program within two business days.

Enforcement runs through the Department of Health, which may deny, suspend or revoke a certification and impose administrative fines of up to $1,000 per violation per day.

How to check, in one phone call

Do this before you sign anything, with us or anyone else. The Department of Health publishes current lists of certified radon measurement and mitigation businesses, and the radon program answers at 800-543-8279 (in Florida) or 850-245-4288. Ask for the business certification number and confirm it is current — certifications lapse, and a business that was certified last year may be mid-renewal today.

A general contractor's licence is not a radon certification. Neither is a home inspector's. If someone offers to install a mitigation system and cannot give you a radon business certification number, that is the end of the conversation.

What this means for scheduling in St. Johns County

There are only about two dozen certified radon mitigation businesses in all of Florida, and as of the Department's current published list, none of them are based in St. Johns County. The nearest are in the Jacksonville area, with others certified statewide operating out of Gainesville, Tallahassee, Orlando and Tampa.

That scarcity is worth understanding rather than hiding. It means crews travel, it means scheduling is measured in days rather than hours, and it means you should be sceptical of anyone promising a same-afternoon mitigation install in St. Augustine. Testing is the part that happens quickly.

What installation involves

• A diagnostic visit to find the best suction point and check sub-slab communication.
• One or more suction points cut through the slab, with the surrounding cracks, joints and penetrations sealed.
• PVC routed — through the garage, an interior chase, or up an exterior wall — to a fan mounted outside the conditioned space, discharging above the roofline.
• A manometer installed on the pipe so you can see at a glance that the system is pulling.
• A post-mitigation test after twenty-four hours of normal operation to confirm the result.

Most single-family installations are a one-day job. The fan runs continuously and uses roughly the electricity of a light bulb. Expect to replace it once every five to ten years.

How this works

We are not a contractor and we do not do the work. What we do is put Saint Augustine homeowners in front of local radon mitigation contractors, and give you enough of the picture beforehand that you can tell a fair quote from a padded one. Call (904) 395-5498 or send a few details and we will connect you.