Dataset · v1.0.0 · 10 rows

Component and service-life dataset

Every component of an active radon mitigation system: what it does, how it fails, whether failure is visible, and whether it is a wear item or permanent infrastructure.

Components by service-life class

Components by service-life classpermanent: 5. semi-permanent: 4. wear-item: 1.permanent5semi-permanent4wear-item1
How many components fall into each class. Shows where ownership cost concentrates over time.

Embed this chart: <iframe src="/datasets/component-service-life/embed" width="100%" height="420" loading="lazy"></iframe>

The data

ComponentFunctionClassificationFailure modeFailure visible to ownerHow to detect
FanDevelops the pressure difference that draws soil gas from beneath the slab.wear-itemBearing wear then motor stop. Warranted for a term of years, budgeted as a replaceable part after.falseManometer columns level; fan no longer audible. A fan-failure alarm shortens the window considerably.
ManometerIndicates that the system is developing suction.semi-permanentFluid loss, or the gauge knocked out of level so it reads incorrectly.trueVisual check against the mark made at commissioning.
Suction pit and sub-slab connectionCouples the pipe to the aggregate layer beneath the slab.permanentSilt or debris intrusion reducing the draw area; rare.falseFalling manometer reading with a confirmed working fan; diagnostics.
Riser pipeCarries soil gas from the suction point to above the roofline.permanentJoint separation or damage, most often during a basement renovation.trueVisual inspection; loss of suction after building work.
Roofline dischargeReleases exhausted soil gas where it disperses rather than re-entering.permanentBlockage by debris, nesting, or ice.falseManometer change without a fan fault; seasonal noise change.
Sump lid sealCloses what is often the largest single opening in a basement floor.semi-permanentGasket degradation, or the lid left unsealed after pump service.trueVisual check after any sump or drainage work.
Floor-wall joint and crack sealingStops the fan pulling conditioned room air instead of soil gas.semi-permanentSealant cracking with slab movement; sections covered by later finishing.trueVisual inspection where accessible; a rising indoor result with the fan running.
Crawl-space membraneTakes the place of a slab so suction can be drawn beneath it.semi-permanentTears from storage or trades access; seams or wall seals opening.trueInspection after anyone works in the crawl space.
Dedicated electrical circuitPowers continuous fan operation with a disconnect.permanentTripped breaker, which stops the system silently.falseCheck the breaker first when the manometer reads level — it costs nothing.
System label and documentationTells the next owner, inspector, or contractor what was installed.permanentLost during ownership transfer.trueAbsent at resale, which turns a documented repair into an open question.

Download and API

Licence. CC BY 4.0 — reuse with attribution to Radon Connect and a link to the dataset page.

Field schema

FieldTypeDescription
componentstringPart of an active system.
functionstringWhat it does.
classificationenum
wear-item · semi-permanent · permanent
Wear items are expected to be replaced within the life of the system; permanent components are expected to outlast it.
failureModestringHow this component stops doing its job.
failureVisiblebooleanWhether an owner would notice without testing or inspection.
detectionstringWhat actually reveals the failure.

Methodology

The question this answers

What is an active radon system made of, how does each part fail, and would an owner notice?

How a row comes to exist

  • Components were enumerated from the scope a competent mitigation contract specifies.
  • Classification uses three service-life classes rather than year ranges. Manufacturer warranty terms differ by model and we do not restate them as though they were a general service life.
  • The visibility column exists because silent failure is the defining maintenance problem in this field.

Inclusion and exclusion

  • Components present in a standard active sub-slab or sub-membrane system.
  • Optional monitoring hardware is described in the guides rather than treated as a standard component.

What this dataset cannot tell you

  • No expected lifespans in years are published. Those depend on model, duty, and environment, and a general figure would be an invented number.
  • Failure modes are the common ones, not an exhaustive engineering list.
  • Nothing here is a maintenance instruction. Fan, roof, and electrical work belong to a qualified professional.

Related

Sources

  1. U.S. EPA Radon
  2. U.S. EPA Consumer’s Guide to Radon Reduction

Get quotes from credentialed local contractors

Free to request and no obligation. We verify credentials with the issuing authority before any request routes to a contractor.

Start a request