Tips to selecting a Radon Contractor

While price is an important consideration in the selection of a radon contractor, you should be aware of other factors that can impact the finished product.  Radon reduction systems are custom designed and fabricated on site and thus the quality and reduction performance can vary greatly between contractors. The process of choosing your contractor should be similar to that of any other home improvement decision …doing your homework is important.  In this business, there may be little difference in price between the contractor who provides a professional, effective installation vs. the contractor who sacrifices quality and system performance in order to cut costs. So here are some additional considerations (in no particular order) that should be part of your final decision before selecting your contractor:

EXPERIENCE:  How many years has the contractor been installing radon systems? If the company is  part of a regional chain, insist on the experience level of the operation in this state. You should have the confidence to know the company has been around long enough to have encountered a multitude of unusual projects and the staying power to be there when service is required. Our company has been installing radon systems for 7+ years.

MITIGATION SERVICES: Did you know radon is present in both soil and well water? If your home has well water, be sure to test both the air and the water. Consider using a contractor who is qualified and experienced to mitigate both soil gas AND well water since the two could be related. In addition, well water may require conditioning before the radon can be removed. HSW Radon Contractors, LLC provides radon reduction for soil gas, well water, and water treatment services.  

System Appearance and Your Health: Radon reduction systems for soil gas AND well water aeration will typically have a vent stack at or above the roofline of the home / structure. The purpose of this protocol is to protect the occupants from having high concentrations of radon gas roll back into the home through an open window. There is a balance between system appearance and meeting this protocol and thus we make a genuine effort in the design and fabrication stage to install this plumbing in a discreet location.  We encourage you to be  involved in this process. Caution: you should be aware of at least one Connecticut contractor who vents all water aeration systems at ground level in order to cut costs and installation time. Unfortunately, this can endanger the occupants health with the possibility of highly concentrated radon gas reentering the home.

EQUIPMENT: Is the contractor equipped with the latest tools to perform radon mitigation (this may be difficult to access but visual cues could provide the answer)? The contractor should operate from a well stocked vehicle and invest in the latest equipment to help design, install, and test systems. There are some reports of contractors operating from the trunk of a vehicle. For soil gas systems, we are one of the few (perhaps only) companies that choose to professionally diamond wet core holes in concrete floors. This benefits you as the customer since it is virtually dust free, will not impart stress risers or cracks in the concrete, looks neater, facilitates the proper excavation, and comes at no extra cost to you.

RIGHT TO CANCEL: Is there a financial penalty if mitigation work is cancelled or postponed prior to the scheduled installation? Connecticut state law allows a property owner to cancel a contract within three days of signing without any cost or obligation. We know of at least one contractor who will not return your deposit if the project is cancelled. HSW Radon Contractors, LLC understands situations arise in the real estate market and therefore never charges a fee in the event a project needs to be cancelled or postponed (even after the three days has elapsed) up to the day of the installation.

LICENSING/CERTIFICATIONS: The State of Connecticut requires that the Contractor hold a Home Improvement Contractors Registration and is certified by either NRSB or NEHA to perform radon gas mitigation.  Contractors may choose to offer reduction services for well water, in which case the contractor must also hold a plumbing license or use the services of a licensed plumber. HSW Radon Contractors, LLC is a registered Home Improvement Contractor (582643), certified mitigation provider (NEHA 103065RMT), certified measurement provider (NEHA 103064RT), and a licensed Plumbing and Piping Contractor (J1-0285734). Licenses/certifications are available for inspection on our vehicles.

INSURANCE: Is the contractor fully insured? You as the customer have the right to ask and see proof of coverage… don’t assume the contractor has insurance coverage or is fully insured. In our opinion, the contractor should carry no less than a $1,000,000 policy. HSW Radon Contractors, LLC carries General Liability, Professional Liability, and Environmental Liability with certificates available for inspection on our vehicles.

PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS: How committed is the contractor to keeping up with the latest laws and trends? In an effort to support our knowledge base and facilitate continuous improvement, HSW Radon Contractors, LLC is a member of the American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists (AARST), the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA), and the Water Quality Association (WQA).

RESULTS: How successful is the contractor at reducing radon? You should ask for data to get a sense of their success rate. The average radon levels of homes corrected by HSW Radon Contractors, LLC retest at  1.1 pCi/L for soil gas. There is a published histogram available on this website for your review.

TESTIMONIALS / FEEDBACK: What are past clients saying about the contractor? What does the State of Connecticut say about the contractor (Connecticut Department of Public Health Radon Program at 860-509-7367)? Feedback from past clients provides valuable information (both positive and negative) on how the company is performing and these should be readily available. Again, we publish both timely and numerous comments for your consideration.

WARRANTEES: Does the contractor offer a written warrantee and does it make sense? Be skeptical of unusually long or lifetime warrantees … there is usually a hook. It has been reported of one Connecticut contractor who boasts about their extended warrantee period, but then will clobber you with a huge labor fee ($400+) if a fan change is required or other repair. HSW Radon Contractors, LLC typically provides Reduction Performance (as low as 2 pCi/L) for a period of 5 years, fan warrantees for 5 years, a Workmanship Guarantee, and a Satisfaction Guarantee … we want you to be happy with our company’s products and services. These warrantees are transferable.

METHOD OF PAYMENT:  For your convenience, we accept most major credit cards.

We trust this information will be useful in your decision to select an appropriate contractor. Feel free to contact us if you have additional questions or the Connecticut Department of Public Health Radon Program at 860-509-7367.