Radon Mitigation Systems for Northwest Iowa Homes.
A high radon test isn’t a reason to panic. It’s a reason to schedule. Radon mitigation is a proven, well-understood fix, and at Midwest Radon Pros we install systems the way Iowa law requires: by a crew trained and credentialed through the state, finished with a follow-up test that proves the number came down. Most homes go from tested-high to fixed-and-verified in about a week, with the install itself done in a single day.
Get a free, no-obligation mitigation quote and put a date on fixing your radon problem.
How Mitigation Works.
Pull It Out From Under the House Before It Gets In.
Nearly every residential system works on the same principle, called sub-slab depressurization. Radon rises from the soil and gets pulled into your home because the house itself acts like a low-grade vacuum. A mitigation system out-competes the house. A pipe goes through the basement slab into the soil below, an inline fan creates steady suction under the slab, and the radon that used to seep into your basement gets routed up the pipe and vented above the roofline, where it dilutes into outdoor air and becomes a non-issue. The house stops inhaling soil gas because the system inhales it first.
Not every foundation is a poured basement, and the system adapts. Crawl spaces get a sealed membrane over the exposed soil with suction drawn from underneath it. Homes with drain tile or a sump pit can often use those as the collection point, which makes for a cleaner install. Slab-on-grade homes are handled with the same principle through the slab. Part of quoting the job is figuring out which approach fits your foundation, and houses with more than one foundation type under them, which is common around here with additions, sometimes need more than one suction point.
Install Day.
What Actually Happens When We Show Up.
1. Locate the Suction Point
We pick the spot that gives the best suction under the slab while keeping the pipe run as clean and unobtrusive as possible, often in a utility room, closet, or garage corner.
2. Core the Slab and Dig the Pit
We drill a hole through the concrete and excavate a small pit below it so the fan has a cavity to draw from. This is the loud part of the day, and it’s over quickly.
3. Run the Pipe and Mount the Fan
PVC runs from the slab up and out, with the fan mounted outside the living space, in the attic or on the exterior, per code. The fan can’t go in the basement, because everything below the fan is under suction and everything above it is under pressure, and you want the pressurized side outside your living space.
4. Seal and Finish
We seal the pipe penetration, caulk accessible slab cracks, and address sump lids and other openings so the system pulls from under the slab instead of pulling your basement air. A manometer goes on the pipe, a simple gauge that shows the system is running at a glance, and the system gets labeled.
5. Verify With a Follow-Up Test
After the system has run for at least 24 hours, a post-mitigation radon test confirms the level actually came down. You get a verified number, not a promise. That test, not the invoice, is when the job is done.
Living With a System.
What to Expect After Install Day.
The fan runs continuously, and it’s supposed to. It draws about as much electricity as a light bulb, and from inside the house most people describe the sound as a faint hum they stop noticing within a week, similar to a bathroom fan a couple rooms away. Glance at the manometer now and then. If the liquid levels have equalized, the fan has quit and it’s time to call us. Fans typically last somewhere in the range of five to ten years, and we handle replacements. Beyond that, retest every two years like any Iowa home should, and the system just quietly does its job. A side benefit worth mentioning: because the system pulls moist soil gas out from under the house, many homeowners notice their basement runs a little drier, though we sell it as a radon fix, not a moisture cure.
Frequently Asked Questions.
Your Radon Mitigation Questions, Answered.
How much does a mitigation system cost?
It depends on your foundation type, how the pipe has to route, and whether the house needs more than one suction point, which is why we quote it free after looking at the house instead of guessing over the phone. What we can tell you is that mitigation is a one-day job with a decades-long payoff, and it costs a great deal less than treating the problem it prevents.
Will it work on my old house?
Yes. Old farmhouses, lake homes with additions, houses with rubble or block foundations, we design around what’s actually there. Older and odder houses sometimes need a bit more sealing work or a second suction point, but there’s a workable system for nearly every home.
How far down will it get my radon level?
A properly installed system reduces radon dramatically, and most homes end up well below the EPA action level of 4 pCi/L. Every install ends with a verification test, so you’ll know exactly where your house landed rather than relying on an average.
Can I turn the fan off in the summer?
Don’t. Radon doesn’t take summers off, and the system only works while it’s running. The electricity cost is minimal, and a system that’s off is just a pipe.
Can't my handyman or I install one?
Iowa law requires radon mitigation systems to be installed by professionals credentialed through the state, and it’s the kind of job where the details decide whether it works: pit size, pipe routing, fan placement, sealing. A system that looks right and pulls nothing is worse than no system, because it feels solved. Ask your installer for their state credential. We’ll show you ours without being asked.
What about new construction?
As of July 1, 2026, Iowa’s building code requires passive radon systems in new single-family and two-family homes. Passive systems help, but they don’t always get levels low enough on their own, so test the new house too. If it needs it, adding a fan to an existing passive system is one of the easiest jobs we do.