Will I be able to tell the system is working?

The manometer gauge on the pipe gives a visual confirmation at any time, and we recommend a post-mitigation test to confirm your actual indoor level dropped.

Does the system run all the time?

Yes, the fan runs continuously. It uses a small amount of electricity, comparable to a light bulb, to keep the negative pressure consistent.

What if I have a sump pump in my basement?

Sump pits are a common radon entry point and usually get sealed and tied into the mitigation system rather than left open, so the pit does not undercut the vacuum the system creates.

Service · Des Moines, IA

Radon Mitigation System Installation in Des Moines, IA

A full radon mitigation system, typically sub-slab depressurization, designed and installed to bring your indoor level back under the EPA action level.

Call (515) 461-7572 Quick Quote

Quick quotes

Send us your details and we get back to you fast with a written quote.

Quick scheduling

We do not make you wait weeks for a test or an install date.

Locally owned

One shop, one service area, no franchise call center.

If a test comes back at or above the EPA action level of 4 pCi/L, a mitigation system is the next step, and in most Des Moines homes that means a sub-slab depressurization system: a vent pipe and fan that pull soil gas from beneath the foundation and release it above the roofline before it ever gets into your living space.

We design the system around your actual foundation instead of installing the same setup on every house. Quick quotes and quick scheduling mean you are not waiting weeks between a high test result and an actual fix.

Radon mitigation vent pipe installed on a home in Des Moines, IA

What a mitigation system actually includes

A typical system has a PVC vent pipe run from below the slab up through the house or along an exterior wall, a fan that creates negative pressure under the foundation, and a sealed penetration point where the pipe passes through the slab. Sealing matters as much as the pipe itself. An unsealed sump pit or an open foundation crack can undercut the whole system.

Iowa is EPA Radon Zone 1, the highest radon potential zone in the country, largely because of glacial till soils that produce more radon than soil types found in much of the rest of the U.S. That is part of why sub-slab depressurization is the standard recommendation here rather than something less proven.

How we design the system for your foundation

A basement, a crawl space and a slab-on-grade foundation each need a different approach, and even two basements on the same street can differ enough in sump location and slab condition to change where the pipe runs best. We look at your actual foundation before recommending a layout.

Installation day

Most residential installs are a one-day job. We route the pipe to be as unobtrusive as possible, whether that means running it through a closet or garage or along an exterior wall, and we finish the discharge point to meet clearance requirements from windows and grade.

Verifying the system works

A manometer, a simple U-tube gauge mounted on the pipe, shows the system is pulling negative pressure under the slab at a glance. We also recommend a post-mitigation test to confirm your actual indoor radon level dropped, not just that the fan is running. A properly working system typically reduces radon levels by up to 99 percent.

Radon Mitigation System Installation across Polk County

We run this work throughout Des Moines and the surrounding towns. In places like Des Moines, West Des Moines and Ankeny, no two elevations are exactly the same, so every job gets scoped on site rather than over the phone.

Common questions

Radon Mitigation System Installation questions we hear in Des Moines

Most residential sub-slab depressurization systems are a one-day install, though homes with more complex foundations or multiple foundation sections can take longer.

What to expect

How working with Capitol Radon actually goes

A real written quote

Tell us about your home and you get a written quote back fast, not a number guessed over the phone or read off a photo.

A technician who explains the plan

Before anything gets installed, you will know why the system is laid out the way it is for your specific foundation, not a generic setup.

A result you can verify

We do not just tell you the fan is running. A post-mitigation test confirms your actual indoor radon level came down.

Get a straight answer on your wall

Free on-site estimates across Des Moines and Polk County. We look at the actual wall, measure the elevations and send a written scope — no charge and no sales pitch.

(515) 461-7572 Request an estimate