Radon and Your Home: Why Airflow and HVAC Maintenance Matter
January is National Radon Action Month, and while radon is often described as a “soil problem,” it’s also an indoor air quality (IAQ) issue inside your home. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that can enter through foundations, slabs, crawlspaces, and basements. You can’t see or smell it, but long-term exposure can pose serious health risks.
Testing and mitigation are essential, but there’s another piece homeowners don’t always think about: how air moves through your home. Your HVAC system doesn’t create radon, but it can influence how radon enters and how it moves from space to space.
The Quiet Link Between Radon and Your HVAC System
Your heating and cooling system affects pressure and airflow throughout your house. In some cases, that can unintentionally pull more radon indoors:
- Negative pressure in basements can draw soil gases up through cracks and gaps.
- Leaky return ducts in basements or crawlspaces can suck in radon-containing air and distribute it to living spaces.
- Dirty coils, clogged filters, or poorly maintained systems can reduce overall ventilation effectiveness, which may make it harder for radon control strategies to perform as intended.
That’s why HVAC system cleanliness and maintenance aren’t just about comfort—they help maintain the airflow and pressure balance your home needs for healthier air.
Five Radon-Aware HVAC Tips for Homeowners
If you’re testing for radon, installing mitigation, or simply working to improve your home’s indoor air quality, these steps can help support both IAQ and radon control:
- Pay attention to ducts in basements and crawlspaces
Make sure ductwork in below-grade areas is properly sealed so it doesn’t pull air from the ground or foundation. - Watch pressure changes
Exhaust fans, clothes dryers, and unbalanced HVAC systems can create negative pressure that increases radon entry—especially in lower levels. - Keep your system clean and maintained
Clean coils, fans, and filters help your system deliver the airflow and ventilation your home was designed for. - Design for access and upkeep
Make sure HVAC components can be inspected and cleaned so performance doesn’t decline over time. - Think of maintenance as part of radon control
Radon mitigation handles the source, while regular HVAC upkeep helps your home get the most benefit from those systems year after year.
Healthy Air Starts with the Whole Home Working Together
Radon control begins at the foundation and the ground, but how air moves inside your home can either support or undermine those efforts. A clean, well-maintained HVAC system helps preserve proper airflow, pressure balance, and ventilation, all of which contribute to healthier indoor air.
If you’re reviewing your home’s IAQ plan or making upgrades this year, National Radon Action Month is a great reminder to look beyond testing alone. Pair radon awareness with good HVAC maintenance and cleaning practices to help your home and your family breathe cleaner all year long.