Photo Album: PFE Testing

Pressure Field Extension Testing (PFE) or Communication Testing is a means of determining if you have "communication" below the slab. A radon mitigation system works by drawling soil gas to the extraction point(s) and venting the soil gasses into the atmosphere. In order for the system to work, it must be able to draw the soil gas from the entire slab.  Many mitigators use the "poke and hope" method. They install a single extraction point and hope it works. Many times they get lucky. If the goal is to get the level below 4.0 this will often work. At Georgia Healthy Homes, our goal is to get the LOWEST radon level possible. In order to do this, we use PFE testing to make sure we are getting good communication. If we are not, then we know we may need a second extraction point. These photos show measurements we took during a recent installation in Loganville, Georgia.