Radon Mitigation in Blaine, MN

The Anoka Sand Plain

Blaine sits on the Anoka Sand Plain, a broad, flat spread of sandy glacial outwash that covers much of Anoka County. The sand is permeable, the water table is high, and the city is laced with wetlands. Sandy ground lets soil gas move easily toward a foundation — and it also means the fill under a slab can be wet, which changes how a mitigation fan's suction spreads.

Zone 2 Does Not Mean Safe

The EPA's radon zone map puts Anoka County in Zone 2, with a lower predicted county average than the Zone 1 counties around it. That is often read as “Blaine doesn't have radon.” A zone is a county-wide prediction of the average, not a reading for any house, and the EPA is explicit that houses above the action level are found in every zone. The only thing that tells you what your house is doing is a test.

Sump Pumps That Run All Spring

With a high water table, many Blaine basements have drain tile and a sump pump that runs hard through the spring melt and after heavy rain. An open sump basket is a direct shaft to the ground, so it gets a sealed, gasketed lid that still lets the pump work normally. Sometimes the drain tile can double as the suction path for a radon system; sometimes standing water in it means the suction point goes elsewhere. We look before we design.

Housing From the 70s Onward

Most of Blaine's housing dates from the 1970s onward, with heavy growth in the 2000s toward the north. Ramblers, split-entries and two-storeys dominate, along with townhomes. Houses built since June 2009 should have a passive radon pipe; older ones will not, unless a previous owner added a system.

Working in Blaine

We cover Blaine and the surrounding Anoka County communities. Start with a 48-hour test. If it is high, a sub-slab system with the sump sealed is the usual answer.

Blaine Radon FAQs