--- title: "Radon Rough-In for New NC Homes | AGCS" url: https://agcshomesolutionsllc.com/blog/radon-mitigation-rough-in-new-home-nc description: "Why new North Carolina homes should include a passive radon rough-in. Code requirements, installation timing, and post-testing fan upgrades." lang: en --- Skip to content Build on Your Lot Learning Center (https://agcshomesolutionsllc.com/blog/build-on-your-lot) # Radon Mitigation Rough-Ins: When and How to Install Passive Systems During a Build Radon is an odorless, radioactive soil gas that accumulates in basements and crawlspaces and is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers, according to the EPA. Portions of the North Carolina Piedmont, including areas around Lincolnton, Gastonia, and Hickory, show elevated radon potential on EPA zone maps. Installing a passive radon rough-in during construction costs a fraction of retrofitting one after drywall closes. ## What a Passive Radon System Includes A passive system creates a sealed pathway for soil gas to escape above the roof rather than into the home: A continuous layer of gas-permeable aggregate or soil-gas collection mat beneath the slab or crawlspace vapor barrier A sealed 3-inch or 4-inch PVC tee connecting to a vertical stack that runs through the interior framing and terminates above the roof line A fully sealed crawlspace ground cover or slab, since any gap defeats the pressure field No fan is installed initially; the stack works by natural convection (the stack effect). ## Code Requirements and Timing The NC Residential Code permits but does not universally mandate passive radon systems for detached one- and two-family dwellings; requirements tighten for certain foundation types and jurisdictions. Even where optional, AGCS recommends the rough-in on every slab and crawlspace build because the marginal cost during construction is minimal compared with post-closure retrofits. The stack must be set before wall framing closes and the slab or ground cover seals before finish flooring—there is no practical second chance. ## Testing and Activating the Fan Every new home should be radon-tested after occupancy using a short-term charcoal canister or continuous monitor placed in the lowest lived-in level. If results measure at or above the EPA action level of 4.0 pCi/L, an in-line radon fan is added to the existing stack in the attic or on the exterior, converting the passive system into an active sub-slab depressurization system. Because the piping already exists, activation takes hours rather than days of drywall surgery. Related service: Build on Your Lot (https://agcshomesolutionsllc.com/build-on-your-lot-lincolnton-nc) · More in Build on Your Lot Learning Center (https://agcshomesolutionsllc.com/blog/build-on-your-lot) ## Get a Free Estimate Call (980) 888-3107 (+19808883107) or send us the details of your project. Same-day response during business hours. 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