Radon & Vapor Mitigation Services

CABENO provides radon and vapor mitigation services for commercial and industrial properties. CABENO employs several Illinois Licensed radon mitigators. Mitigation methodologies utilized by CABENO are:

  • Sub-Slab Depressurization
  • Sub-Membrane Depressurization
  • Membrane only mitigation (CETCO LIQUID BOOT®)

What is Radon Mitigation?

Radon mitigation is any process or system used to reduce concentrations of radon inside buildings/structures. The goal of a radon mitigation system is to reduce radon levels as reasonably achievable. All systems should reduce radon below the EPA action level of 4pCi/L (picocuries of radon per liter of air). A radon mitigation system should reduce year-round levels to below this action level.

A building’s foundation type helps determine the radon mitigation system type that will work best. For example if an existing building is solely slab on grade, the most economical mitigation method would be sub-slab depressurization. If an existing building is solely underlain by a crawl space, the most economical mitigation method would be a sub-membrane depressurization system. CABENO’s radon mitigation professional will determine the type of mitigation system to install and may conduct some diagnostic testing.

What is Vapor Mitigation?

Vapor intrusion is the movement of chemical vapors from contaminated soil and groundwater into a building/structure. Vapors primarily enter through openings in the building foundation or basement walls – such as cracks in the concrete slab, gaps around utility lines, and sumps. It is also possible for vapors to pass through concrete, which is naturally porous. Once inside the building/workplace, vapors may be inhaled posing immediate or long-term health risks for the occupants. In rare cases, the buildup of vapors, such as gasoline or methane, may cause explosive conditions.

How Does it Work?

Radon/Vapor intrusion methods are classified as either “passive” or “active.” Passive methods prevent the entry of radon/vapors into the building, while active methods change the pressure difference between the sub-slab and inside of the building to keep vapors out.

Passive Mitigation Methods

  • Sealing openings involves filing in cracks in floor slab and foundation walls, gaps around pipes and utility lines. Concrete can also be poured over unfinished dirt floors.
  • Membrane installation involves placing sheets of impermeable material beneath a concrete slab before it is poured, or atop the dirt in a crawl space. Examples of membranes used by CABENO: a.) 12-mil Skrim consisting of reinforced layered plastic sheeting (used mostly in crawl spaces); ) a 20-mil 7-layer co-extruded membrane made with virgin grade polyethylene and EVOH resins; and c.) CETCO LIQUID BOOT® which is a seamless, spray-applied rubberized asphalt formed from a waterborne emulsion and catalyst that are spray applied simultaneously.
  • Passive venting involves installing a venting layer beneath a slab/flooring. The venting material is connected to vertical piping and plumbed to the exterior roof line of the building. Via the “stack effect” radon/vapors are drawn out from under the slab and discharged to the ambient air above the roofline.
  • Passive systems can later be converted to active systems if designed such.

Active Mitigation Methods

  • Sub-slab depressurization involves connecting a blower (electric fan) to a small suction pit dug into the concrete slab and plumbed to rigid PVC pipe up to the buildings exterior roof line and exhausted to the ambient air. The drawing of air from beneath the concrete slab pulls the radon/vapors to the suction point creating a negative pressure beneath the slab and preferentially collecting the radon/vapors before they have a chance to enter your building and vents them safely to the outside.
  • Sub-membrane depressurization involves first installing a membrane, like the 12-mil Skrim over a dirt floor crawlspace, connecting a blower (electric fan) to a small opening cut into/through the membrane and plumbed to rigid PVC pipe up to the buildings exterior roof line and exhausted to the ambient air. The drawing of air from beneath the membrane pulls radon/vapors to the suction point creating a negative pressure beneath the membrane and preferentially collecting the radon/vapors before they have a chance to enter your building and vents them safely to the outside.

CETCO LIQUID BOOT®

CABENO is the authorized installation contractor for CETCO’s LIQUID BOOT in Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa. LIQUID BOOT® vapor barrier forms a barrier at a structure’s foundation that prevents vapor intrusion by subsurface chemicals in the ground below, including:

  • Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
  • Semi-volatile organic compounds
  • Inorganics, such as mercury or hydrogen sulfide
  • Methane
  • Radon

LIQUID BOOT reduces vapor intrusion from these chemicals to protect against the potentially serious health risks they pose. Proven with over 50 million square feet of successful installations worldwide—in hospitals, schools, libraries, high-rise commercial and residential buildings, multi-family housing developments, and major public works projects—LIQUID BOOT is the premier vapor intrusion barrier system.

Spray-applied LIQUID BOOT can be installed in a range of climates on the most complex structural shapes and penetrations, all without nailing, special mastics, or tape or welded seaming. With its rubberized asphalt forming the core of the installation, it bonds securely to most prepared construction material to form a flexible, seamless barrier that accommodates significant stretching. Chemically-resistant LIQUID BOOT features low permeability to gases and vapors and also blocks non-hydrostatic nuisance water.

LIQUID BOOT seals surfaces and penetrations, creating a seamless, monolithic membrane that fully adheres without mechanical fastening and protects against both vapor and non-hydrostatic nuisance water migration.

LIQUID BOOT is available in various formulations to best mitigate specific vapor intrusion situations:

LIQUID BOOTLIQUID BOOT – For moderate-risk underslab and below-grade vertical walls, LIQUID BOOT® is an effective vapor intrusion barrier for methane, CO2, and low-level VOCs such as BTEX and chlorinated solvents. It can also be used as a concrete water reservoir and tank liner to prevent water seepage into concrete.

LIQUID BOOT PLUSLIQUID BOOT PLUS – For high-risk underslab and below-grade vertical walls, LIQUID BOOT® PLUS combines traditional Liquid Boot® spray-applied membrane with high-performance VI‑20™, a 20-mil polyethylene-EVOH copolymer membrane, to form a superior vapor intrusion barrier that’s ideal for VOCs including BTEX and chlorinated solvents.

Even greater contaminant resistance is achieved when LIQUID BOOT PLUS is installed with GEOVENT gas venting system along with a course of ULTRASHIELD non-woven geotextile protection to create a superior, highly-resistant protection barrier.

Sign Up For Newsletter

Sign up for our newsletter to stay informed about our company including its capabilities and technologies, news, and upcoming projects. You'll also receive updates about current promotions and discounts.


    Serving the following areas:
    Northern Illinois, Northwest Indiana, Southeastern Wisconsin

    Schedule a meeting

    Contact Us

    Call Us Today!

    +1 815-774-3747

    24/7 Emergency Response

    +1 877-202-5017






      WordPress Lightbox Plugin