Radon System Electricity Cost: How Much Power Does the Fan Use?
You're planning to install an Active Sub-Slab Depressurization (ASD) radon system. Since the National Radon Proficiency Program (NRPP) mandates the fan run 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, the real hidden cost is the electricity bill. Just how much power does a radon fan suck?
The Wattage Profile of a Modern Radon Fan
Good news: modern radon mitigation fans are incredibly energy efficient.
Most residential models—such as the popular Fantech RN1 or RadonAway RP145—are engineered with low-draw, continuous-duty motors. Depending on the size of your home and the permeability of the soil beneath your slab, these fans pull anywhere from 40 to 80 watts of electricity per hour. By comparison, leaving a single 60-watt incandescent light bulb on overnight draws nearly the same amount of power.
Calculating the Exact Monthly Cost
Let's do the math on a standard mid-range fan pulling 60 watts continuously:
- Daily Usage: 60 watts x 24 hours = 1,440 watt-hours (1.44 kilowatt-hours / kWh per day).
- Monthly Usage: 1.44 kWh x 30 days = 43.2 kWh per month.
- Cost Calculation: If your local utility charges a standard $0.14 per kWh, your fan costs 43.2 x $0.14 = $6.04 per month.
Average Annual Electricity Cost: $60 to $85
The High-Suction Exceptions
Not all fans pull 60 watts. If your home was built on dense clay, heavily compacted soil, or requires significant pressure drop to pull air through tiny cracks in the bedrock, you will need a High-Suction (HS) fan (e.g., RadonAway GP501).
These aggressive motors can draw 100 to 150 watts continuously, pushing your monthly bill closer to $15 or roughly $180 per year.
Can I Just Turn the Fan Off at Night?
No. Radon gas exerts constant pressure from the earth. The moment you interrupt power to the fan, the vacuum breaks, and radon levels inside the home return to their massive pre-mitigation natural peak within 4 to 12 hours. The system is designed to run non-stop for the lifespan of the bearings (typically 5-10 years).
Need to Install an Efficient System?
Calculate exactly how much a full active radon mitigation system costs to install locally before pricing out the electric bill.
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