Use and Care Manual

information & faq sheet
I have water leaking between my foundation wall and floor. Will RadonSeal stop this?
A: Sealing the concrete can help, but further repair of the floor-to-wall joint may be required. Water that builds up outside the foundation can seep between the joint where the wall sits on top of the
footing. Subsequently, the water pushes upwards through the floor-to-wall joint and saturates the floor. The solution to this problem would be to chase the joint 1/2" deep with a hand-held grinder and
fill the joint using ElastiPoxy Joint & Crack Filler Kit. For more tips on fixing a wet basement, visit: www.radonseal.com/wet-basement.htm
Does RadonSeal contain VOCs?
A: No. RadonSeal is environment-friendly, non-toxic, nonflammable, and non-hazardous. Contains zero VOCs with no noxious odors.
Should I repair cracks and openings in the concrete before or after using RadonSeal?
A: Provided RadonSeal is being readily absorbed by the concrete, it will not interfere with the adhesion of patching compounds, crack, and joint repair materials. Erring on the side of caution, repair
all defects before applying RadonSeal.
I did not order enough RadonSeal for my basement. Can I apply in sections or do I need to seal the whole surface at once? When I can I move items back?
A: You can seal the concrete in sections. Once the surface of the concrete has dried, you can move your items back (although we would recommend not placing cardboard boxes directly on the
surface for a couple of days).
I ordered too much RadonSeal and have not opened the container. Can it be returned?
A: Yes, unopened pails of RadonSeal are returnable within 30 days of receipt of purchase. Please contact RadonSeal by email or phone for return authorization and shipping address. Products
containing liquids should be shipped using UPS® or FEDEX® Ground Delivery.
My pail of RadonSeal arrived damaged. What to do?
A: We cannot be responsible for products damaged or lost during shipment, but will endeavour to assist you. If you are are present at the time of delivery, you can refuse to accept a damaged item.
As soon as the courier advises us that the shipment has been damaged, we will ship you a replacement at no extra charge. In the case you are not present at the time of delivery, please advise the
courier (1-800 PICK UPS or 1-800-GO FEDEX) that you refuse to accept it and contact RadonSeal for further assistance.
FAQs
Contact RadonSeal • 1-800-472-0603 • [e-mail]
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Concrete varies greatly in composition, mix, cure, finishing techniques, and workmanship. Waterproofing and the mitigation of radon gas can be complicated.
If you have detailed questions about your application or project please contact a RadonSeal customer service representative for knowledgable advice.
Thank you for choosing RadonSeal® Penetrating Concrete Sealer!
RadonSeal® is an eco-friendly, ready-to-use, reactive sealer formulated maximum penetration and sealing of capillaries inside poured concrete and cementitious substrates. RadonSeal works by
absorbing through the surface and deep into concrete, chemically reacting, bonding, and inherently sealing the matrix of the concrete. RadonSeal is used for the mitigation of wicking water, water
vapor, capillary water seepage and soil gases. Permanently strengthens concrete, hardens surfaces, and protects concrete against cracking, dusting, efflorescence, freeze-thaw, road salts, deicing
chemicals and minor defects.
Finish – When applied to a sufficiently porous concrete, a treated surface will show no significant change in appearance or friction.
Testing – Before applying to a large area, test spot the surface first to ensure that RadonSeal will be absorbed by the concrete.
Cleaning – Surfaces must be completely bare, clean, and thoroughly dry. Remove all paints, sealers, adhesives, curing or form release compounds. Clean off dirt, oil, spilled detergents, stains,
grease, wax, efflorescence, and other contaminants that might interfere with penetration of the sealer.
Concrete Porosity (floors, slabs) – Never assume the concrete surface is porous enough. Several factors can affect surface porosity including, composition, craftsmanship and finishing technique.
A porous concrete surface should be able to readily absorb small water droplets within 1-2 minutes. Machine troweled, burnished, or polished concrete (typically found in walk-out basements, garage
floors, slab-on-grade construction, or warehouses) have “tight” surface caps that repel liquids. Surface porosity is rarely a concern for poured concrete walls.
Penetrating sealers have trouble percolating through overly smooth surfaces and into the concrete below. Although not always required, mechanical abrasion or acid etching can be used to increase
porosity. Sealer that is not able to penetrate and allowed to cure on the surface may leave a white deposit. See our PowerEtch® Concrete Etcher & Cleaner:
www.radonseal.com/cleaners/poweretch.htm
Drying (before application) – The concrete must be as dry as possible before applying RadonSeal. A dry surface appearance cannot be the direct indicator. If liquid cleaners, hose water, or
pressure-washing is used to first clean the concrete, we recommend doing so at least one week prior to applying RadonSeal. This will allow a safe amount of time for the concrete to thoroughly dry
out. If time is of the essence, allow 2-3 days after a rain or four days after pressure washing – fans, dehumidifiers, and heaters can be used to expedite drying. Or, simply wait for periods of dry
weather.
Drying (after application) – Avoid rain for 24 hours after application. Drying time depends on temperatures and humidity. Suitable for vehicular and foot traffic within 2-4 hours after application.
Green Concrete – Allow newly poured concrete to cure for at least 28 days, allowing for the capillaries in the concrete to fully develop.
Curing – RadonSeal will continuously cure inside concrete and reaches full strength up to 90 days after application.
Purging – As RadonSeal begins to react and expand inside the concrete it may purge dirt, loose minerals, salts, and efflorescence to the surface for several days after application. Purging is a
confirmation that RadonSeal has reacted, but the amount of efflorescence that may purge is impossible to predict. Purging is more obvious when RadonSeal is applied to older concrete and cinder
blocks that have larger pores and/or have continiously seeped water in the past. Efflorescence can be removed by sweeping, brushing, vacuuming, or with use of chemical cleaners as needed.
Painting, Patching, Crack Repair – Wait ten days before applying paints, coatings, adhesives, or patch repair compounds. If RadonSeal has purged contaminants, clean if necessary. If sealer has
been over applied or the concrete did not absorb the sealer fully, it may leave a glassy film that can be removed by scraping, sanding, or grinding if needed.
Waterproofing – RadonSeal® Concrete Sealer is not a topical sealant or coating system. RadonSeal seals the matrix of concrete, protecting poured concrete against wicking water, positive as well
as negative side water pressure. RadonSeal is not guaranteed to seal water penetration due to structural defects or movement, separations, cracks, holes, fissures, protrusions, seams, or corner joint
areas requiring caulking, sealants, re-pointing, and patching. Please visit the RadonSeal Crack Repair Guide for further guidance: https://www.radonseal.com/crack-repair.htm
Radon – Allow RadonSeal to cure for 30 days before testing. Due to inconsistencies and variables in construction and materials, sealing concrete alone may not sufficiently reduce radon levels. Seal
all cracks, joints, protrusions, and any openings in the basement walls, floors and crawlspaces. If your radon level exceeds 15 pCi/L before application, please phone RadonSeal for consultation.
Cinder Blocks (RadonSeal® Plus)– While RadonSeal® Plus successfully seals most block foundations and walls, there is a possibility it may not suffice for waterproofing cinder blocks. Why?
RadonSeal works by reacting with cement. Cinder blocks use industrial wastes, such as fly ash or bottom ash, as an aggregate instead of the sand or fine gravel used to make true concrete. In more
challenging cases, the combination of using RadonSeal® Plus and Ion-Bond Armor may be required.
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