Minutes Building Code 12 14 0Building Services Department
50 West 13th S~eet
Dubuque, Iowa 52001-48~4
(319) 589-4150
(319) 589-0890 FAX
MINUTES OF MEETING
BUILDING CODE BOARD OF APPEALS
DATE: December 14, 2000
TIME: 4:00 PM
PLACE: Conference Room A, City Hall
CHAIR: Steve Gudenkauf
MEMBERS PRESENT: Ron Jahas and Chuck Carr
MEMBERS ABSENT: Jim Kolf
> .~. ~
STAFF: Rich Russell and Mary Rose Corrigan, Public Health Specialist
MEDIA: None
OTHERS: Mike Buelow and Bill Niemann of the Environmental Stewardship Commission
1. The meeting was called to order by Chair Gudenkauf. It was announced that the meeting was
being held in conformance with Iowa Open Meetings Law.
2. Cart motioned to approve the minutes of the March 2, 2000 meeting. Jahns seconded. Motion
carried 3-0.
3. Mike Buelow was present to encourage the Board to include radon mitigation/remediation in
the City of Dubuque building regulations. Mr. Buelow reminded the Board of the gist of his
presentation to the Board prior to the adoption of the 1997 Uniform Building Code.
The City of Muscatine is expected to be the first city in Iowa to adopt this sort of regulation.
They should adopt the ordinance in early 2001. The City of Muscatine has gained voluntary
compliance in an elderly housing project and a 500-home subdivision.
Previous estimates of radon mitigation in new homes had been as high as $500 per home.
Information from Muscatine and other locations indicates that the cost could be as low as
$250-400 per home.
If the passive system is not installed and a home needs an active system, the cost escalates to
between $1000-2500. Bill Niemann stated that the installation of a passive system could be
considered a selling point or value added to a new home.
Service People Integrity Responsibility Innovatic~ Teamwork
Locally, there are two certified radon inspectors and 4-5 contractors installing the passive
system as a part of new residential construction. The inspectors are Mike Davis (Dubuque
Home Inspections) and Brian Schultz (Environmental Management Services of Iowa). 95 %
of the systems being installed are the passive systems.
Mary Rose Corrigan stated that you do not need to be licensed to install the passive systems
and no certified inspection is required for these systems. A city inspector could review the
passive installations, but the active system must be installed by a certified contractor and
inspected by a certified inspector.
Bill Niemarm stated that the active system is simply an inline fan and vacuum gauge. The
cost to nm the fan is about $175 per year.
Mike Buelow reminded the Board that all Iowa counties are at the highest level of risk to
have radon present.
I42 homes in Dubuque have been inspected since January of 2000.94 of the 142 (65%)
homes were above the allowable level of 4 pico curies. These results are in line with the
random survey done in 1990 where about 60% of the homes tested failed. All 142 homes had
some level of radon. The highest test result was 19.7. All 22 homes that installed the active
system passed the retest. Three of the facilities tested were daycare providers. 2 of those 3
failed the first test.
Exposure to radon gas over time is one of the main causes of lung cancer. Smoking is the
leading cause. A smoker exposed to radon over time has exponentially increased chances of
getting cancer.
There was some concern by the board on why the issue has taken so long to come to the
forefront. Also, what is being required in existing residences versus new construction was a
concem.
The Board decided to wait until the next meeting to discuss this further. This will allow for
time: I) To see if Muscatine adopts their ordinance, 2) To receive a copy of the ordinance for
review and 3) To present this information at the February meeting of the Dubuque
Homebuilder's Association.
The next meeting will be February 22, 2001.
Carr moved to adjourn. Jahns seconded. Motion carded 3-0.
Approved this day of 2001.
/s/ Rich Russell, Secretary
Chairman