These systems usually include installation of gravel and polyethylene film beneath basement floors and concrete slabs, and provide for later installation of vent pipes and fans, if required. Older homes frequently have no gravel in which to collect the gas, no polyethylene film to retard movement of the gas through the slab, and no vent pipes. Mitigating radon from an existing home is generally far more expensive than building radon prevention techniques into a new home. Energy Efficiency . Because of better windows, more efficient heating and cooling equipment, better control of air infiltration, and greater use of insulation, new homes consume half as much energy as homes built prior to 1980.
Old homes tend to be drafty and less comfortable.
Also, frost and condensation are more likely to appear on windows of older homes, drip down, and cause deterioration of wood trim and walls. Less Maintenance . New homes are available with siding, windows and trim that never need painting. Wood decks are typically made of pressure-treated lumber which resists rot and insects. Pressure-treated wood is also used where wood comes in contact with concrete .