Comissioners of Dodge County Minnesota, have voted to invest money in the ventilation of radon gas, which has collected in great amounts in the old, local courthouse building. It turns out the votes were unanimous, and the total cost for the fix will be $10,500. Homeowners should note that this cost does not reflect the cost of a mitigation system in a residential home. The one in question here is much more expensive because the courthouse building is quite large in terms of square footage.
Radon Gas Was Previously Discovered in the Courthouse
Photo by Jonathunder (wikimedia)
In February, 2013 testing results were returned showing elevated levels of radon gas in the courthouse. The results were shown to the commissioners who decided to have a mitigation system installed. The mitigation system did ventilate some of the radon gas, but only in certain areas of the building. However, recent testing results show that one area of the building still has levels of radon gas inside exceeding 4.0 pCi/L, the recommended action limit as set by the U.S. EPA.
It does raise a few questions. How long have the elevated levels have existed inside the building? Why does it take so long for problems like this to be fixed? It’s nearly the end of 2014, and these elevated radon levels were first discovered in the beginning of 2013.
This is extremely troubling, considering radon gas is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States – and many countries over. It is responsible for more than 20,000 lung cancer related deaths in the U.S. alone, each year.
How is the Radon Gas Going to Be Removed?
To fix the ongoing issue, a local professional radon contractor will be implenting another system to vent the affected area. The contractor will be drilling a hole in the basement floor, removing soil underneath to create a pocket, and then install a ventilation pipe and working fan to suck out contaminated air. The radon gas will be released from the roof of the building out into the open air, where it will disperse enough so that it’s no longer hazardous.
Similar methods would be used in a home that has elevated levels of radon.
For More Information About the Radon Problem…
For more information about the Dodge County courthouse you can visit the local website. If more information is announced later, we will follow-up this post with the results of the new mitigation system. Most likely, levels will return to normal in the courthouse and the air will once again be healthy in the affected area.
Via: Post Bulletin
