It’s always good news when a new company crops up focused on combating a local radon problem. The biggest issue with radon is that not enough people know it exists. The more brands and businesses that are out there helping deal with radon, the more people will know there is a problem.
Radon Systems of Indiana to Combat Local Radon Problem
An Evansville Indiana based company has put together a new division dedicated to combating radon, the deadly and naturally ocurring radioactive gas. Hopefully you know by now – you do if you frequent this site anyway – that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer. It is responsible for taking the lives of more than 20,000 US citizens every year. There are no symptoms of radon poisoning, and even worse is the fact that lung cancer does not show any short term symptoms either. In fact, by the time someone is diagnosed with lung cancer the disease has likely passed well beyond a curable state.
The company known as Radon Systems of Indiana, was licensed to begin radon testing in March 2013, and has since put together a radon testing and mitigation program. In layman’s terms that means they are now certified to test for the presence of radon, and can install mitigation systems that will remove the gas from inside a residence.
Testing is one of the most important steps in the radon removal process. That is because radon is odorless, colorless and tasteless which means the only way to identify it’s presence is to run a test for it. This is done by collecting air samples, which will reveal whether or not the air inside a residence is contaminated or not.
Joe Neth, one of the owners of Radon Systems, describes how radon gas can enter a home – seeping up from the soil through cracks in the foundation, walls or flooring.
“Soil differs everywhere, also, every home is built a little different. The entry points for radon can vary from any pipe opening, any cracks in the foundation or any gaps or openings. Every house is just a little bit different. There’s no trend that you can look at.”
It is a common misconception that radon gas is a myth, and that it cannot exist in modern homes. While most homes developed today include radon resistant measures, that doesn’t mean the gas can’t make its way inside. Radon does not discriminate, and it can enter into any home, old or new. Even though the problem has been around for a long time, it hasn’t gone away. Radon is still very much a problem today as it was twenty years ago.
“It is so easy to test for.” Neth says. “It is a real problem out there, and I think Southern Indiana is just slow to acknowledge it or to be educated on it.”
It’s Not Just a Local Radon Problem
It’s not just Southern Indiana that’s slow to react, however. Many people all over the country have no idea it’s even a problem. What’s really sad is that testing and mitigation – the process of removing radon from a home – are both relatively cheap. That becomes even more so when you consider the fact that lung cancer has a remarkably high mortality rate. It’s better to pay the money early and eliminate radon from a home, before it creates a health problem.
Don’t think it’s a problem? According to the Indiana Department of Health, just about one out of every four homes tested in the state have had elevated levels of radon, that were well above average readings. More than 300 radon tests were completed in Vanderburgh County, and more than 100 were completed in Warrick during 2013 — of that, 26 to 100 mitigation systems were installed in homes in both counties.
Furthermore, the United States Environmental Protection Agency estimates that one out of every fifteen homes in the country is plagued by elevated radon levels. In other words, in your local neighborhood there’s likely one or two homes nearby that have an issue – if not your own home.
Just some food for thought.
Via: Evansville Courier & Press
