Tag Archives: radon levels

Radon Facts: Should You Buy A Home With A Finished Basement?

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Buying a house does not only require money for you to make the purchase worth it. Suppose you are buying a home in no time; you have to decide whether you’re choosing a house with a finished or unfinished basement. You also have to be knowledgeable when investing in properties like this. Later on, you’ll find out why this is an essential factor.

What A Finished Basement Offers

The basement is often referred to in horror movies as a scary place. It is often neglected in homes, but it is an ideal place to bond with your families. You can also make it as storage if you need extra space. When buying a home, many homeowners consider a house with a finished basement. It might be pretty expensive, but here are some things that you can enjoy if your home has it:

  • Centralized HVAC system
  • Comfortable extra space
  • Extra living rooms

A finished basement might offer some advantages, but it also has some downsides. It’s because you need to renovate it if you don’t want serious problems to occur. For instance, you have to open up the walls if the house doesn’t have an HVAC system. You also need to consider it if you plan to install special lighting. However, this could be time-consuming and costly since you need to repair the walls afterward. 

Unfinished Basement: Radon Reduction and Other Advantages

Having an unfinished basement might sound like a hassle for some, but there are attractive benefits that you can enjoy if you choose a house with an unfinished basement. Here are some of them:

Create your dream house.

If you are buying a ready-built house, the previous owner might have placed something you don’t like, especially in the basement area. If it has an unfinished basement, the good thing is you can decide what to do with it, allowing you to create your dream house. 

Detect possible problems.

It is highly recommended to check the house before buying it. Check the basement and see if it has a radon-reduction system that can help you mitigate radon. This way, you can solve even the slightest problem that might create bigger ones if not detected.

Identify the best radon reduction system.

If the basement is unfinished, you can ask your contractor and request the best radon reduction system installed in the place.

Buying a house with an unfinished basement might not sound like a good idea, but it is especially if you want to customize your home. In terms of radon reduction, you can ask your contractor to install the best radon reduction system, which is easier to do in an unfinished basement.

How To Prevent Radon in New Construction

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Suppose you have hired contractors to build a new house for you; it is critical to see if your home will be radon-free. But how can you prevent radon in new construction from entering your home? Find out in this article.

Radon in New Construction: 5 Techniques to Prevent It

Not all home contractors install a radon mitigation system in houses. This is because not all areas where homes are built have high radon levels. Besides, radon mitigation depends on the owner, whether they want to install it or not. If you want a safer home for you and your loved ones, installing a radon mitigation system would be best. 

Check out the following techniques that can be used to make your home radon-free.

Gravel

Ask your contractor to use a 4-inch layer of clean, coarse gravel that will be placed below the “slab” or foundation. This allows radon and other soil gasses to move freely underneath the house. The “airflow layer” or “gas permeable layer” since the loose gravel permits the gasses to circulate.

Junction Box

Another technique to consider is installing an electrical junction box (outlet) in the attic for use with a vent fan. It would be best to conduct long-term radon testing to see if a more robust system is needed.

Plastic Sheeting or Vapor Retarder

Radon contractors can use heavy-duty plastic sheeting (6 mil. polyethylene) or a vapor retarder on top of the gravel. As such, they can prevent the soil gasses from entering the house. In addition, the sheeting prevents the concrete from clogging the gravel layer when the slab is poured.

Sealing and Caulking

One of the popular techniques when preventing radon in new construction is sealing all the cracks, crevices, and other types of openings in the concrete foundation floor. It also includes the slab perimeter crack and walls with polyurethane caulk. If considered, you can prevent radon and other soil gasses from entering the home.

Vent Pipe

The last technique to consider is running a 3-inch or 4-inch solid PVC Schedule 40 pipe. Place it vertically from the gravel layer through your home’s conditioned space and roof. Doing this allows you to safely vent radon and other soil gasses outside above the house.

As the homeowner, you can ask your contractor what radon mitigation system is best for your house. If they don’t have a plan yet, you can recommend the above techniques and ask them to include them to prevent the cancer-causing gas from entering your home.

Radon Facts: Things that Emit the Most Radiation at Home

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Invisible enemies like radon are more dangerous because you cannot see, touch, smell, or taste them. It might be a minor issue at home for some, but it is not for those families who have lost their loved ones due to lung cancer. Radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer. To decrease one’s risk of this disease, radon mitigation should be considered in every household. If you are still unaware of radon, check out some radon facts that you will discover in this article.

What Emits the Most Radiation in Your House?

Have you ever wondered what causes radon in your home? Or those things that also emit the most radiation? Check out the following:

Cordless Baby Monitors

If you’re a busy mom or dad, baby monitors can help you take care of your children. They are powerful devices that you can place indoors to monitor your children’s whereabouts. However, they emit radiation which could pose health risks, and their radiation is more potent within short distances. If you cannot avoid using these devices, make sure not to put them next to or even near a toddler’s head.

E-readers and Tablets

E-readers and tablets are very helpful to those who love reading. Instead of carrying a book in a public place, bringing an e-reader or tablet is more convenient. But these devices are similar to laptops or smartphones that emit radiation. If you want to avoid exposing yourself to radiation, limit your time in using e-readers and tablets.

Microwave Ovens

Microwave ovens are very dependable because you can use them for cooking. Besides, they are often found in the kitchen because you can use them when reheating dinner. However, microwave ovens can emit radio waves with around 300 million cycles per second (300 MHz) to 3 GHz.

Smart Appliances

Smart appliances provide convenience. Because of the technology behind them, you can do specific tasks a lot easier. But you have to be careful when using them because some devices emit radiation emitted through WiFi and Bluetooth systems. If you can’t avoid using smart appliances, you may use smart fridges with large displays. Consider those that show the products you need without opening the door.

Radon is a dangerous gas, yet not all are aware of it. It’s time to educate yourself through the radon facts you can read online, in magazines, and in books. Once you fully understand what radon is, what it can do, and how to mitigate it, you can help in raising awareness about radon mitigation. Besides, learning what emits the most radon in your home can help you take the necessary steps to avoid increased radon levels in your home.

Radon Levels: Average, High, and Risky

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Radon could be everywhere, even in the places you think you’re safe from this gas. Unfortunately, some people don’t understand how dangerous this gas is. If you want to learn more about radon, you have to familiarize yourself with what it is and what radon levels are considered average, high, and risky. This way, you can take the necessary steps to mitigate this cancer-causing gas.

Understanding Radon

Radon gas is naturally occurring because it is a byproduct of the radioactive decay of Uranium in the soil. Radon levels vary depending on your geographic location. You’ll never know whether you are inhaling as much as 0.75 pCi/L.

Testing your home for radon is a must to ensure that you are achieving a radon-resistant home. Remember that the national average of outside radon levels is 0.4 pCL. According to the National Academy of Sciences, the outdoor radon levels cause approximately 800 of the 21,000 radon-induced lung cancer deaths.

Is There A Safe Radon Level?

Not everyone knows that radon gas is a carcinogen, meaning it can cause lung cancer. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, radon exposure reduces a person’s risk of lung cancer.  To avoid this risk, you have to mitigate radon in your home. The lower the radon level is, the lower your family’s risk of lung cancer.

Since radon is invisible, tasteless, and odorless, you have to conduct radon testing in your home. Short-term tests can help you identify the existence of the gas. For level monitoring, you have to consider long-term radon testing. Knowing the radon level can help you assess which radon mitigation techniques should be applied in your home.

Radon Levels

Radon levels can be categorized as low, average, high, and risky. An average person receives a higher radiation dose from the radon levels than their combined exposure to all other radiation sources. In other words, radon is more dangerous than other materials, and mitigating it is the only way to prevent radon’s adverse effects.

The following images are grabbed from EPA, which show how dangerous radon is for smokers and non-smokers:

Smokers

Non-smokers

When it comes to radon levels, zero is the safest. Suppose you have conducted radon testing, and through your monitoring, you’ve found out that your home has zero radon levels. That is good news for you and your family because it means you’re safe from the cancer-causing gas. But if it is not zero, then there’s a potential that it could go up. So before it’s too late, consider radon mitigation.

Radon is a dangerous gas because it is proven to be one of the causes of lung cancer. The World Health Organization recognizes this radioactive material as the second leading cause of lung cancer. Therefore, mitigating it is a must even if there are acceptable radon levels. There is no safe radon level because even small traces of radon can cause short-term adverse effects to people. If you want to reduce your risk of lung cancer, radon mitigation should be prioritized.

Is It Safe to Live in A House With Radon Gas?

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Having a comfortable house is everybody’s dream. After a tiring day at school or work, it is where you can take some rest. Your home is one of the best places where you can be yourself, and no one will judge you. But, it is not enough to create a comfortable living space because you also need to make it safe. In your house, invisible enemies like radon can significantly affect your health. Is it safe to live in a house with radon gas? If not, what can you do about it?

Radon: A Naturally Occurring Gas

If you have never tried testing your home for radon, then you cannot tell if it is safe from this cancer-causing gas. Since radon is inert, odorless, and colorless, you can’t determine if it exists in your home unless you conduct a radon test. It’s not your fault if your home has radon because it naturally exists. Besides, radon can be eradicated as long as you install radon mitigation in your home.

Radon mitigation is crucial because you and your family could be exposed to high radon levels without it. Long-term exposure to this radioactive material can damage your lungs and, worse, cause lung cancer. The World Health organization recognizes radon as the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. The US Environment Protection Agency estimates that about 21,000 people die each year from cancer caused by radon.

House With Radon Gas

As mentioned earlier, radon can cause cancer. Therefore, living in a house with radon gas is not safe at all. Though small traces of it cannot cause death right away, would you still wait for that moment for the levels to rise? No one should because if your home has radon, it is important to eradicate it by installing a radon mitigation system. The process of installing radon mitigation starts with radon testing. 

You have to test your home for radon to see if it exists in your home. If the results say your home has radon, you need to monitor the levels first. If the radon tests show consistently high radon levels, contact your state’s radon contractor to ask for some professional advice. The contractor may recommend trying standard radon mitigation techniques to see if they will work out. But if not, you might need to install a radon mitigation system to lower the radon levels.

Your home should be your safest haven, but invisible enemies like radon can cause risks to your health. As a homeowner, you have to be aware of these because they might put your life in danger. A house with radon gas increases your chances of getting lung cancer, so it would be best for you and your family to take the necessary actions right away.

Does High AQI Affect Radon Tests?

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Radon testing is one of the first and vital steps in radon mitigation. As a homeowner, you have to perform short-term or long-term radon testing to confirm the existence of radon. If you want to monitor the levels, long-term testing is recommended. The latter is essential because it is the only way to determine whether your home has consistently high radon levels. This is because certain factors can affect radon levels and eventually the radon test results. In regards to these factors, does high AQI affect radon tests?

What is AQI?

AQI stands for Air Quality Index. The United States AQI is what the Environmental Protection Agency uses when reporting air quality. AQI is like a yardstick that runs from 0 to 500 in which the higher the value, the greater the air pollution is. Therefore the higher AQI is, the more dangerous it is. If the AQI is 50 and below, that means the area has good air quality. However, if it exceeds 300, that means the air is hazardous to one’s health.

Suppose your home has high AQI, and you want to test it for radon, does high AQI affect the result of the test? 

According to experts, high AQI does not significantly affect radon tests. One reason for this is because radon testing identifies the amount of radiation and not the chemicals in the air. Besides, it is usually performed in basements, and this is because the soil is where radon is mainly found. Since it is a naturally occurring gas, conducting radon testing at least below ground would be best.

Factors That Affect Radon Tests

High Air Quality Index does not affect radon tests, but certain factors can do it. If you are conducting the radon test yourself, here are some factors that can significantly affect it:

Test Placement and Movement 

As mentioned earlier, radon is a naturally occurring gas, and it comes from uranium which is usually found in soil and rock. As such, it is normal for your basements to have high radon levels since the gas enters through the lowest level of your home. Since location can affect the radon test results, make sure to conduct the testing in the best place. Ensure that the test is located at least 20 inches off the ground and a minimum of one foot away from the outside walls.

Weather Conditions 

Weather conditions like rain, thunderstorms, and high wind can also affect radon test results. For instance, radon readings can significantly go down as the outdoor wind speed increases. This is why you have to choose the best time to get the most accurate results. If you consider getting your home for radon from fall to winter, the results can be affected.

Radon testing is vital to ensure that your home is free from cancer-causing gas. But since some factors can affect the test, you have to do the tests at the right time. When in doubt, you can always seek professional assistance. Hiring a licensed radon contractor from your state can help you with accurate radon testing and professional assessment.

My House Has Radon. What Should I Do?

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Radon may enter any home, whether it has a basement, a crawl space, or is constructed on a slab. Radon levels might be high in the workplace, a school, or any structure. Since you spend the most time at home, radon exposure is most likely here.

What is Radon?

First, let’s start with a short review of what radon is. Radon is a radioactive gas that occurs naturally. It is formed when uranium, thorium, and radium degrade in soil, rock, and water. It is then discharged into the atmosphere. Radon has no odor, no taste, and is entirely invisible.

Radon can build up in locations where ventilation is insufficient, such as an underground mine. It can even accumulate within structures. Exposure to high amounts of radon over an extended period might be hazardous to your health.

Is it reasonable to live in a house with radon?

Buying a new home may be as thrilling as it is stressful. In addition to selecting a home that fits your budget and lifestyle, you must check that it is structurally sound and free of dangers, such as excessive levels of radon gas. The Environmental Protection Agency or EPA says that “Radon is a health hazard with a simple solution.” House buyers do not need to be concerned about the quality of the air in their homes after radon mitigation measures are in place. 

Radon Problems: How to Fix Them?

Radon problems can occur any time of the month or year. Even if a professional radon test shows that your home has acceptable radon levels, if the house settles in the future, a minor foundation fracture might allow the gas to leak in without your awareness. Here are some things you need to do:

  1. Install one or more radon detectors on the lower floors of your house to be safe.
  2. Install a radon mitigation system to reduce the gas level. Do not remove it because radon gas is safe at levels less than four pCi/L.
  3. Block or seal any potential entry points, such as fractures in basement floors and walls, as well as gaps around service pipes.
  4. Build a collecting pipe beneath the basement to transport radon gas away from the house.
  5. Underneath the slab or flooring, create a gas-permeable layer. This permits radon to enter your home through the foundation, but it only works if you have a basement or slab foundation. It is not suitable for homes with a crawl area.
  6. Put up plastic sheeting. The sheeting is installed on top of the gas-permeable layer beneath the slab to prevent radon from entering your house. If you have a crawl space, the sheeting goes over the floor of the crawl space.

Do Air Purifiers Reduce Radon?

Whether or not one has allergies, it is vital to understand that what is contained in indoor air affects one’s health – even if you can’t smell, see, or taste it. This is the situation with radon, and its consequences can be fatal.  The purpose of air purifiers is to purify the air in your house, providing you and your family with cleaner air to breathe. Air purifiers can also assist in removing harmful substances and gases from your home’s air, such as radon.

Radon may be found everywhere and even if it’s at a low level, you’re probably breathing it in every day. However, you can’t know if you’re living it in deeply. Radon problems may arise as time passes. It is preferable if you take the initial step toward safeguarding your house from this dangerous gas. If not, you might regret it later. 

radon test

Radon Test: How Often Should You Do It?

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There is a frequent misunderstanding that you are safe if your radon test results indicate radon levels below the EPA action limit. But consider this: if your 6-month dental check-up reveals no cavities, does that guarantee you’ll never need to return for another exam? Don’t allow radon to creep up on you and your family without your knowledge. 

According to the American Lung Association, this tasteless, odorless, and colorless gas is found in hazardous levels in one out of every 15 houses in the United States. Home kits make it simple to test for radon, but testing once is insufficient. Like dental or medical check-ups, radon testing should be done regularly, at least twice a year.

What is Radon?

First, a brief refresher. Radon is an odorless gas produced by uranium, present in all types of soil and rock. Being exposed to radon daily, severe health problems can develop when this radioactive gas becomes trapped indoors. Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers, making it the second-largest cause of lung cancer in the United States. Radon levels are high in every state across the country, in every style of home or structure, regardless of age or basement presence. 

Why A Short-Term Radon Test is Insufficient

No two houses are alike, just as no two individuals. Radon levels can also differ across neighbors, so don’t depend on their findings to decide whether or not to test for radon. A one-time test is ideal for determining the radon levels in your house at that time. However, the only way to assure you are safe from the impacts of radon is to monitor levels over time, which requires regular testing. 

Here are the factors why you should test your radon levels regularly:

Changing seasons

Radon levels fluctuate seasonally as the soil surrounding your house becomes drier or wetter. If your most recent radon test was negative, try scheduling your next radon test during a different season. Rather than waiting two years to test again in the spring, consider checking radon levels a few months early in the winter.

Moving lower

If you relocate to an unoccupied floor of your house, especially a basement or partially underground ground floor, you should do a new radon test on the occupied space. Complete your radon testing before relocating into a basement location, even if it means postponing usage for a few months.

Home modifications

Major house renovations, particularly those involving structural alterations or foundation repairs, can cause the emission of radon. Gas can enter through gaps in the foundation or walls, structural joints, and holes in the floor or service pipes. The ventilation and soil beneath your home might be affected, offering additional chances and routes for radon to infiltrate your home.

Changes in living patterns

If you decide to start utilizing the basement as an office, bedroom, or children’s playroom, you’ll be spending more time in locations where radon is most likely to develop. Radon tests must be done before anything else to ensure that you are not putting your health at risk.

Another widespread assumption is that once a mitigation device is installed, no additional testing is required. While these systems can significantly lower the quantity of radon in your home, they cannot entirely remove it. It is critical to do testing every few years to confirm that your system is operating correctly and that radon levels stay low.

Are Child Care Centers Tested for Radon?

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As parents, aside from your child’s growth, their safety is also your top priority. You want to provide them with a home that is free from any risk. But as they grow older, their surroundings change. It is no longer just your home. You bring them to parks and child care centers. Therefore, it is necessary to know if these places are making an effort to keep your kids away from danger. One of which is by undergoing radon testing.

One of the first places where you bring your kids is child care centers. These facilities are not different from your homes and workplaces. They are susceptible to having high radon levels because of the indoor setting. To give you more idea of these child care centers, here are some facts and why they should do a radon test.

What are Child Care Centers?

Child care is the act of looking after the kids while their parents are away. It is familiar to children below 18 years of age. You can choose from different types depending on what is the most comfortable for you. Family child care homes, preschool programs, school-age programs, family, friend and neighbor care, and child care centers. 

Family child care homes and family, friend, and neighbor care are often done in residential buildings to differentiate the types further. At the same time, preschool programs and school-age programs are offered when your kids are about to go schooling or are already attending one. Lastly, child care centers are the ones that are situated in commercial buildings.

Are child care centers important?

Compared to the child care in residential buildings, child care centers are more prominent in scale. They are supporting more children. They have additional adults to supervise the kids. Grouping the kids according to their age helps them to attend to all of their needs. They teach them how to socialize with others and give them emotional support.

Why Should Child Care Centers Get Tested for Radon?

Child care centers are often located on the lower floors of the building. It is easier for kids to access them and much safer than the higher floors. However, it is more prone to accumulating radon which is why they need to have radon testing. 

Radon is a natural gas that can be dangerous to the human body. It comes from the decay of uranium. It seeps in the cracks of walls and foundation joints. This gas travels from the bottom going to the top. If it gets trapped inside a building, the people inside will get exposed to it and develop health complications. If adults are affected by it, the children are not exempted. They are more vulnerable.

Children are vulnerable.

Children have developing lungs that make them more sensitive to pollutants. They breathe faster, which makes the chances even higher. Aside from radon, pollutants like the smoke from tobacco also contribute to developing lung cancer.  In addition, lung cancer is not the only illness that kids can get when exposed to radon. They can have childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) as well.

Nonetheless, local authorities have regulations when it comes to these child care centers. Some of them are required to get licensed. They are inspected for health and safety compliance. There are guidelines regarding how and when to get a radon test. When signing up your kids, you may want to check if they have passed these qualifications to ease your worries.

The environment where the kids learn is a significant factor in their overall well-being. Learning should be fun for kids. It should be free from stress and harm. Just like other schools and learning facilities, child care centers should also do radon testing. It is good to know that the establishments where your children are staying are free from radon. It will not only keep you from being anxious but also keep them in good health.

radon_contractor_home

The Benefits of Hiring A Licensed Radon Contractor

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Radon mitigation is crucial because it is one way to ensure that your home is safe from radon, a cancer-causing gas. There are simple and even Do-It-Yourself radon mitigation techniques that you can do at home. However, you cannot guarantee their effectiveness because not all are true to their claims. If you are aiming for a radon-resistant home, it is recommended to hire a licensed radon contractor.

When Should You Consider Radon Mitigation?

Radon fluctuates from different periods; that’s why it is essential to monitor the radon levels. This way, you can assess whether you have high or low radon levels. When considering radon mitigation, the first thing you need to do is get your home tested for radon. There are two kinds of radon testing, the first one is short-term, and the other is long-term. It would be best to consider long-term radon testing because it can help you assess the levels better.

The question is, when should you install radon mitigation at your home? It would be best to do it as soon as possible. That’s why you have to test your home for radon to see the results. Though there are some DIY techniques, it is better to hire a radon contractor from your state. Make sure that the one you are hiring has a license to operate.

3 Benefits of Hiring A Licensed Radon Contractor

Hiring a radon contractor might be more expensive than doing some DIY radon mitigation techniques. However, the benefits are advantageous once you entrust the work to a licensed professional. The following are just some of the benefits that you can enjoy when you consider a licensed radon contractor:

Get guaranteed professional services.

If a radon contractor shows his/her license, it can keep your worries away because it only means that that contractor is an expert for the job. It’s not that easy to acquire a license because it requires contractors to become knowledgeable about radon mitigation. If a radon contractor has a license, you can minimize the risk of having unprofessional services.

Save more time and cost.

Hiring a radon contractor without a license will not guarantee you professional services. You’ll never know if he/she has received enough training or if the contractor is an expert in the field. Suppose you have hired an unlicensed contractor; you might need to repeat the process if a problem occurs.

Tailor the services.

If you don’t have enough budget for the radon mitigation system, you can ask the contractor how you can do it step by step. You may start first by monitoring the radon levels before installing the mitigation system right away.

Hiring a licensed radon contractor may sound more expensive, but the truth is, all the contractors’ fees are worth it. This is because you can get the most out of what you’ll pay to them. Aside from getting guaranteed professional services, you can save more time and money because you don’t have to redo the work. So if you want to install a radon mitigation system, trust no one but the experts.