If you are looking to purchase a new home, then you may be concerned about things like lead paint, asbestos, and carbon monoxide. Mold may be something that you look into when purchasing a new home, but radon is not something that a lot of people think about. Radon testing absolutely should be completed at the time of inspection. Keep reading to learn what radon is, why you should investigate it, and also what can be done if radon levels are high.
What Is Radon?
Radon is a tasteless, colorless, and odorless gas that is naturally occurring. Radon is a radioactive substance and develops as uranium breaks down. Uranium is an element that is located in certain types of rocks, like igneous varieties, that sit in the earth's crust. As the uranium breaks down and the radon forms, the gas starts to move through the cracks in the earth and the holes that can be found in the rocks. If these openings are located near your home or around your foundation, then the radon can make its way into your house.
Radon is extremely dense and heavy. This is dangerous, because the gas can congest in your basement and remain there until it slowly dissipates into the air. You can then breathe in the radon and the rest of your family will be exposed to the gas as well. Unlike carbon monoxide, radon does not cause any short term effects. It can however cause lung cancer if you are exposed to high radon levels for an extended period of time.
According to the EPA, radon levels should be as low as possible in the home and well below the level of 4 pCi/L. A radon test can determine the level of radon in your home so you can decide if a radon mitigation device is needed. Ideally, a mitigation system is desirable if the radon level is above the EPA's recommendation.
What Is Radon Mitigation?
If high or moderate levels of radon are found in your home, then a radon mitigation system should be installed. These systems typically suck or pull the radon out of the ground and force it outside your home before it has a chance to enter your basement. These systems are typically called active soil depressurization systems.
There are a wide variety of systems that can be installed. However, the most common involves the installation of a large pipe straight through the floor of your basement and down into the ground. A ventilation fan is attached to this pipe and this sucks up the radon for the earth. Another pipe is attached to this fan and this pipe feeds outside the home where the radon is safely released.
If you do decide to opt for one of these active radon systems, make sure that you purchase one with a safety system. The system is an alarm the sounds if the radon mitigation system stops working and is in need of repair.
Share12 June 2017
Thanks for stopping by, my name is Ralph Hernandez. Energy is the force that makes the world go around. It is at the root of any economy. As a result, I have had a passion for energy for a long time and have decided to create a website that is devoted to covering this topic. All energy production has an impact on our environment. However, using certain forms of energy has a better impact on our environment than others. For this reason, I have decided to merge my interest in energy with my passion for protecting the environment an created this blog.
