Cincinnati Radon Testing and Mitigation
What radon is, where it comes from and why we are concerned
A lot of "mis-information" about radon exists. But in short, radon is a naturally occuring gas produced when uranium breaks down into "radium". The radium breaks further down to form a radioactive gas called radon. The more uranium that exists in the sub-surface rock in an area, the higher the potential for elevated radon levels within a buildings constructed upon that soil.
Radon seemed not to be an issue in the 70's and the years before. First of all, the scientific community didn't KNOW (until the mid 80's) that radon naturally emanates from the ground. Second, most of the homes built since the mid-70's have had a greater emphasis on "energy efficiency". They do a better job of holding in "heating and cooling", but they also will retain any other gases entering the house (like radon).
Warm air rises. When this happens in your home, it creates a vacuum in the lower areas of the house. Nature hates a vacuum, so something must rush in to fill it. In the case of your home, air seeps in from the soil around and under the house, and some air is sucked in through openings (cracks, doors, windows) on the lower levels. Radon is "pressure driven". Radon gas enters the same way air and other soil gases enter the home; through cracks in the foundation floor or walls, hollow-block walls, and openings around the floor drains, pipes and sump pumps. Radon seeps up from the soil and is drawn into the home because the "negative pressure" often associated with 'energy efficient structures', is greater on the inside than that which is under the concrete slab or in the crawlspace. Once radon gas has an opportunity to accumulate at elevated levels in a home, it presents a potential health concern for its occupants.
Radon breaks down into several radioactive elements called "radon decay products," which are solid particles that become suspended in air. They are extremely small and easily inhaled, where they can attach to lung tissue. Because of their very short "half-lives" radon decay products further decay and expose the lungs to radiation. Next to smoking, scientists believe that radon is associated with more lung cancer deaths than any other compound. Radon is classified as a "Group A" carcinogen, defined as a substance known to cause cancer in humans.
The U.S. EPA, the American Medical Association, the American Lung Association, the U.S. Surgeon General, and the National Academy of Sciences - in addition to many other health organizations - all agree that radon is a health concern that must be addressed. In May of 1993, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) joined the EPA in urging all Americans to test their homes for radon. NAR encouraged state associations to develop and support legislation or regulation requiring mandatory property condition disclosure, including radon, by the seller.
Learn some terminology and consider some statistics!
- The average outdoor level of radon is 0.4 pCi/L.
- The average indoor level of radon is 1.3 pCi/L.
- The 4 pCi/L action level that the EPA set for determining action for "radon abatement" is not a safety standard. It was a level that they felt was "technologically achievable" and "cost affordable"). Levels below this still represent some risk.
- Statistics place radon as a the second leading cause of lung cancer in the in the U.S.
- It is estimated that radon causes about 21,000 deaths per year in the U.S.
Source: http://removeradon.com/radondefinition.htm
More information regarding Radon Mitigation came be found here.
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Don't wait until it's too late. Call the Cincinnati radon treatment specialists, The Geiler Company, now to schedule an appointment and have your home or business tested today.
Email Geiler's Residential Radon Cincinnati Contact:
Steve Geiler steve@geiler.com
