Radon is a word that many have heard but might not be certain what it means. Radon is a radioactive gas that can be found in homes and some business buildings. This gas is natural and a breakdown of a combination of rock, water, and uranium in the soil. Then the gas moves from the ground to the air, which includes working its way through building material cracks and holes in the foundation to enter homes. This gas can permeate homes with or without a basement. Homes on slabs are no safer from this gas than the home with a full basement unless there has been at least a 4-inch layer of gravel such as gas-permeable aggregate. Homes can be built that protect against radon gas entering the structure, but most homes are not built with this kind of protection. However, the situation is correctable for existing structures to stop the gas from getting inside.
Health Dangers of Radon
Radon gas is hazardous when in the home resulting in various health symptoms associated with the odorless and colorless gas. This gas is linked with lung cancer in some cases. The symptoms of radon exposure can include hoarseness and wheezing. The person affected may have a persistent cough and shortness of breath. The people exposed may experience coughing up blood and chest pain.
Testing for Radon
Radon is one of the gases is a substance that is common outdoors. When it is trapped inside of a house that is when it becomes dangerous. Living in an existing home or moving into a newly purchased home, in order to avoid this hazardous gas, any services for radon testing salt lake city ut, can ensure the home is safe. The gas can enter the home in one of many ways such as construction joints, holes for service pipes, cracks in walls, cracks in floors, and even the water. This type of testing should be done if there is remodeling done in an existing home or if it has been at least two years since the home was tested.
A professional service can test the home for the invisible gas and make repairs to stop the emission of radon into the home. Data shows the level of radon can be up to ten times higher during the hot months of summer. In the event, the level of the gas is four picocuries or higher the EPA considers it extremely dangerous. It is possible for a professional to install a system to battle the radon in one work day and rid the home of the poison gas. The EPA estimates that one in ten homes has radon trapped inside.
There are two types of systems that can be used to correct this issue, with each depending on the amount of radon entering the home. One of the systems is an active setup, while the other is a passive system. Homes that have a system installed should repeat the testing after the work is completed and then on an annual schedule to ensure it is working properly.
