When it comes to home safety, the name Radon might not be something you have heard of before. This gas, which has no color or odor, comes from the earth and into homes; it can be a health danger. So, the question stands: Is a radon mitigation system really necessary? In this article, we will step into the specifics to clarify why for most instances (the answer is) a definite yes.
What is Radon?
A naturally occurring radioactive gas that forms when uranium in soil and rock breaks down. You can find it in houses, particularly basements and ground floors. ordinarily, invisible with no odor smell Radon is a gas that comes from the ground and can enter through cracks in floors, walls, or foundations as well as gaps around service pipes or construction joints.
The health dangers of radon exposure are alarming. Lung cancer is the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking due to long-term exposure at home or in buildings with high levels of radon gas. The danger is that radon gas breaks down into ascendant particles of radioactivity and when inhaled can harm the lung cells. This can ultimately result in lung cancer and hence radon is a preventable carcinogen sometimes overlooked.
Understanding Radon Levels
This gas can be calculated through how many picocuries per liter of air (pCi/L ).; If your house's radon level is 4 pCi/L or greater, the Environmental Security Company (EPA) in the United States recommends taking activity. The risks of a 2-4 pCi/L level are lower but still pose some risk, especially over extended periods. First of all, it does depend on how you live as to where your radon level is going library and also depending on the type of home built or in some areas.
Why You Should Be Concerned About Radon
You might be wondering though, is radon that big of a deal? A sad state of affairs — and yes. The EPA estimates radon causes 21,000 deaths per year in the United States attributable to lung cancer. Causes lung cancer-- Smokers who are exposed to high levels of radon for many years have been found by scientists at depth. Because they are still developing, and because of their high metabolism rate well can ingest even more radon per kilogram — meaning that children have the most to lose when it comes to lung damage caused by this gas.
How to Test for Radon in Your Home
The very first step in figuring out whether you have to buy a radon mitigation system is, certainly, getting your hands on reliable information regarding the present-day indoor levels of this gas. Testing for radon is typically done in one of two ways: with a DIY radon testing kit or by bringing in a professional.
Home Testing Kits: You can buy these kits fairly cheap either online or at more stores. All you have to do is use the test kit at home for a certain time and then send it back for testing in one of our labs. A short-term test is deployed for a period between 2 to 90 days, and a long-term test tests radon levels beyond the range of above mentioned.
Professional Testing: Another option is to hire a certified radon professional if you want the most accurate results possible. These instruments require extensive training to operate and can monitor levels of radon more quickly, are often much more accurate than kits that people may use themselves.
Testing should be conducted in the lowest livable area of your home where you spend a lot of time, regardless of what method you use. As well as this, if the first test of your home shows it has high levels consider doing a subsequent radon gas assessment.
What is a Radon Mitigation System?
A radon mitigation system works by reducing the amount of radon in your home so that levels are and remain safe. These often include a vent-pipe system and fan, which forces radon from under your house and releases it outdoors. Available systems fall mainly into two types:
Active Mitigation Systems: This type of mitigation system makes use of a fan that helps to suck of radon out the house by keeping it continuously vented. They are also the best and most popular systems for a situation where they can reduce radon levels by up to 99%
Passive Mitigation Systems: These do not use a fan, rather they count on the differential pressure of natural air and venting to lower levels of radon. These are generally not as effective, so should be used in areas of lower radon levels.
Is a Radon Mitigation System Really Necessary?
You may or may not require radon removal and this will depend on certain factors such as:
According to the EPA, should your home test higher than 4 pCi/L for radon levels you are highly encouraged to install a mitigation system. But at levels between 2 and 4 pCi/L, some health experts recommend that action be taken if there are smokers in the home or a history of lung disease.
Long-Term Health Risks: You need to know the health risks associated with radon gas. Even if you're a bit under the EPA action level, taking some simple steps to reduce radon can bring peace of mind -- not to mention health benefits.
Home Value: If you decide to sell your home, a radon mitigation system can be an excellent feature. And virtually every home-buying population today is certainly aware of radon and nearly 1 in 3 buyers may ask for a test! A site with a system already in place is generally regarded as more desirable than one that does not have such protection.
The Cost of Radon Mitigation
The cost of having a radon mitigation system installed can vary quite significantly depending on the size and style of your home as well as, where you live. If you hire a professional, the average cost is between $800 and $1,500 for homeowners. You will still have to pay electricity costs to run the fan and well as throughout time you also need some maintenance done to ensure that it is working to its best capability.
Yes, these costs are hugely expensive but compared to the potential healthcare cost of lung cancer treatment. Plus — peace of mind is worth much more than any cost associated with protecting your family from radon.
Radon Mitigation in St. Louis by Air Sense Environmental
For radon mitigation in St. Louis, no one improves on the experience of Air Sense Environmental. They are dedicated to specializes in detecting and mitigating radon gas in the greater St. Louis region, protecting your household or place of business from this odorless menace. Given the differing soil makeup and radon concentration throughout the region, professional radon mitigation is critical.
Air Sense Environmental provides individualized solutions designed specifically for your situation. Their expertise is invaluable when preventing the harmful effects of radon exposure in your home, whether you are starting from scratch and looking for a way to control high levels or hoping to increase performance on an already installed mitigation. This means using rhyme or other metric patterns, but ApSci uses the most cutting-edge technology to design and install systems that will bring down radon levels here in Illinois (and no doubt nationwide) far below EPA standards.
That is why St. Louis residents choose Air Sense Environmental for their family or employee's healthy and safe investments. With a commitment to quality and customer satisfaction that has made it the go-to provider of radon mitigation services in its service area, it is responsible for providing complete peace of mind about indoor air quality at countless homes.
Conclusion
Radon is one of those lurking dangers, and it's not something that should be taken lightly. Then, as a responsible homeowner concerned about your health and the well-being of your family members you make sure to have remediation work done via radon mitigation system installation. The up-front fee may seem overpriced at first, but avoiding lung cancer is worth every penny.
Maintaining regular testing and monitoring of your radon levels will ensure a healthy living environment, even if the results are negative due to its ability to fluctuate over time. In the end, whether or not you need a radon mitigation system is determined by your unique situation and it's always better to be safe than sorry.
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