According to the Environmental Protection Agency, radon is a radioactive gas that causes the death of thousands each year and is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. It is odorless and can be found anywhere in the U.S, and in any type of building. Radon occurs through the decay of uranium in the soil and can enter a building through cracks in the foundation or other openings. Soil is the main entry point for home radon exposure, but occasionally well water may be the culprit. (see reference 2) Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Test before and after home improvement measures to reduce or remove radon exposure. A normal home result is about 1.3 pCi/L (picocuries per liter of air). Any result of 4 pCi/L requires retesting. Should the retest results be 4 pCi/L or higher, repairs and abatement are necessary.
2. Seal radon out by fixing cracks or holes in the foundation. This can be achieved by caulking cracks, using waterproofing solutions on basement walls and floors, and placing caps on sump pump holes. Also, if you have a crawlspace, cover the floors of the crawlspace with plastic.
3. Install a pressurization system. This consists of either a fan to move air from beneath the basement floor slab through a plastic pipe to a vent at the roof line, or a fan to blow outside air beneath the lowest level flooring. These are effective but have the negative side effect of air leakage around windows and doors and result in higher home cooling and heating costs.
4. Install a heat recovery ventilator or HRV. This system is also known as a air-to-air heat exchanger. It is most effective when used for basement ventilation alone. It will improve overall air quality. It will also increase the costs of home heating and cooling, but not as much as a system that does not use an HRV.
Tags: radon exposure
