Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Denver Radon Testing
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Protect Your Family From Radon Gas
Radon gas is an invisible, odorless gas emitted by uranium decaying underground. Harmless outdoors, radon can seep into your home through the ground and accumulate: at high concentrations, this radiation can be extremely dangerous. In fact, radon gas is the leading cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers and the second leading cause in smokers. Protect your home and family from this unseen menace with radon testing and, if necessary, radon mitigation.
Radon Testing
Radon testing is an easy, straightforward process. A charcoal canister is used to collect radon gas from your home, usually over the course of approximately 48 hours. During the radon testing period, it's important to keep all doors and windows closed for the most precise readings. At the conclusion of the testing period, the canister is sent to a lab to measure the accumulated radon concentration. Simple as that. Do-it-yourself kits are readily available, although you may want to consider having a professional administer your test for optimal accuracy. Because your test results will be the basis of future action (either none because levels appear safe or an expensive radon mitigation) it's important to have the best readings possible. That way you'll be able to make an informed decision about what the next steps should be.
Radon Mitigation
If your test does report unsafe levels of radon, you need to address the problem ASAP. You'll need to contact your local specialist: They will be able to design and install the right radon reduction system for your home. Depending on the construction of your home, there are several different options. The most common are sub-slab depressurization (for homes with basements) and sub-membrane depressurization (for homes with crawlspaces).
Sub-slab depressurization entails drilling a small hole in the floor of the foundation slab and excavating a slight cavity below. Then, a pump is connected to the hole and the radon (and any other organic contaminants) is vacuumed out of the ground before it has a chance to leak into your home. These gases are vented outside, where the radon can disperse harmlessly. Sub-membrane depressurization is similar to sub-slab depressurization, but because there is no slab, a membrane is installed over the floor of the crawlspace to trap the radon. The gas is extracted in a similar fashion and vented outside.
Because radon mitigation is not a one-size-fits-all process, this really is not a job for DIYers; from targeting the entry point to creating a complete seal, professionals have the knowledge, expertise, and skill to ensure your family will be safe.
Radon Resistant New Construction
If you live in an area with a known radon problem and are building a new home, you may want to consider radon resistant construction. These preemptive measures prevent the radon from ever entering your home, stopping the problem before it begins! The techniques are the same as for mitigation, but because your home is not being retrofitted the system can be more efficient as well as unobtrusive. For example, vent stacks are installed internally as the building is constructed, hiding this potential eyesore while still completely venting any radon gas. Talk to your contractor about whether radon resistant new construction is needed for your house.
Just like your home isn't safe without working smoke detectors, if you haven't tested for radon you're taking a risk! Let professional radon contractors bring you safety and peace of mind with complete radon testing and mitigation. If you're looking for a trustworthy technician in your area, organizations like the American Association of Radon Specialists and Technologists (AARST) and the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) can help you find a qualified professional.
Matt Gallo is a home improvement specialist and the Internet marketing manager for Prospect Genius, a leading provider of online, local advertising solutions.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Matt_Gallo
Planning For Radon Mitigation in Your New Home
The prevalence of Radon Gas in the soils in areas around the United States is an issue of growing concern. Radon has been deemed the number 1 cause of lung cancer in non-smokers in a study done at the University of Iowa.
If your planned home is in an area of higher risk, you should plan early on to install a Radon Mitigation System. In many areas now, a test is required with each real-estate transaction regarding residential properties and this will probably expand to include most of the higher risk areas. In any event, your health is well worth the small investment to install such a system.
Installing the basics of the system in a Basement or Slab-On-Grade Foundation consists of inserting a perforated pipe below the slab in crushed rock and stubbing up a connector into the basement. Venting this pipe to the exterior (away from any windows in your house or your neighbors, preferably up through the roof), constitutes what is known as a Passive Radon Mitigation System. If , after your house is complete, a test determines that levels are still too high, you may have to convert to an Active Radon Mitigation System by installing a fan than runs continuously which creates low pressure under the slab and increases the rate of gas evacuation. So you will want to have the slab penetration in an area that is readily accessible and has electric available to power the fan.
Radon gas is found in varying levels in almost all regions of the country. Visit the EPA's Radon Map Zone at the following link.
Radon Map Zone Areas in Pink pose the highest risk followed by Orange and Yellow. Click here to check the specific risk level in your county.
Many times the fan is located in the attic, particularly if your foundation is slab-on-grade or crawl space. Also remember that you will want to make sure that the vent through the roof does not allow water to fall down the pipe to the slab below, this would not be a good thing for several reasons.
Designing and installing the infrastructure for a passive system can be accomplished for about $150 to $300. this will save you 150-300% of the cost of retrofitting. An Active systems will add $ 250-$550 depending on the size of your home. Download Build Radon Out. Your radon system is a simple task but it does require planning to complete the installation in your new home without incurring significantly higher costs.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Randy_Covington |
Monday, April 13, 2009
Radon & Lung Cancer
Radon is a proven and very potent "Class A" carcinogen. Safety limits on toxins or carcinogens in food or water are set at levels thousand times less lethal than what is the risk from radon in an average American home. "Radon in residential homes causes more deaths than fires, drowning and airplane crashes combined." (EPA)
The lung cancer crisis
After smoking, "radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer." (Surgeon General) Among non-smokers, radon is the No. 1 cause of lung cancer deaths beating out second hand smoking.
Lung cancer is the leading cancer killer of all Americans, both men and women, claiming 160,000 lives every year - more than breast cancer, prostate cancer, and colorectal cancer combined. Over 171,000 cases of new lung cancers are diagnosed in the U.S. each year.
The leading three causes of cancer deaths Men & Women:
Lung cancer 33% Lung cancer 24%
Prostate cancer 12% Breast cancer 18%
Colorectal cancer 10% Colorectal cancer 11%
Lung cancer is the deadliest of all cancers – its 5-year survival rate is only 10 to 14 percent. By the time people develop symptoms (shortness of breath, coughing, bloody sputum), the cancer has grown to the size of an orange or has spread to other organs. While the death rates for many types of cancer have been declining during the last 60 years, the age-adjusted incidence and mortality rates for lung cancer have been rising.
There is a lung cancer crisis, particularly among women. Lung cancer deaths have increased by 20% among men during the past two decades but by 150% among women, and in the 1990's alone, lung cancer deaths of white females have increased 60%.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Denver Radon Test
A radon test kit will normally be accompanied by instructions on how to go about while measuring. Afterwords, the kit is sent to the laboratory for analysis and depending on the complexity of the test, the period within which you'll get the results may vary. Where exactly will you place your kit? Well, even though it may be provided for in the instructions, it's better if you placed on the lowest part of the house e.g the basement. Such places as the bathroom, kitchen, hallway or the laundry room have high moisture levels and will tamper with the accuracy of the results.
If your living room, bedroom or the study are located in the ground floor, then this are the areas that should be tested first. However, make sure that you or anyone else does not move the kit when in sampling process. Generally the kits are found in variety of types and thus you should specify the type you're interested in while making the order. You can either buy online or order one trough the phone.
Normally, the gas levels will vary from time to time and thus you should use the radon test kit as often. However, in case you change the ventilation systems, you renovate the house or there are earthquakes and so on, then you should test for radon levels again.
A2ZRadon Mitigation is Denver radon removal company. They help home owners lower the radon levels below 4.0. For More Information on Radon test kit, Visit His Site at RADON TEST KIT. You Can Also Add Your Views About Radon test kit At My Blog here RADON TEST KIT
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Denver Radon Mitigation System
Basically, it would be best to inquire from an expert opinion before installing any radon mitigation system. However, if you choose not to, then you ought to consider certain criteria. For instance, the type of foundation and the design of the house. Here you'll find that there are houses that have a simple space under the first floor, some with concrete-poured on the ground level, some that combine these two foundation designs, others with a crawl space and half a slab-on-grade etc.
Whichever the design of your house, there are several procedures that may be required to achieve radon mitigation. Generally, you can opt for prevention by using special devices that may prevent radon from entering the house or you can choose to lower the gas concentration. Installing underground fans, radon contractors, sealing cracks and openings in the walls etc, are some of the measures you can undertake to control of the radon.
Such things as the soil type beneath the house, foundation design and so on, are some of the special diagnostic tests that should be done before you start on the radon process. Nevertheless, it would be better and wise to talk to the team in charge of the whole procedure and analyze every detail together.
If you need a radon test in Denver or you are interested in hearing more about Denver radon mitigation, give A2Z Radon Mitigation a call: (303) 832-9218 or check out their website http://www.a2zradon.com/ . A2Z Radon Mitigation specialize in installing radon mitigation systems and radon removal.
More on Radon Testing
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Radon Mitigation
You can find out more about them at www.a2zradon.com
