Radon and You
What Is Radon?
Radon is a naturally occurring gas in our environment. Radon-222 is an element of the radioactive chain in the natural decay of uranium. It is an invisible, tasteless, and odorless gas. Radon atoms decay into other radioactive atoms, and potentially harmful and radioactive particles are released in the process. When uranium starts to break down and decay in soil and rock, the resulting radon builds up and seeps in through cracks or right through the building material. The toxins that build up, if inhaled in large amounts, very harmful to human lungs. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, radon gas is the second highest cause of lung cancer (after smoking). That is terrible! The more of this radon gas toxin that is collecting within your home, the more likely the people living within are of getting lung cancer. The toxins released are clear and odorless which make them utterly impossible to detect. The only way to identify and accurately assess the amount of radon in your house, is to have it tested using the best, top-notch radon measurement testers.
How and Why Does Radon Harm People?
Outdoors, radon is usually a harmless gas that completely dilutes due to the fact that there is so much air and ventilation. It is everywhere. Unfortunately, it becomes a problem when it has nowhere to vent or escape to. Once it is caught up in an area such as a building, it stagnates and decays and becomes toxic. It is mostly found in basements because it comes up from the soil. When it rises from the soil, it seeps in through cracks and small crevices in the basement of the ground floor. A basement is not required to have toxic amounts of radon gas. It can come in anywhere in your home that is touching the ground. The Environmental Protection Agency states that over 23,000 deaths a year are caused by radon gas inhalation. The even scarier fact that they released was that every one of these cases was lung cancer-related. Radon gas doesn’t discriminate. Smokers, non-smokers, children, and the elderly. Radon is deadly to everyone who breathes in large amounts of it. What’s worse is that the risk of lung cancer in children exposed to radon is TWENTY TIMES that of children exposed to cigarette smoke.
How To Remove Radon
In order to mitigate radon, you have to know whether or not you have it! You need to have your home tested for radon gas and an assessment has to be made based from the reading stating exactly how much of the toxic gas is present in your house. If the reading is established to be 4.0 pCi/L or higher, it is imperative that something is done about it right away! Please do not try to fix this problem and remove the gas yourself, or have someone unqualified try to install a radon mitigation system. If it is done incorrectly, it can make things much worse. RT&M’s inexpensive, but high-quality method of mitigating and removing the gas comes into play! Our well trained, certified and insured service professionals come out and quickly, efficiently install the radon gas mitigation system, ensuring that everything is done to clear out the toxic gas from your home.