Radon Gas

Radon is an issue you can’ afford to ignore. Radon was first discovered in 1900, and is the fifth element that is radioactive to be discovered. Radon is a naturally occurring gas, found all over the world, no matter where you may live. It is created by the breakdown of uranium, which is a substance found in small quantities in just about anything, from water to soil. This means that it is in just about every structure that people live in in some form or another. Even new homes may have a Radon problem.

Radon should be of concern to the home owner, but it shouldn’t be a cause of anxiety, because there are many ways to protect your family from radon gas. There are many different radon protection systems available, from Radon protection membranes that are placed between you home’s foundation and the actual ground, and even sump pumps, ventilation fans, and detectors that you can install to protect your family from this poisonous, odorless gas.

The first steps to radon protection is finding out if and how much radon gas you currently have in your home. A radon detector can be purchased at AirTech Environmental for minimal cost. Depending on the type of detector you install in your home, it takes as little as twenty four hours to register if you home has a radon gas problem.

If you do have radon in your home, you may have to install some simple ventilation equipment to eliminate the problem from your home. If you can, you should hire a professional to come in and help you assess the situation. They can recommend what types of radon protection measures are available, and help you develop a radon protection plan that is not only going to be the most effective, but one that will fit in your budget. There are basically two types of radon protection sytems, and while there is not enough space here to go into complete detail for each one, here is a brief overview of them.

One type is the passive radon protection system. There are two parts to this, basic and full. This is really designed for new construction. For basic Radon protection systems, this consists of creating a barrier between the basement floor, which should already have some kind of moisture barrier, and won’t be too much of an added cost. Then you need to create barriers between walls, and make sure that everything is sealed properly against radon gas.

Active Radon protection systems provide proper ventilation for your home to prevent the buildup of radon gas.  This may include sub flooring ventilation fans, sump pumps and other dispersion methods that will effectively remove radon completely from you home. You will also have to have someone come in and do routine maintainance, and while you may be able to perform some of these tasks, a qualified person should at least do a yearly inspection.