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Radon is a radioactive gas. It comes from the natural decay of uranium that is found in nearly all soils. It typically moves up through the ground to the air above and into your home through cracks and other holes in the foundation. Your home traps radon inside, where it can build up.
How would radon most likely enter the house?
Radon can enter and collect inside almost any home or other building through dirt floors, hollow block walls, cracks in the foundation floor and walls, sump pumps, openings around floor drains, joints and foundation openings for pipes, sewers and other utility connections.
How do you prevent radon in your home?
More Ways to Take Action Stop smoking and discourage smoking in your home. Increase air flow in your house by opening windows and using fans and vents to circulate air. Seal cracks in floors and walls with plaster, caulk, or other materials designed for this purpose.
Can radon go through concrete?
Radon, soil gasses, and water vapor will easily pass through any openings, cracks, gaps, drains, or thin concrete (rat slabs) in the basement.
How do you eliminate radon?
Other radon reduction techniques that can be used in any type of home include: sealing, house or room pressurization, heat recovery ventilation and natural ventilation. Sealing cracks and other openings in the foundation is a basic part of most approaches to radon reduction.
Can radon penetrate plastic?
While radon typically finds its way into homes through cracks or holes in a foundation it has the ability to penetrate through paper, plastic, sheetrock, wood, and insulation. Basements with sump pump systems are also more prone to radon gas seeping in through dirt pits.
Where is radon most commonly found?
Radon levels are usually higher in basements, cellars and living spaces in contact with the ground. However, considerable radon concentration can also be found above the ground floor. Radon concentrations vary considerably between adjacent buildings, as well as within a building from day to day and from hour to hour.
Can air purifiers remove radon?
Can an air purifier help with radon? Yes, an air purifier with an activated carbon filter can successfully eliminate the gas from the surrounding air.
Where is radon found in homes?
It sometimes gets concentrated in homes built on soil with natural uranium deposits. It can enter buildings through cracks in floors or walls, construction joints, or gaps in foundations around pipes, wires or pumps. Radon levels are usually highest in the basement or crawl space.
How does radon enter a basement?
If you have a basement: A basement provides a large surface area in contact with soil material. Radon can enter through cracks in the concrete, or through floor-to-wall joints or control joints. Since many Illinois homes use their basements as living space, exposure to radon can be further increased.
Does sealing concrete reduce radon?
Sealing the basement floor can help, but just sealing the cracks is unlikely to reduce your radon levels in the long term. Sealing all cracks and applying non-porous, thick epoxy coatings would be a better step.
How do you seal radon in a basement?
Sealing the basement floor can help reduce the amount of radon entering the home. But just sealing the cracks would be unlikely to reduce those amounts in the long term. Sealing all cracks and applying non-porous, thick epoxy coatings (over 10 MILS dry film thickness) would be a better step.
How do you vent radon in a basement?
Common techniques include: Sub-slab depressurization, where suction pipes are inserted through the floor or concrete slab into the concrete slab below the home. A radon vent fan then draws out the radon gas and releases it into the air outside. This is the most common type of system.
Where does radon come from?
Radon is constantly being generated by the radium in rocks, soil, water and materials derived from rocks and soils, such as certain building materials. Radium is a decay product of uranium which is naturally occurring in the soils and rocks of the earth’s crust.
Are home radon test kits accurate?
“Short-term radon test kits are not effective in measuring radon gas exposure: Findings show radon tests of less than 90 days are imprecise up to 99 percent of the time.” ScienceDaily.
Can radon go through walls?
Yes, radon can move through a concrete slab, through block and concrete walls or any other building material in the home. If you have a radon source under the slab, you could have an elevated radon level in the home.
How long does it take for radon to harm you?
Radon gas can damage cells in your lungs, which can lead to cancer. Radon is responsible for about 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year in the United States, though it usually takes 5 to 25 years to develop.
Do sump pumps cause radon?
Can radon come from the sump pump or pit? Yes. Radon is a gas that enters your building from the soil beneath and around your house. These gases can enter your home through the footing drain tile that is connected to the sump pump in your basement.
What type of soil is radon found in?
The U.S. Geological Survey explains that radon moves easily and quickly through porous soils, like sand and gravel, and slower through more solid soils, clay being one such example. Moisture has a lot to do with this.
What are 5 facts about radon?
Here are a few facts about radon, and what you can do to help keep your family healthy and safe. Radon is radioactive. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas. Radon causes cancer. No immediate symptoms. You must test for radon. Radon is present indoors and outdoors. Radon can build up in any building.
How do you know if you have radon in your home?
Radon testing is easy and the only way to find out if you have a radon problem in your home. Since you cannot see or smell radon, special equipment is needed to detect it. When you’re ready to test your home, you can order a radon test kit by mail from a qualified radon measurement services provider or laboratory.
