Radon gas mitigation? (home, foundation, insulation)

[fikester]

Just thought I'd offer a little information about the health issues with Radon. I'm a Nuclear Engineer (an admittedly young one), and I've some hopefully insightful information.

The deal with Radon is 2 fold, and yes people who smoke are already experiencing levels likely higher than any you'd see in a basement, but it depends on the where the tobacco was grown. Radon is only found via a decay chain usually originating from Uranium (this is of course why most studies occurred from Uranium miners where Radon gas levels where high). Naturally occuring Uranium is found in various forms all over the earth, more prevalently in rocky areas. Thus, Radon gas from the decay chain of Uranium basically bubble up from rocky areas which makes Radon more of a concern in places like Colorado such that homes built there will find a build up of Radon in their basements if ventilation is insufficient.

The health concerns with Radon are 2-fold. First, it's radioactive. It's mode of decay, alpha emission, is not an issue unless the Radon decays in the body. If you're inhaling the gas, it can decay in your body. Is this a real concern? Yes and no. 2 isotopes are relatively common, one with long time to decay, and other with a short. If it does, it can produce a fair amount of cell damage because an alpha particle is large (think bowling balls hitting golf balls).

The second health concern is that once the gas decays, it becomes a heavy particulate, Polonium, and doesn't leave the body by exhaling (no longer gas). It then shortly decays again to Lead. So to drive the point home, inhaling a certain concentration of Radon is comparable to inhaling a lesser concentration of Lead. You wouldn't use lead paint, right?

So with that information, you're the more able to formulate your own opinion on the matter. Is it a real risk? It depends on the concentration. State statutes use certain values which hopefully they've researched at least some, and they are more than likely overly conservative. Moral of the story is make sure your house is well ventilated and if you're buying a new house, tell them to do it if the levels are higher than you're comfortable with. If you smoke, well let's just say this compares to getting a big mac with a diet soda.

**A note as it regards radiation - studies are inconclusive regarding the effects of low levels of radiation. Some believe that it may actually be good for you (some people actually go to old mines in CO where Radon is rich and hang out for a while). It's safer and widely accepted that low levels correlate to cell damage the same as high levels scaled down. Federal limits for radiation exposure to non-nuclear workers correspond to levels that are on par with the amount of background you recieve from things like TVs, microwaves, x-rays, cosmic rays, sunlight, etc.**

[fikester]

The only reason the concern over Radon is increasing is because people know about it. The actually amount of Radon is not growing or increasing. For the time that humanity has and ever will exist, the levels produced from the ground will remain essentially the same for a particular area.

[radonguy]

One thing that has changed over past 30-40 years is how we build homes, with the energy crisis in the 1970's homes were sealed up tighter and tighter thus trapping more radon in the home. Of course proper ventilation and make up air procedures can ease the problem but a lot of variables are involved.

Another aspect is increasing amount of time Americans spend in doors which is now about 65% of the time. This is a big change from our agricultural society of the past.

[Terytee]

Absolutely agree...houses are built so efficiently these, Radon does not escape like it should, or perhaps like it would in a 50yr old home, but instead, it sits in your nice finished basement........and it's effects would be cumulative. Might not be a problem today, but after breathing the stuff in for 20yrs, you've got problems.

I'm glad the seller agree to pick up the cost for my mitigation system and I'm glad I have it. I would recommend testing for radon for anyone buying a house in CO. When it comes to radioactive anything, I'd rather err on the side of caution.

[angelaluzia]

I have never heard of randon gas mitigation, but I have lived in Florida for a long time and they don't have Basements. We are moving from Germany to Colorado this Summer and we are looking to buy a House. Do they always check for that or do I have to request it and also is there a better chance of having that gas in a new House? I don't feel good about breathing in anything like that, and is it only in the Basement or all over the House? Also if there is a window in the Basement is that any better. I am just trying to get some info about that Gas. Thank you.

[Terytee]

Angela,

It's something that you have to request. I had my home tested as part of the pre-home-buying inspection. It's an extra fee.....can't recall how much. When the home inspector came out to do the inspection, I told him I wanted the radon test also. He did everything.

In my case, he set up a small electronic tester in a basement room and let it sit 3-4 days. At the end of the test, he had a "readout" that showed the radon levels at the different times of the day and there's a criteria for whats considered high or harmless. Testing is no big deal.

Paying for the mitigation system can run $1000 and up..... a bigger deal.

Some homes have it and some don't. The gas seaps up from the ground so some areas may have it more than others. The construction of the home also has a lot to do with it.

It can come up all over the home, whether it has a basement or not, but a basement is a natural place to do the testing because most are built in the ground.

Some folks blow it off and don't consider it when buying a home, some do.

Either way, even if levels are relatively low, the effects are cumulative....so breathing in low levels while living in your home for 20yrs could be potentially harmful.

There's a ton of info about radon on the internet.

[Terytee]

http://www.epa.gov/radon/pubs/citguide.html

[treedonkey]

Pretty much every house around the mtns. here will come up needing radon mitigation (unless it already has it) upon inspection. As you can see, opinions will vary as to whether you really need to do anything about it, but since I work in my basement 40+ hours a week, I decided it's better to be safe than sorry, so I had it done a month or two ago, after owning the house for over a year.

We used Johnson Radon Control (in COS) and they did the whole deal for just over $900. Also, you might want to know, that the finished job will leave you with an extra pipe running up the side of your house with a built in fan-unit that runs 24/7 and takes up about as much power as a 60-watt bulb all the time. Not a big problem, but good to know. If you're still not sure what you'll be getting just let me know and I'll tell you more and even send a picture of my unit (my RADON FAN unit, that is) if you like.

[angelaluzia]

Thank you all for the info, I will have it checked for sure. Also does it have to be rechecked every so often? Or it is just better to get a Randon Control System. I will research more about it on the internet thank you.

[treedonkey]

My understanding is -- once you have a mitigation fan, you're set for life, or at least until the fan konks out.