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My name is Mike and I am a New Jersey DEP radon specialist with 20+ years of testing and mitigation experience. My first advice to you is to ignore Mr. Chickpea's information as its just plain wrong.
Second I would tell you that radon builds up to its maximum concentration in just 12 hours so 12 hours after your fan was off the radon concentration in your basement was at its maximum level. Bottom line here is that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer behind smoking and EPA data indicates prolonged exposure to elevated radon levels results in about 20,000 deaths a year. The higher the concentration of radon you were exposed to over that 6 months the higher the level of concern.
Typically, during a real estate transaction, especially when there is an existing mitigation system already in the home, a test is done to confirm that the system is performing as it should be. You need to refer to those test results to determine how great your risk was.......if a test wasn't done then shame on the agent who represented you for failing to recommend that one be done......if it was done and you have the results please feel free to DM me and I'll help interprete them for you.
What would be the point of interpreting the test now? The test was done with the system ON, in all likelihood. It's not going to give you any indication at all what the levels were during the unknown period that the system was turned off.
I think the Radon gas thing is one of the biggest scams out there. Why wouldn't you get cancer from being in your yard as opposed to your house.
I'm not claiming that radon is or is not dangerous. I know the laws, not the science behind it.
but.....
If it is dangerous in your house, it's because it builds up in the enclosed space. Out in the yard, it disperses into the air, and drifts away. It never concentrates enough to be an issue.
Hmmm.... I see Oildog is from Houston, I currently live here too. We don't talk about/test for radon here. It is a non issue in our lives. Maybe it's because we don't have basements?
I grew up in the PNW and remember folks talking about Radon, but I moved away when I was 19, so I never really pondered it seriously myself.
Now start fussing about poor drainage in our gumbo clay, black mold, termites, that will perk up any good Houstonian!
Hmmm.... I see Oildog is from Houston, I currently live here too. We don't talk about/test for radon here. It is a non issue in our lives. Maybe it's because we don't have basements?
I grew up in the PNW and remember folks talking about Radon, but I moved away when I was 19, so I never really pondered it seriously myself.
Now start fussing about poor drainage in our gumbo clay, black mold, termites, that will perk up any good Houstonian!
It's probably more about the geology of your location. Radon is a natural by-product of the decay of uranium, which is found in most forms of stone, particularly granite & slate. In other words, the more mountainous & rocky the area is, the higher incidence of radon you are likely to find. Central NJ, fairly rocky. Houston, TX, not so much, right?
What would be the point of interpreting the test now? The test was done with the system ON, in all likelihood. It's not going to give you any indication at all what the levels were during the unknown period that the system was turned off.
Because if a system were installed you would have the results of the initial screening test to determine what the premitigation test results were and the post mitigation test telling you what the radon levels had dropped to. The radon levels during the period the fan was off would be equivalent to what the levels were prior to mitigation. Radon builds up to its maximum concentration in just 12 hours and then reaches an equilibrium so you will have approximitely the same concrentrations prior to mitigation as when the fan was off.......in order to even remotely access what the risks were you need to know what the radon levels were. Whoever did the tests are required by law to send copies to both buyer and seller.
I think the Radon gas thing is one of the biggest scams out there. Why wouldn't you get cancer from being in your yard as opposed to your house.
Because radon eminating from the ground in your back yard disipates harmlessly into the air, however, radon eminating through your basement floor is trapped in an enclosed area and can build to unsafe concentraions.
but radon is radiation and common sense tells us that long term exposure to radiation does bad things to the human body.....if you don't wish to err of the side of common sense and take advantage of available inexpensive precautions then your a fool.
It would appear that you either don't want to read what was written in any of the posts that are not inline with your view or you simply aren't comprehending it. I won't waste my time trying to argue, but I will say this:
The fool does everything he's told and doesn't question anything.
It would appear that you either don't want to read what was written in any of the posts that are not inline with your view or you simply aren't comprehending it. I won't waste my time trying to argue, but I will say this:
The fool does everything he's told and doesn't question anything.
So....the point of this post is that despite being told that radon/radiation is harmful your going to question the validity of that information and furthermore disprove its validity by living in unsafe radon concentrations ? Geeze....even the WHO (World Health Organization), a very credible, non biased world based health research organization says the radon guildelines should be lowered from 4 down to 2.7 ? I comprehend what the opposing opinions are but thats just what they are......opinions......no facts......just opinions....when they can produce some hard facts with absolute proof that there is no relationship between radon and lung cancer rather than saying "I don't think so" then they will be worth addressing. I have mitigated houses where people, including young children, are suffering from lung cancer and neither has smoked a day in their lives. It staggers me that there are so many that wish to believe that radon is a hoax or a giant conspiracy that the government of every civilized nation on earth is taking part in.
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