Tag: radon

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Relocating With Kids? Has Their School Been Tested for Radon?

https://www.epa.gov/radon/radon-schools

You were just awarded a fabulous new job position which requires you to move to a different state. A new home is purchased close to your work and your children are registered to start school in September. Your new home had a home inspection and a radon test performed which came back elevated. The home was fixed by installing a radon mitigation system and is now safe to move in.

Radon is an invisible colorless, odorless and tasteless cancer-causing, radioactive gas created during the natural breakdown of uranium in rocks and soils. It’s found in nearly all soils around the world.

Radon exposure is cumulative in a person’s life. Eliminating exposure to elevated radon levels is highly recommended since radon is a known Class A carcinogen proven to cause lung cancer. In fact, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States today and is the leading cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers.

Testing for radon in schools should be mandatory nationwide however it is still under the auspices of local government to make that decision. Children being exposed at a young age to elevated radon levels remains in the body and continuous exposure can have negative health results.

Radon moves up through the ground and seeps into buildings entry points are cracks and other holes in the foundation, drainage or sump openings or poorly sealed pipes. Buildings trap radon inside, where it can accumulate. Any building can have a radon problem, not just those built on soil and rock with high geologic potential for radon release.

You fixed your home for elevated radon levels! Have you asked if your child’s school has been tested for radon? Have you asked if your workplace has been tested for radon? If your child’s school has elevated radon levels and they are in school all day followed by an extended day aftercare program, they are being exposed unnecessarily. It is an easy process to “fix” a building for elevated radon levels by a professional mitigator.

Be Proactive! This is your child’s health…a simple testing procedure can identify if your child’s school has elevated radon concentrations. Talk to other parents and create a plan to approach administrators. It affects not just your child but the school staff and full student body.

Test your home, school, workplace for radioactive radon gas today!

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#Radon Professionals #SavingLives

Radon, an insidious Class A carcinogen, has been proven to cause lung cancer with long term exposure. AARST-NRPP is the United States of America’s professional radon organization working to save lives.

American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologist (AARST) is a professional organization that is dedicated to delivering outstanding service, the highest standards of excellence in addition to the ethical performance of radon measurement, radon mitigation and transfer of technical knowledge through superior and continued education. AARST is a not for profit trade organization.

National Radon Proficiency Program (NRPP) is the section of AARST that assists Radon Measurement Providers also known as Radon Testers re-certify their credentials every 2 years to maintain their active status. This requires taking continuing education courses to stay current with industry changes and advancements in addition to device recertification. The recertification process for analytical devices requires the Radon Measurement Provider to ship their analytical device (aka electronic method of radon testing using a CRM or Continuous Radon Monitor) to a radioactive chamber to be loaded with radon alpha particles. The chamber then returns the technician’s loaded analytical device back to them. The technician then performs the data analysis of the loaded device. The results are sent to the chamber lab and if all matches correctly from the test, the technician is re-certified once all continuing educational requirements are met.

Without re-certification, the Radon Measurement Provider cannot perform radon testing using an active device. Please watch the informational video below about why it is so important to test your home for radioactive radon gas today.

AARST-NRPP Radon Professionals Saving Lives
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JANUARY is…National Radon Action Month

JANUARY is…National Radon Action Month

TAKE ACTION: Test your home, school or workplace for radioactive radon gas. January is the month the EPA and the US Surgeon’s General encourage everyone to be proactive and test for radon. If your radon levels are elevated, TAKE ACTION and install a radon mitigation system to reduce levels then re-test to make sure your internal environment is safe.

Test Your Home, School or Workplace TODAY…Protect Yourself, Protect Your Family, Protect Your Employees!

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Radon and The Holidays

Radon and The Holidays

The holidays are upon us! People are busy assembling their homes with festive decorations making way for guests, fun, laughter and celebration. Seasons greetings are shared with wishes of peace on earth and good health.

Long term exposure to elevated radon levels has been proven to cause lung cancer and possibly affect other organs in the body. Give the gift of peace of mind with a healthy home and plan to test your home for radon in the the coming year. The only way to know if radon is an issue in your home is to test for it.

Test Your Home for Radioactive Radon Gas…Protect Your Family!

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Radon and New Construction Real Estate

Radon and New Construction Real Estate

The popular new real estate trend appears to be knocking down older homes in need of repair and building new. This trend eliminates many concerns inside the home  that plagues older homes such as older heating systems, horse hair plaster, lead paint, etc. yet there can be a host of new concerns to be aware of.

With new construction, homes are tighter with state of the art insulation, energy efficiency, smart home potential with built-in electronics, reduced maintenance, green building products and the beauty of being able to customize your new space. 

Building materials, depending on where they are sourced, may contain radioactive materials in them. Some materials may contain naturally-occurring radioactive elements like uranium, radium and thorium. These affected materials can be concrete, gypsum, sandstone, granite, natural stone and others.  The resulting decay product of the breakdown of these elements is radon. 

Ask your builder if any of the building materials used in the new construction contain these elements and if they followed EPA Building Codes for a Radon-Resistant New Construction. In MA in 2015, radon requirements were introduced into the state’s building code. Check your state to identify what the guidelines are.

New construction can address potential radon in a home by installing a sub-slab passive system that can easily be activated if the radon levels are elevated noted by testing. Testing is the only way to know if elevated radon levels exist. If elevated, a passive system is activated by installing a fan used to draw the radon out of the home from under the slab. Re-test post fan installation or if there is no passive system in place, re-test after a sub-slab depressurization system is installed. 

Test Your Home…Protect Your Family!

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Radon Reduction…Not a DIY Fix!

Radon Reduction…Not a DIY Fix!

Radon, a colorless, odorless and tasteless Class A carcinogen sourced from the natural breakdown of uranium in rock and soil, has been proven to cause lung cancer with prolonged exposure of elevated levels. Radon builds up in homes and buildings because it becomes trapped. The only way to know if your home, school or workplace has elevated levels is to test.

Elevated levels should be addressed professionally by a certified radon mitigator. A radon mitigation system is designed to reduce the indoor radon levels in a home or building. The benefit of reducing radon levels is a reduced risk of developing lung cancer.  Radon mitigation systems are effective within 24-48 hours of installation and will maintain reduced radon levels as long as the fan is operating and properly maintained. The fan should be operating 24/7 for maximum results.  It is highly recommended to re-test for radon levels 24-48 hours post system installation and every 2+/- years thereafter. Testing every 2+/- years is to assess the system’s integrity and the fan’s functionality. 

Professional radon mitigators are skilled in the general construction of a building and this is imperative so proper placement of a sub-slab depressurization system is most effective. There is a time and a place for DIY projects and in this case, go with the pros for the safety of your family. A poor or ineffective installation by a homeowner with limited knowledge of the process can be dangerous to one’s health. Why take the chance!

A radon mitigation system is one of the least expensive home improvement projects with the maximum results/benefits. To find an NRPP-AARST professional, go to the source: http://aarst-nrpp.com/wp/certification/database-search/

Test Your Home…Protect Your Family!

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Radon in Your Child’s School and What to Do About It

Radon in Your Child’s School and What to Do About It

Radon, a Class A carcinogen derived from the natural breakdown of uranium in rock and soil, becomes a danger to one’s health when it builds up in homes, buildings, schools and is breathed in over extended periods of time. Children, educators and support staff are typically in schools from 7am or earlier through to the evening. Many children are enrolled into an aftercare program and can be in an affected school for 10-12 hours per day.

The EPA has set guidelines for managing radon in schools with the hopes ALL schools will be tested, fixed if necessary and on a schedule for future testings to ensure your child is safe in their learning environment. The question arises as to what if the school administrators are hesitant or closed minded to testing for this insidious health threat?

Radon awareness is everything because there are so many people who do not know about the dangers of long term exposure to elevated levels of radon. Approximately 21,000 deaths per year in the United States is attributed to lung cancer from radon exposure.

Talk to your neighbors, talk to the officials in your child’s school, talk to your mayor, to your school’s staff and educators. Bring in a certified radon professional to offer information and discuss the hazards associated with radon. They can review the proper procedure for testing, the time frame involved and how to correct the situation if radon levels are elevated.

The only way to know if radon is an issue in your child’s school is to test and the procedure is a simple one. Be proactive! If your child’s school hasn’t been tested yet, now is the time. Motivate, organize and get it done!

Test Your Home, School or Workplace…Protect Your Family!

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Radon KILLS…Have You Tested Your Home Yet?

Radon KILLS…Have You Tested Your Home Yet?

Radon, a Class A carcinogen and radioactive gas derived from the natural breakdown of uranium in rock and soil has been proven to cause lung cancer plus there is concern for other organs in the human body to be effected as well. Radon KILLS one person every 25 minutes.

Have You Tested Your Home Yet? A simple test can determine if you are living with elevated radon levels and any home can be fixed to reduce radon concentrations to a safe level.

Test Your Home TODAY…Protect Your Family!

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No Basement, No Radon, No Worries, Right? VERY WRONG!

No Basement, No Radon, No Worries, Right? VERY WRONG!

Let’s clarify the basement situation regarding radon straight away. Radon is the natural breakdown of uranium in rock and soil. That being said, a home with a full basement vs a home built slab on grade will BOTH have a concern with radon until tested to identify the radon concentrations.

A basement, finished or not, is the floor of the home that is either fully or partially below grade or ground level. A basement can also act as a partial buffer zone for the upper floors where radon levels are reduced the higher the level you go up in a home. It has been found each level you go above a full basement foundation, the radon concentrations will be 25-50% lower than the floor below. For example, the first floor radon concentrations will 25-50% lower than the basement and the second floor will be 25-50% lower than the first floor.  There will not be this same reduction in a home built slab on grade from the basement to the first floor.

Slab on grade construction means there is no basement. A slab of concrete is formed using a mold. The concrete is poured directly into the mold with no space between the ground and the slab. This means the slab is sitting directly on the ground with no basement buffer for radon to enter the house. Some homes with this type of construction may have a small crawl space which should always be tested for radon.

Because radon enters a home through cracks and fissures in the foundation and other openings, if a slab on grade home’s foundation slab is not intact, radon gas can enter the home directly from the ground into living space on the first floor. It is imperative that testing be performed to make sure the living space is safe. If a slab on grade home has a crawl space, the crawl space and the first floor should be tested.

Test Your Home…Protect Your family!

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Radon Exposure Duration and Lung Cancer

Radon Exposure Duration and Lung Cancer Potential

Radioactive radon gas is a known carcinogen yet the question comes up as to how long does one need to be exposed to develop lung cancer, if ever. Radon is everywhere in the world but the concern is raised when the levels are elevated.

When the human body is exposed to elevated radon levels, not everyone will develop lung cancer. It is radon’s daughter cells also known as radon progeny or alpha particles that pose the threat. When an alpha particle breaks down in the lungs after it’s 3.8 days half life and releases it radioactivity causing damage, minimally it can take 5 years from the onset for lung cancer to develop yet on average, it takes much longer with an average of 15-25+ years. Long term exposure is considered to be many decades yet the concentrations have a lot to do with the lung cancer threat. If radon levels are significantly elevated, the threat increases exponentially.

Test Your Home…Protect Your Family!