What Types of Soil Contain the Highest Levels of Radon?
Milwaukee Radon Mitigation & Testing
What Types of Soil Contain the Highest Levels of Radon?
Radon is all around us. The frightning part is, it could be quite evident in your neighborhood. It has nno odor and cannot be seen, but it can be found through a radon test.
Radon is a gas. It;s actually a breakdown of uranium which happens down deep into the surface of the surface of the earth. There are different locations in the U.S. that may be more likely to contain radon, depending on topography of the structured deep soils.
In order to know if your home is effect, Radon Testing is suggested to analyse the air inside your home and make the determinination how much of this toxic gas is present.
No need to worry that your house is toxic and panic, until we look at the facts and understand the facts pertaining to soil containing high levels of Radon:
- What really is radon?
- Where is radon coming from?
- Where is the most radon in the soil?
- Which areas contain the most radon?
- What is the best way to find the radon lurking in your home?
Here are the answers to these important questions. Find out more concerning the toxic gas and how it effect neighborhoods across the U.S. and possibly could include yours.
What Really is Radon Gas?
In simple terms, radon gas happens from natural occurance uranium breakdown, caused by rocks. In accordance with the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, repot radon causes a radioactive effect which is then released starting from the deep soil and then moving into the air and water.
When the Radon gas accumulates, people are put at risk. Dangerous levels can then be created indoors to air and water we drink. Radon is a know carcingeon, meaning cancer, specifically ling cancer.
Where Is Radon Coming From?
The toxic gas is present throughout our county. It is really contained from the east coast to the west coast and all states inbetween. Facts indicate the prescence of radon in every single state. The gas is present in different levels and those levels are not always dangerous. Low radon readings are found not to cause the harm that higher readings indicate toxic to the body.
Plainly said, this gas is a byproduct of the radium which again, comes from from uranium. The U.S. Geological Survey, report determines uranium to be source element found within the earth’s deep crust. It is known to be aged billions of years ago. As time goes by, this uranium breaks down to form radium, which is the element by-product. Radium decays and when this process happens, radon gas is released. Radioactivity is found in all three substances.
This toxic gas is found throughout the land because uranium is found throughout the land. As a matter of fact, every rock is made up of at the very least, traces of the substance in it. Eventually, time causes rocks to break down beneath the deep earth surface and eventually composts into the soil. Understandably, if the rocks with in the soil deep under has uranium containment, logically, the soil will end up with amounts of uranium mixed in as well.
Understanding how uranium breaks down eventually into radon, we can now easily understand how the gas escapes from the soil to find its way into the air and water in the ground. Homes built over land soil containing large radon amounts can and does lead to the gas penetrating the indoor air we breathe. How this happens is when radon gases penetrate through cracks in the foundation or basement. The concrete slab is porus enough that it can even prenetrate right though the concrete itself. Another way of entry is through sump pump crocks located in the basement.
Which Areas Contain the Most Radon?
Now that you are aware about where it comes from, it becomes more understandable why radon can be more common in some areas more so than others.
Knowing radon makes its formation from uranium earth's bedrock breakdown, it then has to pass through layers of earth before escaping into the atmosphere or into our homes. The denser soils are, the more difficult the permeation of the gas is to penetrate.
U.S. Geological Survey has examines how radon can easily move and how quick it can pass through and in and out soils which are porous, such as gravel and sand, then being slow as it moves through and in between soils being more solid. Foe example, clay being a more solid entity. The moisture in wet soil, similar to clay, can make it more difficult for the the gas to seep through it, making radon to sometimes become trapped and eventually dissolves before it can get to the surface. Porous and dry soils help make radon move quicker to explode up and into outside and indoor air.
Where Are Radon Levels the Highest?
As mentioned earlier, soil conditions play a large part in the penetration of radon into the air we breathe. It can be said that canyons, hills and places penetrated by glaciers may be more likely to contain higher levels. It would not be a surprise to to find radon at higher levels in mountainous states. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) mentions the term “red zone” meaning places when high radon levels occur.
As we live in SE Wisconsin, particuarly, the Milwaukee county and suburbs area, we know that radon levels can often be extremey high, We have found radon levels to be in the 70 or higher reading range..
EPA.
Minocqua has many areas containing elevated radon gas. Radon mitigation is often necessary throughout minocqua & Oneida County. In order to determine the need for mitigation, it is critical to properly test homes and buildings using a certified radon testing professional. If elevated radon is found in the dweling, radon mitigation will need to be installed. After the radon mitigation system has been installed and is functioning properly, a post mitigation radon test will be conducted to confirm that radon mitigation has lowered the radon levels in the building.
Sources
- https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-12/documents/2016_a_citizens_guide_to_radon.pdf
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5982043/#:~:text=Granitic%20type%20soils%20present%20higher,have%20very%20low%20radon%20levels
- https://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/7000018/report.pdf
- https://www.epa.gov/radon/find-information-about-local-radon-zones-and-state-contact-information
- https://www.adph.org/radon/assets/surgeon_general_radon.pdf
Radon Mitigation Systems
Radon mitigation means reducing radon gas. It is the steps taken get rid of high radon concentrations in homes and any building. The whole point of the radon mitigation system is to make reduction of the indoor radon level to get it as low as reasonably possible. All reduction systems should reduce radon below the EPA action level of 4 pCi/L (picocuries of radon per liter of air). A good well built radon mitigation system should keep reducing gas during the entire year.
Your home's foundation structure will determine the design used and even method used to achieve the goal of radon abatement. A radon mitigation pro should discuss the type of mitigation system that will be implemented, once he determines details regarding the type and structure of a home. In order to install the right system for that particular building, sometimes diagnostic testing will be required. Radon mitigation systems will use a fan to constantly, so as to pull air from the soil by depressurizing and exhausting radon gas outdoors through a pvc pipe. This pvc piping will be ran either inside or outside the home, with a discharge to outside and away from the nearby windows and other openings. Included in mitigation will include calking cracks and openings in the foundation so that a seal forms A mitigation installer will make sure the flow of radon gas makes the radon mitigation system more efficient.
Information you need to know
After research and study, The World Health Organization has announced that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking and first cause of cancer among non-smokers. They have determined that radon is responsible for 15 percent of lung cancer deaths. Happily more and more consumers are becoming aware of radon and the HVAC it creates on the human body, particularly the lungs. Many take radon reduction action, once radon testing has been checked and sampled. Minocqua with all its beauty and mystic is also burdened with toxic radon. But, the only way to know which buildings are effected is to measure and sample the gas.
In order for Tomahawk Radon Mitigation & Testing to determine what radon levels are in your area or on throughout nearby streets and roads, we need to see the results of a radon test. Radon testing Minocqua in these areas and neighborhoods will determine what the radon measurement levels are. There are a few technical strategies to reduce your levels we can share. These three strategies performed by qualified radon professionals, are depressurization infiltration and ventilation. Let's take a minute to explain these options further so you can decide the best technique for your situation. The most common radon mitigation strategy in Minocqua and Tomahawk, isconsin, is called depressurization. There are three depressurization techniques sub-slab sump pit and sub membrane sub-slab depressurization involves drilling one or more penetration points into the concrete foundation floor and attaching PVC pipe from those points to an inline radon fan. The radon fan runs 24/7, pulling the radon gas to these extraction points and exhaust the harmful soil gases safely outside. Some pit depressurization is just like sub-slab depressurization, except the radon professional utilizes the soil water drainage system and sump pit as the extraction points.
Sub membrane depressurization is used for a dirt crawlspace situation. The crawlspace is encapsulated and sealed with a reinforced plastic liner. The radon professional then connects the radon systems PVC pipe and inline radon fan to this liner and pulls the radon gas out from under the liner. This method vents safely outside filtration of radon decay products also known as radon daughters or progeny. This is an effective strategy to protect against radon induced lung cancer. This technique utilizes a breathe-easy air cleaner that is professionally installed in the central heating and air conditioning to filter the very small radon decay products as they circulate. This filtration strategy is different because we're not reducing radon levels we are filtering the cancer-causing particles, created by the noble gas radon. The breathe easy air cleaner filters radon decay products which will reduce your risks of getting lung cancer and also filters allergens dust chemicals and bacteria.
Ventilation is the third strategy for reducing radon exposure. This way is seldom used in Oneida County, Wisconsin. With this type of technique, a radon mitigator puts this installation in place and has relationship to HVAC. Energy recovery ventilator, also known as ERV, which VERY effectively takes in or draws in and then conditions using the outside fresh air to accomplish this. Energy recovery ventilator pushes out low quality air indoors which contain radon particles and does exhaust to the outdoors, which replaces poor air with clean air ventilation. Not only does it abate radon levels 50 to 75 percent, it will also greatly reduce bad smells, stale air and does improve and make healthier the air quality of this indoor space.
Every house can present challenges and different technics to take care of this problem. Tomahawk Radon Mitigation & Testing recommends giving us a call. We will then ask some questions about the home. Often, we can give you a quote on the phone. In some cases we may need to visit the home. None the less, we will analyze and design the best radon mitigation strategy for your home. We have 30 years experience serving the Minocqua community. You will appreciate our open-minded solution-focused approach to improving your indoor air quality whether that's using depressurization filtration ventilation or a combination of the three you can trust your expert local radon mitigation and radon testing contractor, Tomahawk Radon to help you decide your exactly which of these options will work best in your situation..
Don't worry-Milwaukee Radon Mitigation & Testing will fix your radon problem
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Radon Mitigation Milwaukee WI
Milwaukee Radon Mitigation & Testing
Respected in the radon removal industry, we have indicated our success throughout SE Wisconsin and Milwaukee. We hold 1 100 percent success rate among Radon Mitigation System installations, We have respect among our customers and real estate professionals as well. Why, becasue we know how to remove radon, we know how to test for it and we can get to your home quickly to install your Radon Mitigation System.
Here's how it works:
Once our radon mitigation system is complete, radon measurement will be conducted. The EPA action level is 4.0pCi/L and therefore we will guarantee radon level result to test lower than the EPA action level.
Interested in looking at radon mitigation system photos of our installations? Click here
Milwaukee County average indoor radon level is 3.3 pCi/L indicating next to action levels. This is even more reason to test your home if you live in Milwaukee County. Milwaukee has indoor air readings made up of 24% to 40% of its homes will have levels of radon above 4.0 pCi/L action level.
Milwaukee County Residents are urged to test their homes for radon. Lung Cancer is real
