Why Having a Radon System in Your Home Is Important
What Is Radon?
Unable to be seen, smelled or tested, radon is an invisible toxin that can cause serious health issues. Radon is made from the natural radioactive decay of uranium and is found in virtually all rocks, soils and even water. As radon exits the ground into the air, it continues to decay, causing the creation of more radioactive particles that are released into the atmosphere that we breathe. As you breathe in air, radon particles stick to the lining of the airways and can damage your DNA and cause lung cancer. Outside of your home, radon is at such low concentrations that it is unlikely to cause any serious health issues. However, when radon enters an enclosed environment like your home’s ventilation system and is unable to escape, it can lead to extremely high radon levels that are dangerous.
What Can Be Done About Radon?
To prevent dangerous radon from entering your house, many homeowners opt to install home radon systems. Depending on the size, location and a multitude of other factors, a radon system can be installed along the side of your house that traps any radon gas from entering the foundation, funnels it via fans through a long tube and releases it back into the atmosphere at an elevation and distance that is far enough away from your home and windows to not cause any health problems to you or your neighbors.
What Benefits Are Offered by a Radon Ventilation System?
You may be surprised to know that just because your neighbor has a radon mitigation system does not mean that you’ll need one. too. Radon levels can vary from one plot of land to the next. Testing radon levels in your home is easy and can be done by obtaining test kits online and some states even offer free kits. Even if your home does not have high radon levels that merit installing a radon ventilation system, the relatively minimal cost is likely worth the investment. If you sell your home, having an existing mitigation system is likely to add value because of the peace of mind offered and the fact that the new owner won’t need to spend money on testing or installation of a system.
For more information and to learn if a radon ventilation system is right for you, reach out to the team at High Plains Engineering & Consulting, LLC. Located in Fort Lupton, CO, and servicing the surrounding areas, we provide sensible solutions to geotechnical, structural, environmental and civil engineering challenges.
Categorised in: Environmental Engineering