Quick Summary:
- Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that can enter your building through gaps or cracks.
- The odorless and colorless gas is undetectable without radon gas testing.
- Long-term exposure to high levels of radon gas can cause lung cancer.
- If high radon levels are found in your home or office, you’ll need radon mitigation services.
- Environmental contractors can help plan and install your radon mitigation systems to keep your home or business safe from radon exposure.
Radon is a naturally forming gas that causes serious health problems like lung cancer. You could be exposed to radon gas in your home or business without even knowing. Fortunately, you can easily test buildings for radon gas.
High levels of radon can be fixed through remediation contracting services. These companies provide contractors trained in the cleanup of contaminated sites. They create radon gas remediation plans to remove gases like radon and fix your property to keep the gas from returning.
What is Radon Gas?
Radon gas is a radioactive gas that naturally forms when radioactive metals such as thorium, radium, or uranium break down underground. The gas moves through soil, rocks, and groundwater before entering the air. People are exposed to radon gas entering homes and commercial buildings through cracks in their foundations and other gaps.
Radon gas is odorless and colorless, making it hard to detect. You can breathe in radon gas without knowing it. When you breathe in radon gas, the radioactive particles get trapped in your lungs, with long-term exposure causing lung cancer. Radon gas is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the US, causing over 20,000 deaths each year.
The only way to detect radon gas in your home or office is through radon testing. If testing shows you have high radon levels at or above four picocuries/liter, you will need radon gas mitigation services performed by a professional.
Radon Gas Mitigation
To protect your health, you’ll need to remove and lower the levels of radon gas entering your property. It’s best to choose environmental contractors to fix your radon gas problem. Radon remediation contracting detects where the radon is coming from and creates a remediation plan to remove the gas and repair your property.
Repairs to your foundation or structure may be necessary to seal the cracks and gaps where radon gas can enter.
Active Soil Depressurization
To protect your health, you’ll need to remove and lower the levels of radon gas entering your property. It’s best to choose environmental contractors to fix your radon gas problem. Radon remediation contracting detects where the radon is coming from and creates a remediation plan to remove the gas and repair your property.
Repairs to your foundation or structure may be necessary to seal the cracks and gaps where radon gas can enter.
How Do Radon Systems Work?
Radon remediation systems work by venting the radon gas out of your home. Remediation contractors will install a plastic pipe through a hole in your concrete slab, into your sump pump, or your crawl space, so the pipe is in contact with the gas. They’ll seal the point where the pipe connects with your foundation so radon gas can’t escape into your residence.
The plastic pipe continues up through your home or office building, installed within walls and through ceilings. The pipe leads to a vent situated on top of your roof to discharge the radon gas. Depending on how your remediation contractors create their plans, radon remediation systems can also vent out a side wall or gable.
Radon gas mitigation systems work in several ways, by using suction, pressure, or fans to remove the gas.
Suction
Suction systems use existing sump pumps or crawl spaces to create negative air pressure and draw radon gas up and out of your home. The plastic pipe is placed through a plastic sheet for this type of system. Air is suctioned up from under the plastic, creating negative pressure and moving air and radon gas up and out through the pipe.
Pressure
Some systems use downward pressure to keep radon gas from seeping into your building. In these systems, the air is constantly blowing down to the lowest level of your home, keeping the gas trapped at the lowest level. This method is used less often because it doesn’t remove the radon gas.
Fans
In these mitigation systems, a quiet fan is attached to the exhaust end of the plastic pipe. The fan runs continuously to help move air and radon gas up from the bottom of your remediation system through the exhaust vent.
Radon mitigation systems can be retrofitted into your existing property or installed during the construction of your new property. Mitigation systems effectively reduce radon gas, with pressurization solutions like suctions and fans reducing between 50 to 99% of the radon gas in your home.
Radon Gas Testing in Los Angeles
Radon causes serious health problems if left unchecked. Protect yourself and those around you by getting your home or business tested for radon gas. If high levels are found, simple mitigation systems can be easily installed by the right contractors.
Consider Arroyo Geo, an environmental contracting company based in California that specializes in radon and methane mitigation. Our radon mitigation experts offer radon testing, design, and remedial installation so you can feel safe and comfortable in your home or office. Contact our team to schedule your radon testing today at (818) 967-5977.