It’s not uncommon for radon to go undetected in a house. Radon is odorless, colorless, and tasteless, and like most gases, it’s invisible. All these properties make it especially dangerous, because most homeowners are oblivious to its presence in their homes. Fortunately, it can be detected with radon testing performed by a trained professional.
Radon is radioactive and naturally occurring in the environment, and prolonged exposure can cause lung cancer. Therefore, homeowners raising families should be especially on guard against this deadly gas.
Uranium in Soil and Bedrock
The single largest source of radon that homeowners must be aware of is soil and rock. It’s a product of the natural world, and as such, most people probably don’t think about it as often as they should. While radon from the ground is nothing to worry about if you’re walking around or working outside, it’s ventilation that makes the difference. Natural radon from the environment disperses in the open air outdoors and doesn’t cause health problems.
The danger comes from trapping it in poorly ventilated spaces. Specifically, cracks and other damage to your home’s foundation can allow radon to seep into your basement or some other enclosed space, where it accumulates and reaches problematic levels. Over time, this infiltration becomes a lung cancer hazard to anyone living in your home.
Your home isn’t the only enclosed space you spend long stretches of time in. Radon accumulation is also a threat to the health of employees in poorly ventilated workspaces. Industrial facilities, mines, and various underground structures are particularly susceptible to foundation damage and infiltrating soil and rock, trapping dangerous radon inside.
Groundwater Infiltration into the Home
Most homeowners are unlikely to get near the bedrock under the soil on their property. However, that doesn’t mean the bedrock doesn’t pose a radon threat. If the bedrock under your property contains uranium, and groundwater passes through the bedrock through cracks, the gas dissolves in the water. The groundwater then carries the radon elsewhere.
If you have a well, groundwater can carry radon into your house through the pipes and into your shower. An uncovered sump pump can send radon through your ventilation system. Cracks in your basement floor may allow groundwater to seep in, bringing the gas with it.
What Is the Vacuum Effect?
When the air pressure inside your home is lower than the air pressure in radon-containing soil outside, the difference creates a suction that pulls radon gas inside. These pressure differences can have any number of causes, but one of them is temperature. Heat rises, which is why the upper floors of your house tend to be warmer than the basement. As warm air leaves your home, the vacuum effect brings in new air from the soil through the sump or through cracks in your foundation, and radon gas becomes trapped. This is also known as the stack effect.
The best way to get ahead of all these radon hazards is with periodic radon testing. Experts recommend testing your home for radon every two years on average, or more often after extensive renovations to either your ventilation system or your home’s foundation.
JK Radon LLC provides radon testing and remediation for homeowners throughout Falls Church, VA and the surrounding areas. Get in touch with us at 703-655-4574 to schedule your service.
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