Opinions on Radon

Radon is a radioactive gas that emits alpha radiation. Alpha radiation is very easily blocked; in fact, your dead layer of skin blocks external sources of alpha radiation. When it is inhaled however, you don't have that protective layer of skin in your lungs. Internal exposure to alpha emitters is dangerous, and I would take radon gas seriously.

Some have suggested ventilating your house prior to the test to get a lower reading, but that would lead to potentially deadly exposure to the family that buys your home. I don't know if I could live with that.

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I suggested airing your house out before testing because, as Harry Chickpea said, this is a very "vastly overblown rare problem".

Educate yourself, and not through the "sky is falling, anything for a rating" news media.

We build buildings that are leak proof, wrap them in plastic, put in windows that won't open, then we have to put in air flow blowers (?) that pull outside air inside??? What's wrong with this picture?

How come we never had a radon problem until we started building leak proof houses?

And no, I'm not saying we need to go back to drafty old houses, but there is a balance....

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I can guarantee you that everyone who has had radon in their home will die.

Seems that everything is dangerous these days. But somehow we're living alot longer than we used to.

When buying this house 13 years ago, we had it tested and a fan system put in. I keep wondering if it was worth it, having some experience with the fuzzy world of toxicology and epidemiology. We spend exorbitant amounts of money for negligible benefit as Harry said.

I've also wondered about the energy use. I put a timer on my fan to just come on at the times when we're in the basement most, but my wife is so afraid, she removed it.

Eh, I dont' know about that. They figure in the childhood deaths. I'd be interested to see the natural lifespans of people that made it to adulthood then.

But quality if life is very important, most people today don't have it. The majority of people are overweight (or if they aren't they are underweight) and it's no longer shocking to us. In fact, when we see someone of healthy weight and in good shape, we note it, it's unusual! We are such unhealthy people these days.

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Hi,
I think sealing homes up better is a good thing. Air leaks in homes are a large part of the heat loss and fuel bills and the carbon emissions -- seems to me that more efficient is good.

If the home gets tight enough so that there is not enough ventilation to keep people healthy, than a heat recovery ventilator can be added -- this provides fresh air and distributes it to where its needed, and recovers the heat from the stale air that is exhausted. They recover their cost over time in lower heating bills.

Gary

Up here in WI, we test while the house is closed up for winter - as that is how the house is - when we are indoors a majority of the time.

We have scores around 10-11, and need to research a radon remediation licensed installer. We have infloor radiant heat, so are a little concerned about drilling in the basement floor, but it needs to be done.

Friends had to put one in their home before they moved...under $1,000.00, tho I believe their's had a fan - active, rather than passive expulsion of the gas. I don't know the size of one of those fans, but hers wasn't noisy.