Top Five Effective Ways to Reduce Radon Levels Inside the House
A house is the most important and dear possession of any individual. A great part of our lives is spent inside the house and there is no other place that can give us similar comfort and peace. Since we spend a lot of time at home, such issues as gas accumulation, mold formation, and termite infestation can have a bad impact on both our house and our health. Therefore, it is highly recommended to get your house inspected by a professional home inspection company to ensure everything is normal and safe.
One of the issues that can seriously harm the health of the residents is the accumulation of radon gas. It is a dangerous radioactive gas that can easily accumulate inside the house. Once it starts to decay, it releases radioactive energy. Longtime exposure to this radioactive energy can cause lung cancer. In the United States, this gas is the second major cause of lung cancer which leads to about 15,000 to 22,000 deaths every year.
Where does radon gas come from?
Uranium is found in nearly every kind of soil. With time, uranium starts to decay. During the process of decay, radon gas is emitted from the soil. The gas then rises and enters the house through small cracks in the foundation and other small openings in sump pits and pipes. After entering the house, the gas stays inside it unless it is mitigated by professionals.
Radon Testing Inspection Gaithersburg MD
Radon gas is not easy to detect because it does not have any smell, taste, or color. To check the levels of radon gas in your house you should hire certified professionals for radon testing inspection, such as TTBS (Top to Bottom Services). Their home inspectors are specially trained to handle such complex tasks.
Top 5 ways of reducing radon levels
- Ventilation
Uncirculated and confined air can be truly harmful to the residence especially when the radon levels are high. To keep yourself and your loved ones safe, you should ensure proper ventilation and air circulation inside the house. You can do this by opening windows once a day or by installing a proper ventilation system.
- Sealing Entry Points and Cracks
You can also reduce the radon levels by sealing the access points around the doors and windows. Rubber seals and draft excluders are perfect for this purpose. This way is very effective in reducing radon levels in the basements.
- Natural underfloor ventilation
Some homes are constructed with suspended ground floors that have space underneath them. You can reduce radon concentration by ensuring good ventilation of this space.
- Active underfloor ventilation
Sometimes the natural underfloor ventilation is not enough to reduce radon levels. Therefore, to deal with this situation, some people also use fans to circulate the air in the space under the suspended ground floor.
- Installing Radon Sumps
The best way to reduce radon concentration inside the house is by installing radon sumps. There are two types of radon sumps; active sumps and passive sumps. An active radon sump is powered by an electric fan. The fan extracts the air to keep the pressure low in the sump. Active sumps are very effective and can be used to reduce high levels of radon gas. On the other hand, a passive sump is a small void under the concrete capping. The void is connected to an exit pipe which normally ends above the roofline. Passive sumps are not as effective as active sumps.
Can I install the radon mitigation system myself?
Installing a radon mitigation system is a tricky task. Whether you want active sumps or passive sumps, you cannot install them by yourself. You need to hire a company for this job. Many companies, like TTBS (Top to Bottom Services), offer their services for installing a radon mitigation system to remove radon gas from the house. Once their home inspectors reach your doorsteps, you can rest assured that everything will be taken care of.
Does the Location Matter?
When it comes to radon gas accumulation, the location of the house does not matter at all. There are no specific areas anywhere that are radon-free. The best way to know if radon levels are high in the house is to get it inspected by professionals.
Are you looking for radon testing inspection Gaithersburg MD?
For the residents of Gaithersburg MD, the best company for radon testing is TTBS (top to bottom services). They provide outstanding radon testing and mitigation services to all their clients. The home inspectors at TTBS use special equipment and modern technology to get the most accurate and reliable results. This company also provides Mold Inspections in Gaithersburg MD. So, whether it is the formation of mold or high levels of radon gas, you can put your trust in them.
