Radon is a cancer-causing, radioactive gas. You can’t see radon, smell it, or taste it… but it could very well be a problem in your home.
Radon is estimated to cause many thousands of deaths each year. That’s because when you breathe air containing radon, you can get lung cancer. In fact, the Surgeon General has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer and is second only to smoking; if you smoke and your home has high radon levels, your risk of lung cancer is exceptionally high.
Where does radon come from? Can you test for radon?
Radon comes from the natural (radioactive) breakdown of uranium in soil, rock, and water—and it gets into the air you breathe. It can get into any type of building—homes, offices, and schools—and result in a high indoor radon level. Testing for radon is available and is the only way to know if you and your family are at risk from radon. It’s also inexpensive and easy… and Dranjer is a cost effective radon reduction system to help reduce your radon levels to an acceptable percentage.
What is the stack effect for radon?
Radon is drawn into the house through the stack effect.
Radon comes from the natural decay of uranium that is found in nearly all soils. It moves up through the ground to the air above and into your home through cracks and other holes in the foundation. Your home traps radon inside, where it can build up.
The stack effect occurs in structures when warm air rises in it. As air rises and escapes from the upper levels, it causes colder air to be drawn in at the bottom. This happens in summer and winter but it is most pronounced in winter when the temperature differential between outside and inside is greatest.
The air drawn in at the base of a house enters through any available opening. Many houses get new air through drafty doors and windows. Houses also get new air from the soil they are built on. The air from the soil can be pulled in through cracks in the concrete, plumbing pipe penetrations, sump pits, floor drains, crawlspaces, and any other area that has contact with the soil. This new air that enters can contain radon gas.
