buying a home--radon question

Hi,
We are buying a home and are interested in one that has a radon mitigation system.  How concerned do I need to be about this?  As long as the system is running is the home truly safe?  If anyone has expertise in this area I'd really appreciate your opinion.  My biggest concern is power outages.  If we lose power for an extended period of time, then what?  It's my understanding there is a fan that runs 24/7 to pump the radon out.
thanks,
Mary

I'm no expert, but I can tell you a little.

You do want to keep it ventilated, it is important to keep the air clear. Radon is decayed uranium and still radioactive, it causes lung cancer and alzheimer's for example.

Here the ground is high in it. What is usually enough to take care of it, and required in closed in buildings, is that crawl spaces have those screened vents that can be closed, one on each side of the buildings to allow air flow. If you can't get air flow, or not enough, and it bare ground under the house, covering it with plastic sheeting is what is suggested.

There are tests for it that may be available at your hardware store you stick down there for directed length of time, and get a reading off that to know if air flow is sufficient or not.

~ Snoshoe

It is best to ventilate also because there are other toxic gases
that can come out of the ground.  CO2 is one, quite dangerous
if it gets too high.

On Fri, Mar 11, 2011 at 12:22 PM, snoshoe_2 <[hidden email]> wrote:


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



------------------------------------

Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/eSens/

<*> Your email settings:
    Individual Email | Traditional

<*> To change settings online go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/eSens/join
    (Yahoo! ID required)

<*> To change settings via email:
    [hidden email]
    [hidden email]

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
    [hidden email]

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
    http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

As with wireless radiation, even if radon is below the government limit, it may not be low enough.  After you measure the radon in prospective home, do a google search to find the equivalent in chest xrays.  That will give you a better feel for what the standard means.

--- In [hidden email], Bill Bruno <wbruno@...> wrote:

Hi, Mary,
 
I looked into radon mitigation 3 years ago when we were considering buying a house with a radon problem.  I posed questions to various experts on how to remediate, taking into consideration my sensitivities at the time.  There was one man who I felt had a great solution....  He said to make channels out of your basement as close to the ceiling as possible and connect these into your downspouts on your house.  He said radon gases naturally rise to the highest point, so they will naturally, on their own, leave thru the downspouts, and go up into the outside air. 
 
Diane

Oh yeah, Mary,
 
Snoshoe reminded me--you want to take care of any cracks in your basement floor to keep as much radon as possible out.
 
Diane

--- On Fri, 3/11/11, snoshoe_2 <snoshoe_2@yahoo.com> wrote:


From: snoshoe_2 <snoshoe_2@yahoo.com>
Subject: [eSens] Re: buying a home--radon question
To: eSens@yahoogroups.com
Date: Friday, March 11, 2011, 2:22 PM


 



I'm no expert, but I can tell you a little.

You do want to keep it ventilated, it is important to keep the air clear. Radon is decayed uranium and still radioactive, it causes lung cancer and alzheimer's for example.

Here the ground is high in it. What is usually enough to take care of it, and required in closed in buildings, is that crawl spaces have those screened vents that can be closed, one on each side of the buildings to allow air flow. If you can't get air flow, or not enough, and it bare ground under the house, covering it with plastic sheeting is what is suggested.

There are tests for it that may be available at your hardware store you stick down there for directed length of time, and get a reading off that to know if air flow is sufficient or not.

~ Snoshoe

As far as i understand, as long as you dont keep your windows closed all the time. The small amount of gas can escape into the outside environment. I would not worry to much, it all depends how much time you spend in your house. How much the legal services are covering themselves by mentioning it in the first place. Before you by the house.
You can get a monitor for £50 and it would measure the air in the house over two months. Then you can take action if necessary. I would not worry.
Best
Giles

--- On Sun, 13/3/11, Evie <[hidden email]> wrote:

From: Evie <[hidden email]>
Subject: Re: [eSens] Re: buying a home--radon question
To: [hidden email]
Date: Sunday, 13 March, 2011, 8:18















 
 



 


   
     
     
      Oh yeah, Mary,

 

Snoshoe reminded me--you want to take care of any cracks in your basement floor to keep as much radon as possible out.

 

Diane



--- On Fri, 3/11/11, snoshoe_2 <[hidden email]> wrote:



From: snoshoe_2 <[hidden email]>

Subject: [eSens] Re: buying a home--radon question

To: [hidden email]

Date: Friday, March 11, 2011, 2:22 PM



 



I'm no expert, but I can tell you a little.



You do want to keep it ventilated, it is important to keep the air clear. Radon is decayed uranium and still radioactive, it causes lung cancer and alzheimer's for example.



Here the ground is high in it. What is usually enough to take care of it, and required in closed in buildings, is that crawl spaces have those screened vents that can be closed, one on each side of the buildings to allow air flow. If you can't get air flow, or not enough, and it bare ground under the house, covering it with plastic sheeting is what is suggested.



There are tests for it that may be available at your hardware store you stick down there for directed length of time, and get a reading off that to know if air flow is sufficient or not.



~ Snoshoe



--- In [hidden email], "epicsconartist" <starsurfer@...> wrote:

>

> Hi,

> We are buying a home and are interested in one that has a radon mitigation system. How concerned do I need to be about this? As long as the system is running is the home truly safe? If anyone has expertise in this area I'd really appreciate your opinion. My biggest concern is power outages. If we lose power for an extended period of time, then what? It's my understanding there is a fan that runs 24/7 to pump the radon out.

> thanks,

> Mary

>



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]





   
     

   
   


 



 











     

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]