What Is Radon?
Radon is an odorless, colorless gas that naturally occurs deep in the Earth’s crust as rock decays. The gas floats up through underground fissures and can gather in living spaces. This gas can increase the risk of cancer, so testing for it is a smart investment for new home owners. In Boulder radon mitigation is quite common.
Never Heard Of Radon Before
Radon is more prevalent in Colorado than other parts of the country. Boulder radon mitigation is affordable and effective. Testing is minimal and remediation is generally less than $1,000 per home. The EPA offers recommendations; here is a link to the official site. The government recommends testing and having a level of 4.0 piCu/l of air.
Home Inspection Testing
During your home inspection phase of the Contract To Buy and Sell Real Estate in Colorado, your general inspector can quite easily set a testing device. Owners need to keep the house sealed for a few days – no air conditioning allowed. Then the test kit is sent off to a lab for analysis. Some Boulder radon mitigation experts have advanced testing gear that can give an answer without the need for a third party analysis.
What’s it cost for Boulder radon mitigation?
Mitigation usually costs under one thousand dollars per home. There are guidelines to ensure the mitigation system is effective – such as where fan motors are located and how far to vent the gas away above the house.
A good system also makes it easy to see if the fans are properly operating — keeping in mind the fans are installed out of sight. The system can be hidden in walls though commonly is exposed. On the exterior of the house you may see a a PVC pipe about six inches in diameter running up the side of the house.
Urban Myth
Popular rumor has it that it was discovered at a Nuclear Power facility. Every night, as a worker was leaving, he set off the radioactivity alarm, resulting in an hours long decontamination process. One day, on a lark, he walked through the detector on his way in – and set off the alarm. And thus leading to the discovery of radon in his house. Possibly a myth, but also a pretty good story. The EPA book is all about the facts!
Smokers Take Warning
Smokers should definitely test for Radon. Do to the synergistic effects of radon and smoking. Basically, smokers will find radon increases their risk of cancer significantly.
Do I have to worry after Boulder radon mitigation?
Once your home has a mitigation system in place, it is a good idea to have the system tested once in a while – just to make sure it is properly functioning. But there is no need to worry. It is very common to have radon in your home. Mitigation is very efficient and simple to accomplish.
Boulder Radon mitigation is a concern, but an easily managed item. It’s just one of the things you sometimes research in Colorado when purchasing a home. Additional resource information from the Environmental Protection Agency: Radon-Fact-Sheet-EPA