Is There a Radon Well in an Older House?

If your older house has a radon well, it’s important to test for radon because it can create a dangerous situation. Radon is a radioactive gas that can enter your home through cracks in the foundation and walls and can build up over time to dangerous levels.

Radon radonbrønn i eldre hus is formed when uranium and radium break down in soil, rock and water and are released into the air. It is odorless, tasteless and invisible and can only be detected with a specialized test. When radon accumulates in buildings it can reach concentrations that can cause health problems including lung cancer. Radon is responsible for an estimated 21,000 lung cancer deaths in the US each year, second only to smoking.

The radon is produced in the ground by the breakdown of uranium and radium, then seeps into buildings through cracks in the walls and floors. It can also get into houses through water supply pipes, and can even enter homes from the surface of a well. The radon gas can then collect in the living areas of the house and circulate through the ventilation system.

Generally, the highest concentrations of radon are found in homes with basements and crawl spaces. This is because the pressure differences in these areas can draw radon from the soil into the house. In addition, the warm air in these living spaces can create a vacuum that draws in radon from the ground.

Newer homes can also have high radon levels. This is because despite the tightness of construction techniques, some houses are still susceptible to radon entry through a variety of points including bare floored crawl spaces and construction joints. In addition, basements with sump pump systems are more prone to radon entry due to the suction of groundwater.

Whether your older house has a radon problem or not, you should be aware of the risk because long-term exposure can lead to lung cancer. In fact, radon is the leading cause of lung cancer in people who don’t smoke and the second leading cause of lung cancer in smokers.

The good news is that if you have a radon problem, there are ways to correct it. You should be able to find a contractor who specializes in radon mitigation and can provide the right solution for your home. They can install a radon vent pipe to pull radon out of the basement and away from the house, or they can reduce the concentration of radon through other methods such as basement sealing. A radon test should be conducted before buying any new property and before moving in so that you can have peace of mind knowing the level of radon in your home. The test can be done quickly and is relatively inexpensive. In addition, the radon testing company will give you a free estimate of the cost to fix any issues. This makes a radon test one of the best home improvement bargains around.

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