Tag Archives: Iowa

FRAP Scorecard

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EPA Works to Reduce Radon Levels

In 2011 the federal government started a program to track the progress of the EPA and its partners. Their goal was to reduce radon levels in American homes across the nation. The Federal Radon Action Plan (FRAP) Scorecard was created to track which goals have been completed by February of 2016. Many of these goals included educating the public about the dangers of radon, especially in high risk areas such as Iowa. The EPA and its partners also worked with schools, daycare facilities, hospitals, and other public buildings to test for radon and mitigate if necessary.

frap scorecard iowaAs of February 2016 the Scorecard has been posted with the final results. The majority of their goals were completed. Each of these goals will help reduce radon levels in America and decrease future issues. The end goal is to completely erase radon gas levels, and the EPA is working furiously towards that goal.

The New Plan – National Radon Action Plan

The updated program (NRAP) aims to reduce radon in five million American homes and save 3,200 lives annually in the process. By 2020 they want to have this plan completely implemented. The EPA is partnering with the American Lung Association to fight avoidable lung cancer cases caused by radon.

AmeriServ wants to help fight high radon gas levels in America. We offer radon testing and radon mitigation services to Iowa homes and businesses. Contact us today to learn more about radon and what you can do to fight back, too. Not only will you be protecting yourself from the harms of radon gas, you will be helping the future generations. Give us a call!

How do You Know if your Home or Building needs Radon Testing?

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Radon Testing your Home or Businessradon testing in iowa

Most homeowners know that testing for radon is essential, but aren’t sure when or how often it should be done. Radon is an odorless, colorless, tasteless, and radioactive gas that occurs naturally from the decomposition of uranium in the soil.

If your home or business has a high enough levels of radon it may cause health issues such as wheezing, cough, lung infections, or even lung cancer. Because Iowa is known to have the highest average levels of radon in the country, it’s best to know the facts about radon testing.

If you have never had your home or business tested for radon, you should try to get a test as soon as possible. Luckily, radon tests are inexpensive. If your home or business is found to have low levels, which are not dangerous, you will only have to test every few years. If your building is found to have dangerous levels (4.0 pCi/L) we here at Ameriserv Radon Mitigation of Iowa can help.

Radon Solutions for Iowa

radon testing and mitigationMitigation is a way to fix high levels of radon in a building. Radon gets trapped in homes when it enters through cracks in the foundation. A mitigation system expels radon by pushing it outside with a series of vents and fans. It also prevents high levels of radon in the future. We can also install mitigation systems in new construction, as well. This will prevent radon altogether.

Contact us here at Ameriserv today for all your radon testing and mitigation needs. Our service area covers a large part of Iowa, including Des Moines, Ankeny, Ames, and Carroll. You can also learn more about radon here.

 

EPA Announces Radon Plan

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EPA Cracking Down on RadonEPA radon testing, mitigation, iowa

Recently, the EPA announced its collaboration with groups such as the American Lung Association and the American Association of Radon. Because radon is known to be the second leading cause of lung cancer–right behind smoking–these groups have gotten together to help reduce radon induced lung cancer deaths. Through education and radon reduction strategies, the EPA hopes to reduce radon related deaths. They are determined to prevent 3,200 deaths annually by 2020.

Radon gas is a stealthy killer; you can’t smell, taste, or see it. It also does not produce symptoms, even minor ones–such as a headache. It will only produce symptoms when it is too late. Regardless you should watch for persistent cough, wheezing, heavy breathing, and lung infections. That is why education and radon testing for homes is so important. Iowa is known to have some of the highest levels of radon in the United States. On average, the levels in most Iowa homes are above the EPA red-zone, a 4.0 pCi/L. Anything above a 4.0 is considered dangerous.

Iowa Radon Testing and Mitigationradon testing, mitigation in iowa

So, what should you do to keep you and your family safe and healthy? Regular radon testing is the first step. Contact us here at Ameriserv Radon, we can provide radon testing for your Iowa home. Radon testing is inexpensive, so it is a smart and responsible investment in your home and your family. We can also answer questions you may have about radon gas, radon testing, and radon mitigation. If you happen to find radon in your home after testing, do not panic. It can be fixed. Radon mitigation systems can be installed in your Iowa home. Radon mitigation is a way to expel the radon gas from your home. We can help determine which type of system is right for your Iowa home.

Contact us today to learn more about radon gas, radon testing, or radon mitigation. We have a team of experienced specialists who want to help educate the public on the dangers of radon. Our service area covers most of Iowa, including Carroll, Des Moines, Ames, Grinnell, and more. Ameriserv Radon is your radon expert for the state of Iowa. Give us a call today!

New Construction Requires Radon Mitigation Systems in Iowa

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Come to AmeriServ for your New Construction Needs

new construction radon mitigation

A new bill is in the works in Iowa that would make it mandatory for radon mitigation systems to be pre-installed in new construction homes. Iowa is known to have some of the highest average radon levels in the United States, so this bill would help lower radon poisoning across the state. If it goes unchecked, radon can lead to a variety of health problems. Radon gas is known to be the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the United States.

So how does radon gas get into your home? Well, radon gas is a naturally occurring gas that travels up through the earth and through foundation cracks where it gets trapped in your home. Unfortunately, radon is a colorless and odorless gas, so it can not be detected through sight or smell. Radon testing is the only way to tell. AmeriServ does offer a variety of radon testing options to help you quickly and accurately identify if you have radon gas in your home.

Radon Mitigation in Iowa’s New Construction

If it is found that your home contains radon gas, the best way to rid your home is through radon mitigation, which is a system of vents and pipes that expels radon gas. With this bill, a radon mitigation system will be mandatory in all new construction. If the homeowner believes there is radon gas, or gets a positive test for radon, all they would have to do is turn the system on, making radon much less of a threat in these Iowa homes.

If you are in need of a radon mitigation system for your new construction home, or in your existing home, make sure to call AmeriServ. We also offer radon testing for a quick and accurate result. Don’t let radon ruin your life, get regular radon tests, and come to AmeriServ for all your new construction radon mitigation needs. Our service area covers a large part of Iowa. Contact us today to learn more!

A Citizen’s Guide to Radon in Iowa

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Protecting Yourself and Your Family From Radon

Radon causes thousands of lung cancer deaths in the United States each year. The entire
Radon mitigation is Iowa by AmeriServ Radon Mitigationstate of Iowa is in the red zone which means that every county in Iowa is in the highest potential area of the United States for higher than average levels of radon. This is due to the fact that Iowa has uranium-rich soil. Radon is formed when the uranium and radium in rocks decays, filling the soil with radon.

You cannot see, smell or taste radon so you won’t know if your have a high radon level unless your home is tested. It causes thousands of deaths a year because when you breathe air that contains radon, it can cause lung cancer. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, second only to smoking. If you smoke and your home has high radon level, you have an even higher risk of developing lung cancer. There are several ways that radon gets into your home. They are:

  • Cracks in floors
  • Cracks in walls
  • Construction joints
  • Gaps in suspended floors
  • Gaps around pipes
  • Water supply
  • Cavities inside walls

Once radon enters your home, it becomes trapped and builds up. A radon level of 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) or higher is cause for concern. Even radon levels less than 4 pCi/L poses a risk. It is important to get your Iowa home tested for radon. The experts at AmeriServ Radon Mitigation  can come and test your home and offer radon mitigation to keep your radon levels low.

Solutions For High Radon Levels in Iowa

AmeriServ Radon Mitigation can test your home using short-term testing of long-term testing.

  • Short-term testing: This testing remains in your home for 2 to 90 days, using either charcoal canisters, alpha track, electret iron chamber, continuous monitors and charcoal liquid scintillation detectors. This type of testing may not determine a year-round average. Many times, short-term testing is done for real estate transactions.
  • Long-term testing: This testing remains in your home for more than 90 days and give a more accurate year-round average of your radon levels. This testing includes alpha track and electret detectors.

If the testing finds that your home has elevated levels of radon, the AmeriServ team can install a radon mitigation system to remove the harmful radon from your home.

The first step in radon mitigation is to drill a hole in your foundation to provide a suction point. Next, we attach a PVC pipe to the hole to act as a vent then the pipe is connected to a fan. The fan allows the air to flow in the right direction, out of the home.

It is important to get your Iowa home tested for radon, and have a professional perform radon mitigation if the levels are high. Protect yourself and your family from health issues related to radon. Let the professionals at AmeriServ Radon Mitigation test your home.

The AmeriServ team is professionally trained by the State of Iowa and is certified by the Iowa Department of Public Health. Don’t hesitate to contact AmeriServ to get your home tested for radon and keep you and your family safe from this harmful gas.