Since radon is an odorless and colorless gas, many people who have it in their homes may not realize it. Radon is extremely harmful, and it is suggested by the US Environmental Protection Agency as well as the US Surgeon General that every home in America be tested for radon, below the third level.
Short Term & Long Term Tests
The quickest and easiest way to test your home for radon is through a short term test. Some of the most common tests are called: Charcoal canisters, alpha tracks, electret ion chambers, continuous monitors, and charcoal liquid scintillation detectors. The only downside of short-term tests is that you cannot accurately detect the average radon level in your home throughout the year, but it works well if you need fast results to get an idea of whether your home may have a radon problem or not.
While short-term tests usually last a few days to a couple of months, long-term tests will take more than three months to complete. Alpha tracks and electret ion chambers are the most frequently used long-term tests. It is recommended by the EPA to first take a short-term radon test, and follow up with a long-term test if radon levels showed to be high.
In preparation for a radon test, you should keep your exterior doors and windows closed twelve hours beforehand. Choose a room to conduct the test in, one that is regularly used by you and your household, but not the bathroom or the kitchen. Find a place about 20 inches above the ground where you can keep the radon test kit for the instructed period of time without it being moved or disturbed. When the allotted time is over, seal your radon kit and send it to the lab. You can expect your results to return to you in a couple of weeks.
To learn how Ameriserv can help you test your home for radon, click here.
Radon Can be in your Iowa Home Without you Knowing
Radon comes from the natural decay of uranium 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. Once the radon enters your home, it becomes trapped inside and builds up.
Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer, second only to smoking. In the United States, radon gas in soils is the principal source of elevated radon levels in home and businesses. There are several major entry points for radon to enter the home. Some of these are:
Cracks in concrete slabs
Cracks in concrete blocks
Floor-wall joints
Soil exposed in a crawlspace
Drain tile if drained to open sump
Mortar joints
Loose pipes
The water supply
All of Iowa’s counties are in the EPA red zone map which signifies where radon is the highest. These are areas where the average indoor levels of radon is at least 4.0 picocuries per liter (pCi/L). Over 70 percent of Iowa homes have elevated radon levels.
Radon is a colorless, odorless radioactive gas that silently seeps into homes and buildings. Because the air pressure inside your home is lower than the pressure in the soil around your home’s foundation, your home acts like a vacuum, drawing in the radon. AmeriServ Radon Mitigation of Iowa are the professionals to call and get your home tested for radon and if the levels are found to be high, we will recommend the right system for your home’s needs.
How Can Iowa Homeowners Protect Themselves?
Homeowners in Iowa can protect themselves from this deadly gas by having the professionals at AmeriServ Radon Mitigation of Iowa test to see if your home has a high level of radon, and if so, recommend a mitigation system that will reduce the level. Testing is easy and inexpensive.
Radon is measured in picocuries per liter of air, or pCi/L. The quickest way to test is with a short-term test. This short-term test remains in your home for 2-3 days. Because radon levels vary from day to day and season to season, a short-term test won’t accurately tell you your year-round average. If the result of your short-term test if 4 pCi/L or higher, be sure to follow up with a long-term test or a second short-term test. The higher your initial short-term test results, the more certain you can be that you should follow up on it.
Long-term testing remains in your home for more than 90 days. This will give a more accurate reading of your home’s year-round average of radon level. Once the testing levels are known to be high, AmeriServ Radon Mitigation of Iowa will recommend the best solution for radon mitigation for your home.
Radon mitigation is the process of removing the radon from your home to the outside. AmeriServ Mitigation System of Iowa can redirect the radon gas out of your home. One way for example, is we can drill a hole in your foundation or slab, which creates a suction point. A PVC pipe is then connected through this hole to use as a vent for the radon gas to exit through. A fan is then connected to this system to ensure the air flows in the right direction.
The EPA and Surgeon General recommends testing of all homes below the third floor for radon. Testing if the only way to know if you are at risk for radon. Testing in inexpensive and easy. Let the professionals at AmeriServ Radon Mitigation of Iowa come and test your home and if the levels are found to be high, recommend a mitigation system for you. Our services include a 200% guarantee on all work performed and a 5-year warranty on the radon mitigation systems.
The professionals at AmeriServ Radon Mitigation of Iowa have a combined 50 years of experience and our fully insured and background checked who are committed to making sure each system is designed for the customer’s needs. Don’t let this colorless, odorless gas be a worry for you or your family. Let us get your home tested and give you peace of mind. If we find the radon levels to be high in your home, we have the solution. We will also test and re-test to make sure the radon levels go down. Don’t hesitate, contact the professionals today at AmeriServ Radon Mitigation of Iowa for your radon mitigation needs.
Radon is a radioactive gas that is colorless and odorless. It forms naturally from the decay of radioactive elements, such as uranium which is found in soil and rock. Radon gas in the soil and rock can get into the air, ground water and surface water. Radon can be found all over the United States. Iowa has the highest average radon concentrations in the United States. The state falls into the EPA red zone, meaning every county in Iowa has an average indoor radon screening level greater than the suggested 4.0 picoCuries per liter (pCi/L which is the unit of measurement used to measure the amount of radon in the air.)
Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer, second only to smoking. In the United States, radon gas in soils is the principal source of elevated radon levels in home and businesses. Since families spend most of their time at home, this is where most exposure to radon comes from. Testing is the only way to know if you are at risk from radon exposure. AmeriServ Radon Mitigation of Iowa can test your home for radon levels.
AmeriServ Radon Mitigation offers short term testing and long term testing. Short term testing is done when the results need to be done quickly, as in a real estate transaction. Long term testing will last for 90 days or more. This method will give you a better idea of the year round average of the radon levels in your home. If your home is found to have high levels of radon, the experts at AmeriServ Radon Mitigation can put in a radon mitigation system that can reduce the levels in your home by up to 99%.
How Does the EPA Recommend You Handle Radon?
The EPA recommends that you test your home, and fix your home if it found to have a level of 4 pCi/L or higher. After AmeriServ Radon Mitigation tests your home, and determines that radon is present, we will look at what system will be the best fit for your home. Our mitigation system will direct the radon from inside your home to the outside.
One of the ways of radon mitigation is drilling a hole in your foundation or slab, which creates a suction point. Then we use a PVC pipe connected through this hole to use as a vent for the radon gas. A fan is connected to this system to ensure the air flows in the right direction. This is usually installed in the attic of your home. We will test and retest this system to make sure it is working to eliminate the radon gas from your home.
Radon is estimated to cause thousands of lung cancer deaths each year in the United States. Testing for this deadly gas is inexpensive and the solutions are simple. AmeriServ Radon Mitigation of Iowa guarantees 200% on all work performed and a 5-year warranty on radon mitigation system. With over 50 years of experience and our fully insured specialists you will be assured that your home is in good hands. We will make sure the radon level in your home will be reduced and keep your home at a safe level.
Contact the professionals today at AmeriServ Radon Mitigation of Iowa today for testing your home for radon levels and offering the best solution for the reduction of radon levels.
Radon is a concern for many homeowners and businesses in the state of Iowa. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has ranked all of Iowa as high risk for high levels of radon. Radon is a natural radioactive gas that can cause cancer. With radon, you can not see it, smell it, or taste it and that is why it is such a worry. If your home or business has radon and you breathe it over a long period of time, it becomes a health risk. It is a leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers and smokers.
Radon comes from the natural breakdown of uranium and radium in soil, rock and water. Air pressure is lower in your home than the pressure in the soil around your foundation. This difference in pressure acts like a vacuum by drawing the radon in through the foundation cracks and openings. The radon gets trapped in your home and builds up causing the problems. AmeriServ Radon Mitigation of Iowa has found it in new construction of homes and businesses, as well as, older construction. The first line of defense is to get your home tested by a reputable Iowa radon company to make sure the levels are less than 4.0PCi/L. Testing is the only way you will know for sure if you, your family or employees are at risk from radon.
When choosing an Iowa radon company, you will need to make sure the company and staff are fully licensed and insured. AmeriServ Radon Mitigation Iowa has the staff that can answer your questions and concerns. Their team is trained by the State of Iowa and certified by the Iowa Department of Public Health. They use the latest technology in radon mitigation to test your home and solve your radon issues. The qualified staff of AmeriServ Radon Mitigation of Iowa can install systems in new construction to prevent radon entering your home from the beginning. If you are considering doing home improvements, this might be the time to have your home tested and have mitigation solutions installed in your home. As a real estate agent, you should inform your clients of possible testing by an Iowa radon company that could be done before selling or buying a home. School radon testing can be done by the experienced staff at AmeriServ Iowa Radon Mitigation. If radon can get into your homes it can get into your schools. Children’s lungs are still developing and the danger is much higher for them than an adult. The technicians are qualified to test for radon in the schools in your area and create a solution to lower the levels of radon.
AmeriServ Radon Mitigation of Iowa is the Iowa radon company to choose for your testing and radon mitigation. They are highly trained, professional, and guarantee their work. Give them a call about your concerns and let them solve your radon issues that influence your quality of life for you and your family.
