Tag Archives: lung cancer

Iowa Radon Mitigation and Testing for New Homes

Radon Mitigation, Radon Testing,

Radon in New Homes

Living RoomWhat is the first thing you should do if you found radon in your new home? First, AmeriServ Mitigation Iowa will come to your aid. For Iowa radon mitigation and testing for new homes, we provide the best mitigation service. Many new homeowners never consider testing their  house for radon. Homeowners have many options to consider like how many  bedrooms their house should have and the size of the basement. Homeowners never think about a silent killer lurking in their home.

Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. It  is a radioactive gas that is produced from uranium found in rocks and  soil. As the uranium breaks down, radon emits particles in the air that  we breathe. As we inhale these particles, it alters the DNA cells. This  can eventually cause lung cancer. Radon is not a health risk if it is  outdoors. It only becomes dangerous when it is trapped indoors.

What are basic steps to follow when buying a new home? First, check your area’s radon potential. Find out if radon is high in the geographical  area. If the homes are built in a high radon location, they should be  built with radon resistant features. Second, install a radon reduction  system. Your builder should install a radon reduction system. Obtain free  copies of the EPA’s Model Standards. Make sure your builder knows the radon-resistant materials. Third, remember to test your home. Every new home should be tested. The test kits can be purchased at your local  hardware store. If radon levels are still high, Environmental Protection Agency recommends a second  test before fixing a radon problem because radon levels naturally  fluctuate. Radon levels at 4pCi/L are considered to be dangerous.

Radon mitigation is a process that removes radon levels in your home to  the outside. We can install a Iowa radon mitigation system in your home. After  your home tests positive for radon several times, we will find a system  that fits your home. There are several techniques to redirect the radon  gas out of your home. We create suction points by drilling a hole in the  foundation. A PVC pipe is connected through this hole to use as a vent  for the radon gas. A fan is used to increase air flow in the right  direction. The mitigation system is usually installed in the attic.

At AmeriServ Radon Mitigation Iowa, our professionals are your Iowa radon mitigation service. We will test your mitigation system. For Iowa radon mitigation and testing for new homes, call us today. We will provide you with the radon removal  process that your home needs.

Iowa Radon Map: What it means for Iowa Residents

Radon Mitigation, Uncategorized, , , ,

Iowa Radon Map

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has given the state of Iowa a level of high risk for the gas radon. As you can see by the map to the right, all of Iowa counties are in red. Red is the highest level of predicted average indoor radon screening level that is greater than 4 pCi/L. High levels of radon in your home, business or school can cause lung cancer according to the Iowa Department of Public Health. Since radon gas is odorless, colorless, and tasteless, you can see why it is such a dangerous gas. With the help of a qualified company like AmeriServ Radon Mitigation Iowa, you can have your home tested to make sure the levels fall below the recommended amounts.

Why does Iowa have such a high levels of radon? During the Ice Age glaciers moved over the land breaking up and carrying rocks from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ontario to Iowa. With the movement of the glaciers these rocks got smaller and smaller increasing the surface area allowing radon to escape easier. Over more time the rain, freezing, thawing, plant roots, and exposure to oxygen, break down the rocks even more creating more surface area for the radon to escape. So all of these crushed up rocks filled with uranium and radium now cover the state of Iowa.

All across Iowa homes, businesses and schools have been built on soil that has radon in it. The pressure in the house or building is lower than the pressure around the foundation. The difference in the pressure works like a vacuum drawing the radon into your home through any cracks or openings. Your family now is breathing the radon gas and their health is a risk of getting lung cancer.

AmeriServ Radon Mitigation Iowa is the company to call to have your house or business tested for any levels of concern. Checking the Iowa radon map above will make you want to take precautions to protect your family. Our company can install a vent system and fan to pull the radon from beneath your house to the outside. We are your radon mitigation Iowa service provider. This is great since there is no major changes to your house or landscape. Cracks in the foundation will need to be sealed to prevent radon seeping into your house. When the levels are high, you will need to find a trained contractor that has the knowledge and skills to study your home and plan the treatment that is best for your situation. As a homeowner, you should also get references and maybe more than one estimate. Once the work is done, be sure to set up a retest at a later date. AmeriServ Radon Mitigation Iowa is a trusted and reliable company that can take of your radon concerns.

What Are Dangerous Radon Levels

Radon Levels, ,

Dangerous Radon Levels in Iowa

Iowa Radon Levels

Radon is a radioactive gas that forms when radium decays and it is also colorless, and odorless.  This gas can be very harmful and even deadly, but sadly it’s most common in the home. Radon can be found anywhere, and by anywhere I mean it is found all over the United States. It’s a natural gas that diffuses through the air harmlessly, and naturally. Radon is the second leading cause to lung cancer following cigarette smoke. This dangerous gas can come through a home from many different spots starting from crawl spaces to sump pumps. It’s said that the best way of controlling radon levels in the home is to have an Iowa radon mitigation unit installed. This unit will remove radon by ventilating it out. The Radon Act 51, which was passed by congress, set the natural outside level of radon gas (0.4pCi/L) as the target level for indoor radon levels. This level is still dangerous, but any level above this would cause a lot more problems and health risks than the lowest level. Radon levels increase as temperatures decrease, so during the winter, radon is most dangerous.  When it gets cold outside, the ground freezes, and there might even be a layer of snow on the ground. When the ground freezes, the radon is trapped in the soil beneath our home, and since the radon won’t be able to escape out of the ground, your house may suck up some of that gas to a higher concentration.

Radon Levels in Iowa Homes

The EPA believes that radon at any level is risky although as stated above, the 0.4 pCi/L, would be considered an acceptable level. Radon gas isn’t picky about its victims. It doesn’t matter about your weight, sex, race, or age. BUT it may be more prominent in the young, and the very old. Same with the weakened immune systems. So be sure to take all the necessary steps to eliminate radon out of your household, for a safe living and healthy living. Iowa is known for having double the radon levels of what is considered acceptable by the EPA. So radon testing and Iowa radon mitigation is more important than ever. For all your Iowa radon levels concerns, call Ameriserv Radon Mitigation Iowa. We perform radon testing, radon mitigation and even install air purifiers.

Why Iowa Has Radon Problems

Radon Testing, , ,

Iowa Radon LevelsRadon Levels Iowa

Why Iowa has radon problems is often a question people will ask when it comes time to purchase a home in Iowa. Radon is a gas that is produced in soils surrounding your home or building and enters through the dirt floors or cracks in the foundation, through pipes or even openings in your floor drains.  Basements usually have the most concentrated levels of radon, but homes without basements can also be affected.

In Iowa, the radon levels have a tendency to be higher due to the soils in the Midwest having  a lot of uranium and radium in it. When these minerals break down they release the radon gas. Once the radon has entered the home, it goes through the air that you breath daily. In the winter months this gas gets trapped in the soil and cannot filter out into the air. Making this a more dangerous time for radon to enter your home.  This odorless gas is very harmful if not detected immediately and you usually you will not even realize that you have been exposed to the gas until you begin noticing signs of lung cancer starting to develop.

All homes, new or old should be tested for radon either by using an at-home test or by having a professional contractor come in to perform it. Getting accurate results is important so that you will know what you need to do address the problem.

Call AmeriServ Radon Mitigation Iowa for services provided in many Iowa cities including Des Moines, Carroll, Sioux City, and Fort Dodge. Checking your home frequently and having a radon detector is a good idea to help protect you and your family from this deadly cancer causing gas.

Radon Mitigation and Radon Testing for Selling a Home

Radon Mitigation, Radon Testing, , ,

Things to Know about Radon when Selling your House

Sold Home For Sale Sign in Front of New House

Radon mitigation and radon testing for selling a home is a very important thing to make sure is completed before you try and sell your home.  This deadly gas has been found in homes all over the county and can be quite a problem in some homes without the homeowner even realizing it. Whether your home is new or old, the same problems can be present. Because this gas is emitted from soil and rock and even water, it can affect the air that you breath and can end up causing lung cancer if not found quickly. It is reported that this radioactive gas is the second most cause of lung cancer. AmeriServ, we can be your radon mitigation Iowa service provider.

When you decide to sell your home, be aware that most home buyers will want to see some type of radon testing report to make sure they are not purchasing a home that is going to put them at risk. The testing should be done in the lowest level of the home that will most likely be used by a family as living space as this is where they will be spending the most time. Two short-term tests should be conducted at the same time for 48 hours when needing to get a quick result for selling your home.  Once the test is completed, getting it to a testing lab quickly will get the best results. If high levels of radon are detected, getting the problem resolved quickly is very important.

Some ways that radon can be mitigated in the home are to make sure there is proper water drainage in your basement area and also to seal the basement foundation. Another method that is used is active soil depressurization which uses a fan to pull out the gas from under the foundation.

AmeriServ Radon Mitigation Iowa is a company you can trust when it comes time to test your home for radon and/or to get rid of it if it is detected. Call AmeriServ today for you radon mitigation Iowa and radon testing needs today.

Health Concerns About Radon

Radon Levels, ,

What are the Effects of Radon on Your Health?

Health Risks Iowa

Radon Exposure Iowa, Radon Health Risks Iowa

People throughout the world have concerns about the effects of radon. Radon is a radioactive gas that is produced from the decay of uranium beneath the soil. It is a definite hazard and is very common. Uranium has been present beneath the soil since the earth was formed. Decay will continue at the present rate for millions of years. Radon gas is more pronounced in some areas than others, and it presents a clear cut danger to those who breathe in the toxic gas. Radon gas will get trapped in attic and basement areas and can also be found in spring water and hot springs. At AmeriServ, we can be your radon mitigation Iowa service provider to eliminate radon gas.

What if you have been exposed?

People who live around radon exposure are at high risk for lung cancer. In the US radon-induced lung cancer accounts for 21,000 deaths per year.  From that huge number 2,900 have never smoked.  Radon exposure is the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking. Most radon induced lung cancers develop from low to medium amounts of radon exposure. Lung cancer is treatable, but the survival rate is one of the lowest for those who have cancer. From the time lung cancer is diagnosed, 11-15 % of those afflicted will live beyond five years. In many cases lung cancer can be prevented. Lung cancer surpasses breast cancer as the number one cause of death among women.  A smoker who is also exposed to radon has a much higher risk of lung cancer.

At AmeriServ, we can test your radon levels today! Let us be your radon mitigation Iowa service provider.

 

 

Radon Testing Iowa Solutions

blog, Radon Levels,

The Importance of Radon Testing in IowaCommercial Building Inspector Iowa

Your family could possibly be at the risk of developing lung cancer from the radioactive, colorless, odorless and tasteless gas called RADON. AmeriServ ‘s Radon testing team can do a radon test that will monitor your home or business for up to 48 hours to determine the level of RADON you are being exposed to daily. Doesn’t that seem like a sensible thing to do? More than 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year are attributed to breathing radon.   It is impossible to completely eradicate RADON. The dangerous gas is a product of thorium and uranium breakdown with the soil. It is a slow and natural process and it emits gas into the air so the exposure is everywhere.

Radon Tests in Iowa

Ameriserv Radon Mitigation Iowa is a leader in Iowa for testing for radon. The EPA has standards that gauge the level of radon that is threatening to your health.  Levels are measured in picocuries.  These are scientific measurements that express the units of radioactivity that is being emitted. The “harmful” level would be if your test came back at 4 pCi or above. If the radon test shows levels above 4 a radon mitigation Iowa plan would be put into place to rid your structure of this harmful gas. Consider radon testing and radon mitigation today and give Ameriserv Radon Mitigation Iowa a call.