Tag Archives: radon gas

If Having Children in the Home doesn’t Motivate Radon Testing, What Will?

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If Having Children in the Home doesn’t Motivate Radon Testing, What Will?

The Dangers of Radon Gas

If your child was in danger and you could remove that danger in order to protect them, would you? A study found that some parents may not, especially in the case of radon. It has been found that many homes have or will fall victim to radon gas. Radon is a radioactive gas that is the leading cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers–this includes children. It is the second leading cause for smokers. The study conducted radon and secondhand smoke tests in 550 homes. At the same time, parents were asked if they were concerned about the long term affects of radon gas or secondhand smoke on their children. The study found that “having children present in the home [didn’t] appear to impact parents’ lung cancer worry.”

Spreading Radon Awareness

radon educationSo, how can we get people to understand the very real danger of radon? We believe that awareness and education could be a step in the right direction. Many people do not even know what radon is or what it can cause. Radon is a gas that is created through the natural breakdown of uranium in the earth. It rises through the soil and into homes through small basement or foundation cracks.

When radon is outside in the air it is virtually harmless, but in a small, enclosed space such as a home, it can lead to a variety of health problems. This includes wheezing, coughing, lung infections, and even lung cancer. Luckily, radon gas must be present for a long time to cause these issues, so that is why it is so important to regularly have your home tested for radon gas. Contact us today to learn more about radon testing and radon mitigation–the solution for high levels of radon in your home.

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!

Iowa Radon Abatement: A Guide to Radon Reduction

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Getting Rid of Radon Gas in Iowa

Radon gas is a dangerous radioactive gas that is odorless, colorless, and tasteless. Iowa is known to be the state with the highest average levels of radon gas. It is also naturally-occurring. It is created through the decomposition of uranium and rises through the soil into homes, businesses, churches, and schools through cracks in the foundation. Radon gas can cause health issues, including lung cancer. Radon gas is the second most leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. It takes the lives of 21,000 people per year.

Radon Abatement in Iowa from Ameriserv

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The best and only way to tell if your home has high levels of radon is through radon testing. If your home is found to have high enough levels of radon, radon abatement is the next step. There are a variety of ways to decrease high levels of radon, in fact, the EPA cites 13 different methods to lower radon levels. The basic idea is to ventilate the home so that radon gas can escape, where it then becomes harmless. We here at Ameriserv can use sub-slab suction, which is one of the methods that the EPA cites. It is one of the most successful forms of radon abatement, reducing radon levels from 50 up to 99 percent.

If your home, business, church, or school is found to have high levels of radon gas, do not hesitate when considering radon mitigation. Do not wait until someone is sick. Contact us today to learn more about our radon testing and radon mitigation methods. Our service area covers all of Iowa, including Des Moines, Davenport, Iowa City, Cedar Rapids, and Carroll. We are fully licensed and insured for all projects in Iowa. We want to hear from you! Give us a call today!

Iowa Radon: Knowing Fact from Fiction

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The Truth about Radon in Iowaradon testing, mitigation, iowa

Did you know that Iowa is known to have the highest average levels of radon in the United States? Radon is a naturally-occurring, radioactive, colorless, tasteless, and odorless gas that can reside in Iowa homes. Radon gas is the product of decomposing uranium in the soil. It travels up through the soil and into homes through cracks in the foundation. Though even low levels of radon gas can cause problems, high levels can lead to health issues such as lung infections and even lung cancer. Radon gas is thought to be the cause of up to 21,000 lung cancer deaths per year. It is almost completely undetectable, except through radon testing.

Regular radon testing is the best way to be safe from the effects of radon gas. The best times to get radon testing are during home inspections, especially before buying a home, but testing once a year is best. It is not just homes that can be effected, either. Homes, businesses, schools, churches; any structure can be effected. If high levels of radon are found, radon mitigation is the next step. Just like any other danger in your home, you want to find a way to get rid of it as soon as possible without anyone being harmed. Well, it is the same with radon gas. Rather than waiting until someone is sick, get radon mitigation right away.

Radon Mitigation in Iowa from Ameriserv

The best way to rid your home, business, school, or church of radon gas is through radon mitigation. You can also seal any cracks or holes in your foundation to prevent future radon gas getting into your home. Radon mitigation is a process through which a series of vents and fans are installed to clear out radon gas and lower radon levels. Some new construction homes in Iowa are even pre-installing radon mitigation systems to prevent high radon gas levels.

Ameriserv can offer Iowa homes, business, churches, and schools with both radon testing and radon mitigation. We want you to be safe, happy, and healthy in your Iowa home, so make sure to get regular radon testing. Contact us today to learn more about radon gas, radon testing, and radon mitigation. Our service area covers a large part of Iowa, including Des Moines, Ankeny, Sioux City, Davenport, Cedar Rapids, and Iowa City. Give us a call today!

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.

 

Radon Gas in Iowa

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Radon Gas in Iowa: a Serious Problem

Iowa is known for its safety. Most Iowans feel safe in their towns and homes, free from the worries and dangers that come with large cities. But there is one type of danger that is extremely present in Iowa. A silent killer that sneaks into homes and attacks without any notice. That danger is radon gas, and it is nothing to be ignored in Iowa. We are here to help with your radon gas in Iowa. At AmeriServ, we can be your radon mitigation Iowa service provider.

Iowa has some of the highest levels of radon in the country. The national average level of radon is 1.3 pCi/L. The EPA declares 4.0 pCi/L as the dangerous level of radon requiring action. Iowa’s average radon level is 8.5 pCi/L. If those numbers don’t show you just how dangerous Iowa’s radon is, maybe these will: five out of seven homes in Iowa have dangerous levels of radon. Over 400 Iowans die every year because of exposure to radon. Radon in Iowa is a serious problem, and because of the high risk, every home in the state should be tested for radon.

Radon in Iowa

If you don’t take care of a radon problem, you and your family could be in serious danger. Radon is the leading environmental carcinogen. According to the Iowa Department of Radon Gas in IowaPublic Health, exposure to radon is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers. For smokers, it is the second leading cause of lung cancer. It is so easy to avoid such an effect. Simply give us a call to have your home tested. We can perform either a short-term or long-term test. Both are accurate so we’ll help you decide which is best for your home. If we find high levels, we will install a Iowa radon mitigation system. This system will suck the radon from beneath your home, run it through a pipe system with a fan, and dispose of it outside of your home. Contact us to help keep you safe from radon gas in Iowa today! We are your radon mitigation Iowa service provider.

Why Iowa Has Radon Problems

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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.

Health Concerns About Radon

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What are the Effects of Radon on Your Health?

Health Risks Iowa

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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.