Tag Archives: Radon Mitigation

New Construction Requires Radon Mitigation Systems in Iowa

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Come to AmeriServ for your New Construction Needs

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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!

Signs of Radon in Iowa

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Signs of Radon Gas in Iowa

Radon is one of the most prominent carcinogens in Iowa. Exposure to radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, the first being cigarette smoking. In Iowa alone, radon causes around 400 deaths every year, and five out of every seven homes in the state contain a radon level above 4.0 pCi/L, which is considered to be dangerously high. It is clear that radon gas is a major concern for homeowners in Iowa. So what should you do to find out if your home has elevated radon levels and to start the radon reduction process in your Iowa home?

Radon Reduction and Signs of Radon in IowaRadon is a radioactive gas that has no color, no taste, no smell, and is chemically unreactive. These properties make radon impossible for the average person to detect on their own. This means that the only way to find out if your home has a radon problem is to invest in radon testing. Though you can buy DIY radon-testing kits, the best solution is to contact a qualified radon tester for professional radon testing. This gives you more accurate results for increased peace of mind.

It is important to understand where radon comes from and how it works. Then you can get an idea of what to do if radon is discovered in your Iowa home. Radon comes from the soil, where it is produced during the decaying or uranium in the ground. As the radon seeps up through the ground, it may enter your home through cracks in the foundation. Radon can also invade your water, especially if your home has well water. For radon reduction in Iowa to prevent these problems, contact Ameriserv Radon Mitigation today.

Radon Reduction in Iowa from Ameriserv

First, you should have your home tested for radon to determine the radon levels in your home. Radon levels above 4.0 pCi/L are considered hazardous. Since radon has no visible or easily detectable signs, the only way to find out the concentration of the gas in your home is to administer a radon test:

  • DIY Radon Testing: This is a less expensive (we offer DIY testing kits for $15) option, and while DIY tests are usually not a completely accurate representation of radon levels in your home, they can give you a good idea of any problems. If your DIY radon test result is positive, it should be followed by a professional radon test.
  • Short-Term Radon Testing: This is a professional radon test that can be administered in 3-90 days, and is usually a good way to find the general radon levels in your home. If your short-term radon test indicates a high concentration of radon, you may want to consider long-term testing.
  • Long-Term Radon Testing: This is the most thorough of our testing methods. Long-term test normally take about 90 days or more, and give you a much more accurate idea of average radon levels in your home throughout the year.

If you have invested in multiple radon tests, and they all indicate high levels of radon, it is time that you considered some radon reduction methods from Ameriserv. In as little time as a single day, we can install a radon mitigation system that will greatly reduce the radon levels in your Iowa home. These systems use PVC pipes and fans to channel radon from low areas such as the basement out of the home, keeping you and your family safe from the dangers of radon.

Contact us right away to learn more about our radon testing and reduction methods in Iowa.

What is Radon Abatement?

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Radon Abatement in Iowa

Radon abatement is a service that we offer to reduce the radon levels in your Iowa home. If you are concerned that your home has elevated levels of radon gas, you should have your home tested for radon. Ameriserv offers short term tests to get a general idea of the radon levels in your home, and long term tests to give you a more accurate estimate of the dangers you are dealing with. Radon can be harmful to the health of you and your family – do not hesitate to invest in radon abatement services as soon as you discover a radon problem in your home.

Radon abatement can be accomplished in a couple of different ways: either by installing a ventilation system that allows radon gas to exit the home through a suction point on the concrete floor slab, or by upping the frequency of air changes per hour in the building. At Ameriserv, we normally opt to install a ventilation system to ensure that the radon is removed from your home. This system is installed by:

  1. Radon Abatement In Iowa from AmeriservDrilling a hole in the foundation or slab to create a suction point for the system.
  2. Installing PVC pipes to form a vent for the radon to travel through.
  3. Connecting PVC pipe ventilation system to suction point.
  4. Putting in a fan to ensure that air flow travels in the proper direction (fan is normally installed in attic)

This system runs continuously to keep radon levels in your home low. Any question about the installation of this system can be answered by the professionals here at Ameriserv Radon Mitigation. For radon abatement Iowa services, call us now.

Importance of Radon Abatement for Iowa Homes

Iowa homes are known to have dangerously high levels of radon – each year, around 400 Iowans die due to radon exposure, and five out of every seven homes in Iowa have radon levels that are higher than the recommended safe level.

Because it is colorless, odorless, and tasteless, it is impossible to know whether your home has a radon problem or not without testing it. Invest in radon testing as soon as possible to keep your home safe. In addition to long term and short term radon tests, we also offer DIY testing kits.

Another way to reduce radon levels in your home is to check for any cracks, gaps, or spaces in the foundation and basement walls. Since radon comes from the soil, it often enters your home through cracks in the foundation and foundation walls. Sealing these cracks will lower the points of radon entry in your Iowa home. Contact us for more tips on lowering radon levels in your home.

What Radon Exposure Can Mean in Iowa

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Iowa Radon Exposure Risks

The first step in protecting yourself and your family against the dangers of radon exposure is learning about radon – what it is, why it is dangerous, how to avoid exposure, etc. Radon levels in Iowa are especially high. That is why it is vital for you to check your home for signs of elevated radon levels and have any issues taken care of as soon as possible. Contact Ameriserv Radon Mitigation for professional assistance in these areas.

Radon Exposure in Iowa HomesWhat is radon, and why is it dangerous? Radon is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas that comes from the decaying or uranium in the earth. When the uranium decays, lead and radon gas are formed. The radon gas travels up through the ground and into the air around or in your home. Eventually, the radon will decay into radioactive particles that can make their way into your lungs. The breaking down of these particles results in small energy bursts that cause lung tissue to become damaged and may even lead to lung cancer over time. Second only to smoking, radon exposure is one of the leading causes of lung cancer in the United States. To keep you and your family safe from radon, it is important to have your home tested and to invest in radon mitigation services to remove harmful radon gas from your home.

Dangers of Radon Exposure in Iowa Homes

Facts about radon gas and the dangers of radon exposure in Iowa homes include:

  • Children reported to be at greater risk for some radiation-source cancers
  • Five out of seven homes in Iowa have elevated radon levels
  • 400 Iowans die of radon exposure every year
  • Radon exposure combined with smoking pose significant threat
  • Testing and mitigation can reduce chances of radon exposure

Several studies have been conducted in Iowa showing the high levels of radon in the state lead to health problems. These studies have also revealed that 60% of the radon levels in homes studied were above the amount considered to be safe.

Ameriserv offers both short term and long term radon testing to prevent radon exposure in Iowa. Short term testing is a good way to determine whether or not you need to take further action. If elevated levels are found with the short term test, it is a good idea to administer a long term test to be sure. If it is found that your home does have high radon levels, invest in radon mitigation from Ameriserv. This will remove radon gas from your home using a PVC pipe and fan system connected to a suction point in the slab of your home’s foundation.

To learn more about radon exposure in Iowa, contact Ameriserv and look around our website.

What to Do When You Suspect You Have Been Exposed to Radon?

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Radon Exposure in Iowa

Radon Exposure and Health Risks in IowaElevated levels of radon in your home could be a major health concern for you and your family. Five out of every seven homes in Iowa have elevated levels of radon in them. Every year, about 400 Iowans die due to radon exposure, which is the number two cause of lung cancer. This is why it is so important to make sure that your home is free of radon. Ameriserv can help you with all of the tests and precautions to prevent radon from causing health issues for you and your family.

We offer several different options for radon testing as well as radon
mitigation. Our professionals can administer short-term and long-term tests to check the radon levels in your home. We also offer a $15 dollar at home radon detector kit so that you can begin the radon testing process on your own.

By what should you do if you think you may have been exposed to radon? The first step to take if you suspect radon exposure is to look for the common symptoms that are associated with prolonged exposure to high levels of radon. These symptoms include:

  • Lung Infections
  • Persistent cough
  • Wheezing
  • Heavy breathing

These are a few of the common signs that you may have been exposed to radon. If you are experiencing any of these signs, it is important to seek help immediately in order to prevent any further health problems. Mor information on the health risks of radon can be found on the EPA Radon Guide webpage.

What to Do to Prevent Radon Exposure in Your Iowa Home

Most major health problems associated with radon take several years to develop. That is why it is vital to take care of any radon problems in
your home right away to prevent prolonged exposure.

Radon Mitigation in Iowa to Prevent Health ProblemsThis can be done by first administering radon tests in your home. If you think you have already been exposed to radon, it may be wise to try a short-term radon test. This can give you an idea of the radon levels in your home. If the test results show a high radon level, contact a professional for further testing, or to have a radon mitigation system installed.

Ameriserv can install a radon mitigation system to effectively reduce the amount of radon in your home. To install this system, we drill a hole in your foundation to create a suction point. Next, attach PVC pipe to the hole to act as a vent for the gas. A fan is then used to make sure that the air flow is properly directed. With this system running continuously, radon will be able to exit your home, reducing the health risks for you and your family.

Contact the experts at Ameriserv for more information on what to do if you suspect a radon issue in your home, and check out the EPA Radon Guide for even more information. We offer quality testing and
mitigation services to those in the Cedar Rapids, Iowa area.

The Real Cost of Radon vs. The Cost of Radon Mitigation

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The Dangers of Radon Outweigh the Cost of Radon Mitigation

No one wants to spend money on things like radon mitigation. Most people would rather buy a movie, a new phone, a TV, or just go out to dinner. Unfortunately, you need to think twice before ignoring radon and radon mitigation. You have probably heard of radon and its dangers. If you have not here are a few facts about radon. Radon is:

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  • Radioactive
  • Colorless
  • Odorless
  • Tasteless
  • Naturally occurring
  • Easily inhaled

Basically, it is a dangerous gas that can not be detected except by radon testing. Radon appears when when the chemicals uranium and thorium, which reside in the earth, begin to decay. It is a gas that sticks to dust particles and other surfaces, sometimes radon can even affect your home’s water supply. It has been known to cause lung cancer if it goes unchecked in your home, business, or school. In fact, there are 21,000 deaths per year in the USA due to radon-induced lung cancers. That is a scary thought. Radon may not even effect you until years, or even decades, after you are exposed. Some signs of radon exposure are:

  • Persistent cough
  • Wheezing
  • Heavy breathing
  • Lung infections

What is even scarier is that Iowa is known to have naturally high levels of radon. This is because a long time ago there were glaciers that covered Iowa. They melted and left behind rocks that contained uranium and when they broke down and decayed they released the radon gas. If radon occurs in your home, business, or school, it could harm your family, customers, or students and staff. This is why you should consider getting your Iowa home, business, or school tested for the presence of radon. Luckily, Ameriserv can help you get radon testing and mitigation for your Iowa home.

Get Radon Mitigation in Iowa by Ameriserv

By getting regular radon testing you will be able to keep almost constant tabs on your home, business, or school’s radon levels. Radon tests will tell you whether or not the radon levels are dangerous. While any radon is not exactly safe, a level of 4 pCi/L is considered dangerous to the health of a building’s inhabitants. If your radon levels are at 4 pCi/L or higher you will need to receive radon mitigation.

Radon mitigation is a process that removes the radon from your home, business, or school and releases to the outside air where it will no longer pose a danger to you, your family, customers, or students and staff. The actual radon mitigation system is installed into your home, business, or school. There are a few different options, and we can help you, by doing a radon test, pick which option will be best for your structure.

Come to Ameriserv today to get a radon test, and if needed to get radon mitigation. Remember that radon is not something to be ignored. It may be tasteless, odorless, and colorless, but that does not mean it is not there. Radon can seriously harm a person’s health, especially if it goes unchecked. So, get radon testing today, because it is the best way to prevent radon in your home, business, or school. Call Ameriserv today to learn more about our radon tests, radon mitigation, radon mitigation costs in Iowa, or our service area. Contact us today!

Can Energy Efficiency Mean a Higher Chance of Radon in Your Iowa Home?

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Making your Iowa Home Energy Efficient Could Pose Radon Health Risks

Solutions for High Radon Levels in Energy Efficient Iowa Homes by AmeriservIn today’s world, homeowners seek to save as much money as possible while keeping their homes environmentally friendly. Reducing ventilation is one common way that this is done in homes. By sealing the home securely and ensuring that there are no gaps or cracks in the walls, the homeowners will significantly reduce the workload for the heating and cooling systems in the home. Not only does this lower the cost of the homeowner’s energy bills, but it is also a very “green” solution, since the less work the heater and air conditioner have to do, the less overall resources will be necessary to keep the home comfortable for the family.

There is, however, a drawback to having a home with little to no ventilation; the lack of ventilation in a home could lead to an increase in pollutants that enter the home from the soil beneath. One of the more common of these pollutants is radon, a colorless, odorless gas that is responsible for thousands of lung cancer related deaths throughout the country. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer, the first being smoking. If you or a family member is exposed to a elevated amounts of radon., the results could be tragic.

There are many different ways that radon can enter your home:

  • Leakage: If your home has cracks in the foundation, gaps in walls or floors, or loose fitting pipe joints, radon could leak into the home through these spaces.
  • Exposed Soil: Because radon seeps into the home from the soil underneath, it is vital to make sure that there is no exposed soil in your home’s crawlspace or around the sump pump.
  • Water Supply: If you have well water in your home, you may be at risk of radon exposure, as the water may carry radon from the ground into your home.

One way to reduce radon in your home is to use ventilation systems to give the radon a way to escape. Without this, the radon could remain trapped in your home, building up a higher and higher concentration. This is why it is important to make sure that your home is equipped with a proper radon mitigation system.

How to Reduce Radon in You Energy Efficient Home

Investing in a radon mitigation system from Ameriserv radon could greatly reduce the dangers that energy efficient homes often produce. If you are afraid that your home contains high radon levels, do not hesitate to get in touch with a professional right away. There a just a few simple steps that you need to take to keep your home safe from the dangers of radon:

  • Contact a professional radon mitigation expert
  • Have your home tested for radon levels
  • Invest in a radon mitigation system to remove radon
  • Take preventative measures to keep radon out in the future

We can take care of the radon in your home in no time. There are a couple different types of radon testing that can be done to determine whether or not your home contains a high level of radon. The first testing method, short term testing, involves using charcoal canisters, electret ion chambers, continuous monitors, and liquid scintillation to determine the radon levels in your home. These test are normally completed in around 2-7 days. Long term tests can take 90 days or more, and use electret detectors or alpha track detectors to monitor the average radon levels in your home.

Once testing is completed, we can use radon mitigation techniques such as suction points in the slab, PVC ventilation systems, and fans to reduce the buildup of radon in your home. If you live in Iowa and are in search of a solution for the radon in your home, contact us as soon as possible.

Are we SURE that Radon is a Health Risk in Iowa?

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 How do we know that Radon poses a health risk?

Homeowners are constantly warned of the dangers that come from elevated radon levels in the home. Five out of seven homes in Iowa contain high levels of the colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas. It is the number two cause of lung cancer in the United States, and causes 4oo deaths in Iowa alone each year. But many people ask if there is concrete evidence that radon is actually so detrimental to our health. How can we be sure that there is a real health risk attached to the high levels of radon in many homes?

Radon Health Problems and Solutions in Iowa from Ameriserv Radon MitigationThe US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) already has plenty of scientific evidence that radon exposure is often linked to lung cancer. This connection was first realized when scientists noticed that the underground uranium miners who were exposed to radon died of lung cancer at a higher rate than others. These studies were confirmed by animal studies, which showed higher rates of lung tumors in the rodents that were exposed to radon. Although there is much dispute among some scientists that the estimated radon-related lung cancer deaths are actually lower than commonly believed, several health organizations, such as the CDC (Center for Disease Control), American Lung Association, the Surgeon General, the American Medical Association, and several others agree that we know enough about the health risks to recommend radon testing and mitigation.

If you find radon levels in your home above 4 pCi/L, consider investing in radon mitigation from Ameriserv. The National Academy of Science’s Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation (BEIR VI) Report reinforced that radon is the second-leading cause o lung cancer in the country. This presents radon levels as a serious health issue that should not be ignored.

What to do When You Find Radon

If you find that your home contains elevated levels of radon, it is important to have it fixed as soon as possible. There are a few steps that you can take to take care of the radon problem in your home:

  • Contact a professional: If you suspect that your home has a radon problem, or if you just want to be sure that you and your family are safe, contact a professional radon expert today.
  • Have your home tested: Have the professional team at Amerisev perform radon testing in your home to determine whether or not you are in need of mitigation services. Radon levels of over 4 pCi/L lead to serious health issues.
  • Invest in radon mitigation: We can install a radon mitigation system to remove radon from your home and prevent future radon issues. In most cases, radon levels can be reduced to lower than 2 pCi/L to reduce your risk of lung cancer and keep you and your family healthy and safe.

The radon mitigation experts at Ameriserv can help you get rid of the radon problem in your home. Whether you are trying to sell your home, or just want to make sure it is safe for you and your family, we are your number one choice for radon mitigation in Iowa. Contact us today for more information.