Radon Rid - Radon Testing Philadelphia, Delaware, Bucks, Montgomery County

Testing For Radon

admin — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 23:31:50 +0000

There are two ways to test for radon:

Short-Term Testing

This method is the quickest way to test. Short-term tests remain in your home for as little as two (2) days to 90 days depending on the device. “Charcoal canister”, “alpha track”, “electret ion chamber”, “continuous monitors”, and “charcoal liquid scintillation” detectors are most commonly used for short-term testing. Because radon levels tend to vary from day to day and season to season, a short-term test is less likely than a long-term test to tell you your year-round average radon level. If you need results quickly, however, a short-term test followed by a second short-term test may be used to decide whether to fix your home.

Long-Term Testing

Long-Term tests remain in your property for more than 90 days. “Alpha track” and “electret” detectors are commonly used for this type of testing. A long-term test will give you a reading that is more likely to tell you your home’s year-round average radon level than a short-term test.

The EPA recommends the following testing steps

Take a short-term test. If your result is 4 pCi/L or higher*, take a follow-up test to be sure. The higher your initial short-term test result, the more certain you can be that you should take a short-term rather than a long-term follow-up test. If your first short-term test result is several times the action level (e.g.: about 10pCi/Lor higher) you should take a second short-term test immediately. Consider fixing you home if the average of your first and second test is 4 pCi/L or higher.

p/DTD radon mitigation system will often be the ASD approach selected for that house. Where a stand-alone BWD radon mitigation system is selected for a house with a sump, it will commonly be because there is a perimeter channel drain draining to sub-slab drain tiles which empty into the sump. In such cases, . the baseboard duct BWD approach will often be selected, and the sump will be enclosed as part of the BWD installation, as discussed in Section 7.5.2. Iffor any reason a sump exists that is not being incorporated into the BWD radon mitigation system , that sump should be capped with an air-tight cover. 7.8 Gauges/Alarms and Labelling The considerations discussed in Section4.8, concerning gauges/ alarms and labelling for SSD radon mitigation system s, also apply to BWD radon mitigation system s. Because of the high air flows from the block walls, a pressure gauge on a stand-alone BWD radon mitigation system can register lower suctions than gauges

West Chester, PA

admin — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 21:42:56 +0000

Trouble in the Borough
Sitting a respectable 25 miles from Philadelphia and more than a walk from Wilmington, one would think that the little history making borough of West Chester would be far away – untouchable by the issues of modern day cities and their never-ending concerns with health hazards. Certainly the well-known faces of West Chester’s past never raised an eyebrow at a naturally occurring gas lurking in their basements… But this is not the case. Underneath the floorboards, West Chester is haunted by an invisible gas known as radon.

What exactly is radon?

Radon is a radioactive gas that results from the natural breakdown of uranium found in trace amounts in soil, rock, and water. Radon is the main source of our exposure to all radiation. The US Surgeon General and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have determined that radon is second only to smoking as a leading cause of lung cancer. Testing for Radon is the only way to know if you and your family are at risk from radon.

More than half of all homes in West Chester have the propensity for moderate to high risk levels of radon. If this radon is not properly removed it poses a significant health hazard.

Fortunately for West Chester residents it’s possible to test for radon. The other good news is that once you understand the problem, it’s possible to have the radon problem remedied as well. And that’s where Radon-Rid comes in.

Radon-Rid, LLC is a Full Service Radon Detection and Reduction Company providing peace of mind from Radon in homes and businesses throughout Southeastern PA and the Tri-State Area. If you are consideirng buying a house in Ambler, or already live there, consider giving Radon-Rid a call at (610) 222-2273 today. Peace of mind and a healthy life are worth it.

stallation by about 20-70%. Ifpart 222 or all of the basement were finished, and iffinish thus had to be removed and replaced as part of the coating effort, the cost could be significantly higher. Itis not clear under what conditions it is cost-effective to try to seal the block pores, in view of the expense and potential complications involved in coating the basement walls. In the EPA testing of stand-alone BWD radon testing system s in Pennsylvania, it was not apparent thatsealing ofthe blockpores was necessary in order to get adequate BWD performance, although no definitive tests were carried out in order to quantify the benefits that such sealing would have provided. Inonly one of the EPA study houses, which had very porous cinder block walls, were the block pores sealed (by coating the entire interior face of the walls with a waterproofing paint). 7.7.2 Sl

North Wales, PA

admin — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 19:54:04 +0000

Nestled in the countryside yet close to Philadelphia, North Wales remains a gem of a borough in a great location. A quaint settlement back in the day, North Wales experienced opportune growth when the railroad came through in 1857. Businesses flocked to the streets and the little town grew into the historic one it is today. Yet for all the development, the residents couldn’t have fathomed nor seen the trouble that lies beneath the streets.

Merely by chance, modern science revealed the presence of radon gas underground all the across the United States in 1985, and North Wales was no exception. In more recent years, Pennsylvania and Montgomery county have been shown to be prime locations for this dangerous gas to rise out of the ground and into the basements and main levels of homes and businesses alike.

What exactly is radon?

The good news is that it is possible to test for radon once you’ve found a perfect North Wales home. The other good news is that once you understand the problem, it’s possible to have the radon problem remedied as well. And that’s where Radon-Rid comes in.

Radon-Rid, LLC is a Full Service Radon Detection and Reduction Company providing peace of mind from Radon in homes and businesses throughout Southeastern PA and the Tri-State Area. If you are considering buying a house in North Wales, or already live there, consider giving Radon-Rid a call at (610) 222-2273 today. Peace of mind and a healthy life are worth it.

for example, partially missing blocks in cases where there is some major penetration has been installed through the wall. Intermediate openings should also be sealed. These would include, e.g., modest gaps around utility line penetrations, chinks in the blocks, and places where signifIcant amounts of mortar have fallen out of mortar joints. Block pores. While the pores in the blocks are small, they cover the entire face of the wall, and hence can add up to a substantial leakage area. However, they are difficult and expensive to seal, requiring that the entire face of the wall be painted or coated. Tests have shown that the porosity of blocks can vary by an order of magnitude, depending upon how they were manufactured (Ru91). A variety of coatings can reduce this porosity by 95% or more, including, e.g., epoxy paints and cementitious block filler. With

Radon & Asthma

admin — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 14:01:05 +0000

While lung cancer is the main risk associated with radon exposure, Asthma may or may not also be associated with radon exposure. Asthma is a chronic condition caused by the constriction of the airways in the lungs. Pollen, dust, animal hair, cold air, air pollutants and food allergies may trigger asthma symptoms.

Without citing any specific studies, there have been claims that radon has been linked to asthma and reducing the amount of radon in the home will reduce the risk of asthma, various cancers and other illnesses. Even low levels of radon are dangerous over time.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), lung cancer is the only known health effect caused by radon exposure.

While the connection between asthma and radon may be uncertain, the connection between radon and lung cancer is not. According to the EPA, radon is the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. The EPA also states that radon exposure is the second-leading cause of lung cancer overall and responsible for approximately 21,000 lung cancer deaths per year.

Radon is produced naturally by the decomposition of uranium. Radon is an invisible, odorless, tasteless, radioactive gas. Radon is a carcinogen and long-term exposure to it can cause cancer.

through the drilled holes via a hose/nozzle from a compressed cylinder. Itis not clear from available data under what conditions it will be cost-effective to try to seal the veneer gap in this manner. Reasonably good BWD performance has sometimes been achieved even in brick-veneer houses where this gap was not closed. Major ami illtermediate holes through the block wall. Any major openings through the block wall must be sealed. Such major openings would include, for example, partially missing blocks in cases where there is some major penetration has been installed through the wall. Intermediate openings should also be sealed. These would include, e.g., modest gaps around utility line penetrations, chinks in the blocks, and places where signifIcant amounts of mortar have fallen out of mortar joints. Block pores. While the pores in the blocks are sma

Blue Bell, PA

admin — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 20:53:42 +0000

A Nice Town with Trouble Underfoot

Blue Bell is known for its large executive-style homes and major business parks, as well as its small community shopping facilities and businesses. In July 2005, Money magazine ranked Blue Bell 14th on its list of the “100 Best Places to Live in the United States.” And yet, for all the wonderful things said about Blue Bell, the discussion about the inherit, natural danger of radon gas lurking in the basements of Blue Bell homes is behind the curtains.

More than half of Blue Bell homes have the propensity for moderate to high risk levels of radon. If this radon is not properly removed it poses a significant health hazard.

What exactly is radon?

The good news is that it is possible to test for radon once you’ve found a perfect Ambler home. The other good news is that once you understand the problem, it’s possible to have the radon problem remedied as well. And that’s where Radon-Rid comes in.

d fan capacity, might be considered to compensate for the expected leakage. Supplementing the BWD pipes with SSD should also be considered (Radon is a poisonous gas that is lurking beneath your home). The EPA study houses in Pennsylvania in which stand-alone BWD radon testing system s gave the poorest performance generally had frreplace structures (He87, Sc88). Gap associated with brick velleer. In houses having exterior brick veneer, a gap occurs between the veneer and the sheathing and block behind the veneer. This gap is depicted in Figure 37C. This gap could sometimes serve as an important source of air leakage into the BWD radon testing system , with outside air and house air being drawn down through that gap (e.g., from the eaves where the veneer ends, or from house air leakage through the sheathing on the floors above). In an effort to seal this gap, it would be necessary to drill into the gap at intervals (probably through the band

Ambler, PA

admin — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 18:29:43 +0000

How many people are truly aware of the radon problem in Ambler?

Located 17 miles northwest of downtown Philly, Ambler is enjoying a revival as new businesses open up to complement established stores that have served the community for decades. Night-time visitors to Ambler’s tree-lined main street can now visit an Irish pub – complete with live Celtic music – have dinner at a Mexican restaurant, or watch top-class cinema at the nonprofit, and recently renovated Ambler Theater.

Ambler sounds like a nice community to move to and live in, especially in this depressed economy, but how many potential and existing homeowners realize the dangerous problem caused by radon? And what exactly is radon anyways?

Radon is a radioactive gas that results from the natural breakdown of uranium found in trace amounts in soil, rock, and water. Radon is the main source of our exposure to all radiation. The US Surgeon General and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have determined that radon is second only to smoking as a leading cause of lung cancer. Testing for Radon is the only way to know if you and your family are at risk from radon.

sill plate as a cap for the top voids, in the manner indicated in the preceding two paragraphs, is less effe�ctive than would be successful injection of foam into the block cavities. TIle inaccessible outside seam between the sill plate and the block is left uncaulked, and the sill plate would thus be expected to be a leaky cap. However, use of the sill plate saves a lot of time and expense. It has seemed to be sufficient in a few of the EPA study houses in Pennsylvania where stnnd-nlone BWD radon testing system s were tested (He87, Sc88); however, in other cases, two fans were required and/or radon levels were not reliably reduced below 4 pCi/L. Firtplace structures. Fireplace structures incorporated into block walls offer the potential for large and inaccessible openings within the structure. For example, there may be a substantial gap between the actual fireplace

Abington, PA

admin — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 18:57:44 +0000

Abington is one of Montgomery County’s oldest communities – dating back to before 1700. Abington is home to some of the county’s oldest industries and churches as well. Many of these older structures have not been tested for radon, and they should. Radon especially tends to be found in older Pennsylvania basements.

Abington may be highly desirable residential area, but that certainly doesn’t make the radon disappear. Montgomery County has tested on average 4.9 pCi/L for indoor radon. The EPA action level for radon is 4.0 pCi/L. About 270,000 single homes in Pennsylvania, with about 750,000 occupants, are expected to have radon levels greater than 20 pCi/L, 5 times the EPA action level, and it’s a sure bet there are plenty of these radon-toxic homes in Abington.

About Radon

If You Live in Abington, Radon is in your home.

Scientific analysis of radon levels in homes in Abington and many other Pennsylvania cities have found that 10% or more of homes contain dangerous levels of radon. Radon is a naturally occurring gas that can be removed from the house though radon mitigation.

Radon Radioactive Gas Kills

On average, 20,000 Americans die each year from radon exposure. Most of the exposure happens in their own home, where radon has a chance to build up over time because it is trapped by the walls and foundation. The percentage of radon contamination in Bucks County homes can be very high. Radon in Abington affects on average 10-40% of all homes.

Abington Radon Testing

RadonRid: Local, Thorough, Trustworthy

Contact us today about your home. Radon testing can verify that you are living in a safe environment, and if not Radon mitigation specialists can help you make your home safe for your family.

Radon-Rid, LLC – A Full Service Radon Detection and Reduction Company providing peace of mind from Radon in homes and businesses throughout Southeastern PA and the Tri-State Area.

Radon Testing, Mitigation, and Remediation. Pennsylvania, Philadelphia County, Bucks County, Montgomery County, Chester County, Delaware County.

e top of the wall; sometype ofsupportforthefoam couldthen beinserted through this hole. If this... is unsuccessful. efforts could focus on sealing the fraction-of-an-inch opening between the sill plate and the foundation wall. as illustrated in Figure 37B. This approach seals that portion of the top void that is accessible, and relies upon the sill plate to serve as at least a partial cap on the portion which is inaccessible. Expanding foam applied on top of the wall. beside the sill plate, is one material that might be used to seal this gap. Or. a small strip of wood might be sealed against the sill plate and the foundation wall using beads of polyurethane caulk. Where none of the top void is visible, foam could be injected into each top cavity through a hole drilled in the face of the block. If the foam did not expand rapidly enough to avoid droppi

Is Radon A Health Problem In Homes?

admin — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 15:48:46 +0000

Organizations like the U.S. Surgeon General, American Medical Association, Centers for Disease Control, American Lung Association, National Cancer Institute, Environmental Protection Agency and the National Academy of Sciences all state that radon is a health threat in homes.

A study released by the National Academy of Sciences on February 19, 1998 called “The Health Effects of Exposure to Indoor Radon” is the most definitive accumulation of scientific data on indoor radon. The report concludes that radon causes 15,000 – 22,000 deaths per year, making it the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. and a serious health concern.

The risk of developing lung cancer from radon has been clearly demonstrated in underground miners. Did you know that the average lifetime radon exposure for the general population is about the same as the levels of exposure at which increased risk has been demonstrated in underground miners?

ditional complication, in that the cavity is not accessible other than by drilling through the block face or sill plate. Where at least a fraction of an inch of the void is exposed, a foam nozzle could be inserted into the void. If a rapidly expanding. quick-setting foam is used, it may successfully seal the entire top void. despite the lack of any support underneath. Another option might be to drill a hole into each cavity, through the face of the block just below the top of the wall; sometype ofsupportforthefoam couldthen beinserted through this hole. If this... is unsuccessful. efforts could focus on sealing the fraction-of-an-inch opening between the sill plate and the foundation wall. as illustrated in Figure 37B. This approach seals that portion of the top void that is accessible, and relies upon the sill plate to serve as at least a partial cap

How Does Radon Induce Lung Cancer?

admin — Wed, 04 May 2011 21:08:37 +0000

When radon gas is inhaled into the lungs, radon decay products become lodged or trapped in the lungs lining, where alpha particles radiate and penetrate the cells of the mucous membranes, bronchi, and other pulmonary tissues. It is believed that it is the ionizing radiation from these alpha particles that affect the bronchial epithelial cells and initiates the process of the carcinogenesis.

Radon related lung cancers are mainly seen in the upper airways, however radon increases the incidences of all histological types of lung cancer, including small cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.

jor wall openings at the top of block foundation walls, in conjunction with BWD radon system s. 221 exposed, ifany of the void is exposed at all. In such cases, it will be impractical or impossible to force support material down into the cavities. Without such supporting material, it could be more difficult to get foam to effectively close the top voids. since large amounts of foam might drop down into the cavities below. Where none of the void is exposed, there is an additional complication, in that the cavity is not accessible other than by drilling through the block face or sill plate. Where at least a fraction of an inch of the void is exposed, a foam nozzle could be inserted into the void. If a rapidly expanding. quick-setting foam is used, it may successfully seal the entire top void. despite the lack of any support underneath. Another option might be

Long-Term Effects of Radon –

admin — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 17:19:45 +0000

Radon is an invisible, odorless and tasteless gas that is a naturally occurring byproduct of uranium. Radon is classified as a Type A carcinogen, the most potent category of cancer-causing agents according to the Center for Environmental Research and Technology (CERTI). There is known safe level of radon exposure, stresses the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and risk increases with prolonged exposure, reports University of Minnesota Environmental Health Sciences (ENHS).

Radon levels become elevated in indoor environments, and inhalation of radon has been proven to cause lung cancer. According to ENHS, radon exposure is also associated with other respiratory conditions such as emphysema.

Types of lung cancers associated with radon exposure include adenocarcinoma, large cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and small cell carcinoma. The EPA reports, radon is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers and the second-leading cause of lung cancer overall. Radon combined with cigarette smoking increases cancer risk.

Radon gas decays quickly and its decay products stick to lung tissue, exposing the lungs to radiation. The radiation destroys lung cells and causes genetic mutations that can lead to cancer reports CERTI.

Long-term radon exposure has been linked to the development of emphysema, chronic interstitial pneumonia, pulmonary fibrosis and respiratory lesions, according to ENHS. Emphysema is a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The air sacs in the lung can become damaged by radon gas, depriving the body of oxygen.

Radon gas exposure results in mutations of chromosomes. It is a genotoxic substance, meaning that it may damage DNA in ways that can lead to cancer and may have other unknown long-term effects. Radon gas is also teratogenic, reports ENHS; it may disturb the development of an embryo or fetus, end a pregnancy or cause birth defects.

ch of the top void will be 220 Siding Sheathing Wallboard Floor Floor J()ist 11/1-__-----+----Band Joist ~-------11---Sill Plate . Foam or Mortar .. . to Close Void Brick Veneer .Sheathing ...Support for Foaml>: 121n. Mortar if Needed ;. Top Void A) Closure of top void Floor Joist when void is reasonably. accessible. Foam to ~----+---Drilled Access . Close Veneer Hole Through Gap Band Joist Closure Plate Caulk Sill Plate 12 In. U'J4:;===f--Sill Plate C) One option for closing gap between exterior brick veneer Caulk or F:oam and interior block and sheathing. Top Void .= .~ ~ �' .:.;:8 In. :;.~. B) One option for closure of top void when a fraction of an inch of the void is exposed. Figure 37. Some options for closing major wall openings at the top of block foundation walls, in conjunction with BWD