Call - Text - Chat - Email to Consult with a Certified Radon Contractor in Buffalo, NY
WHAT IS RADON? WHY SHOULD I INSTALL A RADON SYSTEM IN BUFFALO, NY?
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that can seep into your home or business through cracks or holes in the basement walls and floor. Radon gas is colorless, odorless and tasteless. Much of the Buffalo, New York region has elevated levels of radon due to high amounts of granite bedrock. Risk depends on how much and how long you have been exposed to radon gas, which is believed to be the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking.
HEALTH RISKS & HAZARDS OF RADON IN BUFFALO, NY
-
Lung cancer
-
Irritation of eyes, nose and throat
-
Damage to the liver, kidneys and central nervous system
-
Increased risk of a respiratory disease, such as asthma & allergies
-
Headaches
-
Dizziness & nausea
HOW DOES RADON ENTER MY HOME OR BUILDING?
It comes from the natural decay of uranium that is found in nearly all soils. It typically moves up through the ground to the air above and into your building through cracks and other holes in the foundation. Your building traps radon inside, where it can build up. Radon levels in buildings can fluctuate. Levels can be affected by a number of factors, including weather, soil moisture, and air pressure. Differences in the air pressure inside the building compared to air pressure outside of the building can create a vacuum, called an air pressure differential, which draws radon into the building. Normal activities such as using the furnace, the bathroom fan, a whole house fan, or the clothes dryer will pull air into the building, which contributes to air pressure differentials. Radon has been found in all types of properties, including:
-
Old and New Buildings
-
Well Sealed & Energy Efficient Buildings
-
Drafty & Leaky Buildings
-
Buildings with Basements
-
Buildings with Slab Construction
-
Buildings with Crawlspaces
LUNG CANCER AND RADON EXPOSURE IN BUFFALO, NY
Radon represents a far smaller risk than cigarette smoking for this disease, but it is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. Scientists estimate that 15,000 to 22,000 lung cancer deaths in the United States each year are related to radon. Exposure to the combination of radon gas in Buffalo, NY and cigarette smoke creates a greater risk of lung cancer than exposure to either factor alone. The majority of radon-related cancer deaths occur among smokers. However, it is estimated that more than 10 percent of radon-related cancer deaths occur among nonsmokers.
MEDICAL HEALTH EFFECTS OF INDOOR AIR RADON POLLUTION IN BUFFALO, NY
Indoor air pollution can affect you at home, work, or even places you visit. It can increase your risk of a respiratory disease, such as asthma, allergies, and lung cancer. Indoor air pollution can be worse in winter, when windows are shut tight and less fresh air can circulate. Chemicals can enter the body through three major pathways (breathing, touching or swallowing). This is referred to as exposure. No matter how dangerous a substance or activity is, it cannot harm you without exposure. Whether or not a person will have health effects after breathing in VOCs or RADON depends on:
-
The toxicity of the chemical (amount of harm that can be caused by contact with the chemical).
-
How much of the chemical is in the air.
-
How long and how often the air is breathed.
Differences in age, health condition, gender and exposure to other chemicals also can affect whether or not a person will have health effects. Short-term exposure to high levels of some VOCs can cause headaches, dizziness, light-headedness, drowsiness, nausea, and eye and respiratory irritation. These effects usually go away after the exposure stops.
RADON AND BUILDING MATERIALS | CAN YOU SMELL RADON?
Some natural building materials, such as granite, stone and some concrete products, can give off very small amounts of radon. However, building materials rarely cause radon problems by themselves. Radon gas in soils is the primary source of radon in buildings. If your building has natural building products, including granite countertops, it will generally not contribute a significant amount of radon to the air in your building. If you still wish to test your granite countertops or other material, there are specific granite test kits that can be performed.
RADON AND WATER | TREATING WATER FOR RADON IN BUFFALO, NY
It can also dissolve into our water supply. While most radon-related deaths are due to radon gas accumulated in houses from seepage through cracks in the foundation, 30 to 1,800 deaths per year are attributed to radon from household water. High levels of dissolved radon are found in the groundwater in some areas flowing through granite or granitic sand and gravel formations. If you live in an area with high radon in groundwater it can get into your private well. Showering, washing dishes, and laundering can disturb the water and release radon gas into the air you breathe.