Every year almost 21,000 Americans are killed from lung cancer that is thought to be related to breathing in Radon. Many people have never even heard of Radon, let alone know that it is the 6th most common cancer causing chemical element around. So how do you know if there is Radon in your environment, and where does it come from? Here are some of the facts that you should know about Radon:
-Radon is colorless and is a type of radioactive noble gas that occurs naturally.
-Radon is produced when radium decays, radium is found in soils and is an alkaline earth metal. This is very radioactive and can be found all over the world, although some places have higher levels of radium than others.
-Radon levels can vary from house to house and no two houses are the same, you can buy testing kits to measure how much radon is in your home, or you can get a professional to do this for you.
-Increased negative pressure inside a house can suck radon into the house which means that the levels of radon will increase. To combat this you need good ventilation in your home, so you should make sure that your air conditioner is working effectively by having it checked every year and maintained if you spot something that seems out of place.
-It is thought that radon contributes to lung cancer because its alpha particles (which consist of 2 protons and 2 neurons) are breathed in and will attach themselves to lung cell chromosomes which can drastically change the way that they grow. This over the course of 10-20 years can result in lung cancer for people who are predisposed to this type of illness.
-Over 70,000 homes in the US have been found to contain radon, this means that your home could be at risk too - however there are methods of testing for radon.
-If radon is found in your home you can install a radon mitigation system. Once installed these systems are cheap to run and will last for around 13 years without any problems. This is small price to pay to make sure that your home is radon free.
-To help reduce the levels of radon in your home naturally you should open any basement windows a few inches from Amy to September, this can reduce the radon levels in your home by up to 40%.
If you would like advice and information on protecting your home from radon then speak to your local HVAC professionals who will pleased to help you. They can assist you with implementing radon reducing measures in your home that will meet your needs and be cost effective.
Author Resource:-
Giant Mechanical is a leading Chicago area company that provides Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, Refrigeration, and a variety of other services. Find out how Giant Mechanical can help you with your commercial, residential, or institutional needs by visiting http://www.giantmechanical.com.
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