There are many dangers that can potentially affect your home, but few are more dangerous than radon gas. What is radon? Radon gas is produced when rocks bearing naturally occurring uranium breaks down underground and send the gas moving up towards the surface. While radon gas is not lethal in and of itself, it can heighten your risk of developing cancer. In fact, the Surgeon General warns hat radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. For that reason alone, it’s important to protect your home from radon gas as much as possible. If radon testing detects radon in your home, there are several things you can do to protect your home from the dangers of radon gas. This article will look at some of the things you can do to protect your home.
- Seal Cracks in the Foundation: The first thing you can do to protect your home from radon gas if radon testing detects it is to seal any cracks in your home’s foundation. As radon gas moves upward through the ground, it will seek any path to move up to the house. Sealing any cracks, no matter how small, will effectively seal your foundation off from any radon gas trying to move upwards.
- Place a Layer of Gravel Under the Foundation: Another thing you can do to protect your home from radon gas is to lay a layer of gravel underneath the foundation. This can be done in two ways. First, the gravel can be laid down before the foundation is laid when the house is being built. Second, a hole can be placed in the existing foundation and the gravel poured underneath before the hole is resealed. The layer of gravel gives the radon gas somewhere to disperse before coming up to the foundation and the house.
- Seal the Area around the Sump Pump: A third thing you can do to protect your home from radon gas is to seal the area around your sump pump. During sump pump installation, pipes are extended through the ground to connect the sump pump to the sewer line. These pipes can provide a path for radon gas to enter the sub-level of your home. To prevent this from happening, the area around these pipes ned to be sealed to prevent any gas from getting in.
- Place a Vapor Barrier in Any Crawlspace: A fourth way you can protect your home from radon gas is to place a vapor barrier in your home’s crawlspace. A crawlspace is a narrow area found in many basements that runs underneath the first floor of the house, and can have a floor that is actually bare earth. This bare earth can provide the perfect means of entry for radon gas. Therefore, it’s important to install a vapor barrier that consists of specially lined plastic that will be laid against the ground and prevent any radon gas from getting into the house.
In conclusion, there are several ways to protect your home from radon gas if radon testing detects its presence in your home. The things you can do include sealing cracks in the foundation, placing a layer of gravel under the foundation, sealing the area around the sump pump, and placing a vapor barrier in your home’s crawlspace. All of these things can work to protect your home from radon gas.
