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Call Us Now: (208) 323-4900
We offer reliable and accurate testing services to ensure that you and your loved ones are safe from this dangerous gas. Radon is a silent killer and a leading cause of lung cancer, but it’s invisible to the naked eye and odorless, making it essential to have your property tested.
Radon is a cancer-causing, radioactive gas that cannot be seen, smelled, or tasted, but which causes thousands of deaths each year. Tiny radioactive particles which make up radon gas get trapped in lungs, releasing small bursts of energy as they continue to decay. These bursts can damage lung tissue and lead to cancer over time, and children are more heavily affected than adults. The Surgeon General states that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States after cigarette smoking, and everyone is a potential victim.
Radon gas occurs from the natural breakdown of uranium in soil, rock, and water. It can creep into any type of building, where it may collect until dangerous levels are reached, seriously affecting those who regularly breathe this deadly substance. It is estimated that one out of every fifteen homes in America has elevated radon levels. The only way to know whether your home or place of business is gathering radon gas is to have it tested. If radon gas is detected, there are relatively simple steps you can take to reduce the build-up.
The amount of radon in the air is measured in "picocuries per liter of air" (pCi/L) or "working levels" (WL). There are many low cost "do it yourself" radon test kits available through mail-order or local hardware stores, ranging from short-term to long-term tests. Any test you buy should display the phrase "Meets EPA Requirements," or, if you choose to hire a professional to complete radon testing, be sure they are an EPA-qualified or a state certified technician.
Factors such as design, construction, and ventilation of the home can affect the pathways and forces that draw radon indoors. According to a national residential radon survey completed in 1991, the average indoor radon level in the United States is 1.3 picocuries per liter (pCi/L). The average outdoor level is about 0.4 pCi/L. However, not all houses or buildings–even those in the same area or the same neighborhood–have the same radon level. The only way to know if you have a radon in your home is to test for it. Tests should be performed in the lowest lived-in area of the house.
Several studies have been done to determine radon levels in Idaho and different results have been found each time. In 1985 and 1986, state and local health officials screened 1,018 homes for radon. Approximately one-third of the homes had high levels of radon. In 1989 and 1990, Idaho and EPA conducted a joint survey intended to be more representative of the entire state. A two-day charcoal canister test was used by 1,142 homeowners. The results, received in January 1992, indicated that more than 20 percent of the homes in Idaho had high levels of radon. Since 1990, the state radon project has been tracking the number of tests reported in Idaho.
As of August 2005, 6,668 homes have reported results to the project with 37% of the homes testing high for radon. It is difficult to predict which homes may have high radon levels. Homes built side by side, on the same soil or rock, or with similar designs, can have very different radon levels. Therefore, it is recommended that all homes be tested. No level of radon is considered absolutely safe, radon levels in a home should be reduced as much as possible. The amount of radon in the air is measured in picoCuries per Liter of air, or pCi/L.
The EPA recommends fixing your home if the results of one long-term test or the average of two short-term tests taken in the lowest lived-in area of the home show radon levels of 4 pCi/L or higher. The higher the radon level, the more quickly you should have your home fixed. If a test indicates an elevated level of radon, reducing the level is usually easy and inexpensive. Sometimes homeowners can do the work themselves, although it is recommended that they seek professional guidance or have the work done by a professional, EPA-certified radon mitigator. However, if you want to do the work yourself, please call the Radon Hotline number to obtain a technical assistance document.
There are several methods a contractor can use to lower radon levels in your home. Some techniques prevent radon from entering your home, while others reduce radon levels after it has entered the home. EPA generally recommends methods that prevent radon entry. These systems use a pipe to remove radon gas from below the concrete floor and the foundation before it can enter the home. If you live in an area with high radon levels and are building a new home, you should consider installing radon-resistant construction features. It is more cost-effective to include these features while building a home, rather than fixing an existing home.
Asbestos is one of the most familiar contaminates. Commercial and residential property owners should be aware of both health and legal concerns regarding this notorious substance. Asbestos is actually a group of six different minerals (actinolite, amosite, anthophyllite, chrysotile, tremolite, and crocidolite) which occur naturally in the environment. Asbestos appears as long fibers, something like fiberglass, and due to its resistance to heat and chemicals enjoyed an extended period of popularity as a building material.
Although asbestos' negative coverage would lead most people to believe that standing anywhere near an asbestos shingle is potentially harmful, asbestos is not actually a serious detriment to human health unless it has begun to crumble and is subsequently inhaled.
Low levels of asbestos can be detected in almost any air sample, but it is in enclosed areas where exposure to deteriorating insulation, for example, causes the most damage. Once asbestos shingles, insulation, or other materials begin to break down, tiny fibers are released into the air. People begin breathing in concentrated amounts of these fibers, which then lodge in the lungs. Although not all fibers inhaled will stay permanently in the lungs, some may accumulate.
Lead originally entered paint manufacturing in an attempt to make paint last longer. It proved to be excellent at improving the staying power of paint, but it soon became apparent that the hazards of lead far outweighed the benefits. As the adverse affects of lead on humans were discovered, the lead in paint was reduced; first in 1950 and then again in 1978. Consequently, the most likely homes to contain dangerous levels of lead in their paint are those built before 1950, and even if those homes have been repainted with safer paints since that time, their danger still lurks just beneath the surface.
Although lead poisoning can come from lead in water or from items like glazed pottery, the most common cause of lead poisoning is from household paint, which has begun to deteriorate and turn to dust. The dust released from the deterioration is inhaled and ingested by the occupants of the house, or sometimes children will actually chew lead covered items and absorb dangerous levels even more rapidly.
Electromagnetic Fields (EMF) are fields of energy generated by the use of electricity. These fields are found around all electrical power lines, electric appliances, and even the electrical wiring in structures; they can also occur naturally. There is no conclusive evidence that EMF are detrimental to health, but some researchers have noted a higher incidence of certain kinds of cancers in people who live near heavy EMF fields, like those who live near electric towers. Although every day a new conclusion is reached on the damage EMF fields may or may not cause the human body, it does not hurt to take a few simple precautions.
EMF is actually two separate energy fields: electric and magnetic. It is the voltage of the electricity that generates electrical fields, and the higher the voltage, the greater the electrical fields. These fields are found wherever electricity is used: home wiring, electrical appliances, power tools, and even though an appliance may be off, if it is plugged in it is still generating electrical fields. These fields can be shielded by materials such as wood or metal.
Magnetic fields, on the other hand, are generated only when electricity is moving or flowing through a wire. Only when an appliance is turned on will it generate a magnetic field, and unlike electric fields, they cannot be shielded.
If possible, it is best not to spend extended periods of time near high EMF fields. For instance, if you have a choice between putting your bed directly below an electrical panel or across the room, opt for across the room. Some day we will know all the answers, but in the meantime, it is best to play it safe.
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