Radon gas might be something you’ve never heard of before, but it’s something you should definitely know about if you own a house. Radon gas is created when naturally occurring uranium breaks down in rocks underground and climbs upward to the surface. If a home is built above these sources of uranium, they can be at risk for exposure to radon gas. While not lethal in and of itself, lengthy exposure to radon gas can heighten one’s risk of developing cancer, which makes practicing local radon mitigation and abatement very important. If radon testing detects radon in your home, there are several strategies you can follow to keep your home (and yourself) safe from radon. That’s what this article will be looking at.
- Place a Layer of Gravel Underneath the Foundation: One way to keep your home safe from radon gas is to place a layer of gravel underneath the foundation according to the EPA. Gravel can be placed under the foundation slab either while the home is being built, or it can be placed by drilling a hole through the foundation and adding the gravel before the hole is sealed back up. The gravel is one of the simplest methods of practicing local radon mitigation and abatement because it gives the radon gas some place to go besides upwards to the house.
- Place a Vapor Barrier in Your Home’s Crawlspace: Another way to keep your home safe from radon gas is to place a vapor barrier in your home’s crawlspace. This is an area in your basement that can go underneath the first level of the house and can be exposed to the open dirt. Since the dirt can provide radon gas a way into the house, it’s important to lay down a plastic vapor barrier that would block radon gas from getting into the house.
- Seal Any Cracks in the Foundation Slab: A third way to keep your home safe from radon gas is to seal any cracks in your foundation slab. Even with gravel under the foundation, it might be possible for radon gas to get through if there are cracks in the foundation slab. Therefore, any cracks in the foundation, no matter how small, need to be sealed to provide a solid barrier against any radon gas that might try to get into the home.
In conclusion, there are several ways you can practice local radon mitigation and abatement. These ways include placing a layer of gravel underneath the foundation slab, placing a vapor barrier in your home’s crawlspace, and sealing any cracks in the home’s foundation slab. These are just a few of the things you can do to keep your home safe from radon gas, but these are all effective techniques.