Radon, Mitigation, Waterloo, Cedar Falls,

RADON

URANIUM... THE SOURCE

To understand the geology of radon - where it forms, how it forms, how it moves - we have to start with its ultimate source, uranium. All rocks contain some uranium, although most contain just a small amount - between 1 and 3 parts per million (ppm) of uranium. In general, the uranium content of a soil will be about the same as the uranium content of the rock from which the soil was derived.

(157 kb) The bright-yellow mineral tyuyamunite is one of the most common uranium ore minerals. This specimen, which is less than 3 inches across, came from the Ridenour mine, Arizona, near the Grand Canyon (photograph by Karen Wenrich).
Some types of rocks have higher than average uranium contents. These include light-colored volcanic rocks, granites, dark shales, sedimentary rocks that contain phosphate, and metamorphic rocks derived from these rocks. These rocks and their soils may contain as much as 100 ppm uranium. Layers of these rocks underlie various parts of the United States.

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Radon Fans & Their Importance

Radon Fans

Fans: The fans move less air than many bathroom fans (typically less than 60 CFM). Continuous operation is required yet inexpensive (similar to a 40-80 watt light bulb).

Choices: It is a balance between vacuum pressure needed (based upon sub-slab conditions) and air volume needed (based upon cavity sizes and tightness.Experience in choosing the best fan is important. Bigger is not better yet too small will result in compromised effectiveness in cold weather. Over sized fans can cause noise, excess energy loss and problems with other building systems such as combustion appliances. Light duty fans require situations where all gaps and openings to soil can be sealed.

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Radon in Iowa 

The entire state of Iowa is considered at high risk for radon gas in homes by the EPA. High levels of radon can be found in any type of home, so it is important for everyone to test their home.
The Surgeon General's National Health Advisory on Radon states that "Indoor radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the United States.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF RADON GAS POISONING?

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Radon Symptoms

What are the symptoms of radon poisoning?

Since radon is the #2 cause of lung cancer in the U.S., respiratory ailments are the most likely signs of radon-related distress. A persistent cough, hoarseness, breathing difficulties, and recurring respiratory infections are all possible indications of radon poisoning.

What is Radon Gas?

What is Radon Gas?

Radon, Mitigation, Waterloo, Cedar Falls, Waverly, Hudson, Gilbertville, Grundy Center, Parkerburg,  Iowa, Jesup, Health, Cancer,Mallon Construction Services



What is Radon Gas?

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that is colorless, odorless, and tasteless. It is formed by the natural breakdown of uranium in rock, soil and water.

Radon gas moves up through the soil and can be drawn into our homes by slight pressure differences. Once inside, radon can become trapped and build up to unsafe levels. 
The U.S. Surgeon General warns that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer after cigarette smoking and the number one cause of lung cancer in non-smokers. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that radon causes around 20,000 deaths from lung cancer annually in the United States.

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WHAT DO YOUR RADON TEST RESULTS MEAN?

What Your Test Results Mean

The average indoor radon level is estimated to be about 1.3 pCi/L, and about 0.4 pCi/L of radon is normally found in the outside air. The U.S. Congress has set a long-term goal that indoor radon levels be no more than outdoor levels. While this goal is not yet technologically achievable in all cases, most homes today can be reduced to 2 pCi/L or below.

WHAT IS A SAFE LEVEL OF RADON GAS?

What is a safe level of radon gas?

This is the simpler of the two questions. A safe level of radon gas is no radon gas. Radon gas is a carcinogen which causes lung cancer. The US EPA has put it plainly, stating, "Any radon exposure has some risk of causing lung cancer. The lower the radon level in your home, the lower your family's risk of lung cancer." The average person receives a higher dose of radiation from the radon levels in their home than from their combined exposure to all other radiation sources, natural or man-made. Radon gas is a naturally-occurring byproduct of the radioactive decay

of Uranium in the soil.

CANCER AND RADON

CANCER & RADON

Radon's primary hazard arises from inhalation of the gas and its highly radioactive heavy metallic decay products (Polonium, Lead, and Bismuth) which tend to collect on dust in the air. The problem arises when these elements stick to the delicate cells lining the passageways leading into the lungs.

RADON Are we sure that radon is a health risk?

Are we sure that radon is a health risk?

EPA already has a wealth of scientific data on the relationship between radon exposure and the development of lung cancer. The scientific experts agree that the occupational miner data is a very solid base from which to estimate risk of lung cancer deaths annually. While residential radon epidemiology studies will improve what we know about radon, they will not supersede the occupational data. Health authorities like the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the Surgeon General , the American Lung Association, the American Medical Association, and others agree that we know enough now to recommend radon testing and to encourage public action when levels are above 4 pCi/.

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Radon General properties

 Radon General properties 

Name, symbol radon, Rn Pronunciation /ˈreɪdɒn/ ray-don Appearance colorless gas Radon in the periodic table Hydrogen (diatomic nonmetal) Helium (noble gas) Lithium (alkali metal) Beryllium (alkaline earth metal) astatine ← radon → francium Atomic number 86 Standard atomic weight (222) Element category noble gases Group, period, block group 18 (noble gases), period 6, p-block Electron configuration [Xe] 4f14 5d10 6s2 6p6 per shell: 2, 8, 18, 32, 18, Oder Your Test Kits Here!

Radon / Elements

Radon / Elements

Elements that are naturally radioactive include uranium, thorium, carbon, and potassium, as well as radon and radium. Uranium is the first element in a long series of decay that produces radium and radon. Uranium is referred to as the parent element, and radium and radon are called daughters. Radium and radon also form daughter elements as they decay.

Radon, A deadly gas!

RADON: IS YOUR FAMILY SAFE?

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(September 2009) The United Nation's World Health Organization (WHO) says that radon is a worldwide health risk in homes. Dr. Maria Neira of WHO said that "Most radon-induced lung cancers occur from low and medium dose exposures in people's homes. Radon is the second most important cause of lung cancer after smoking in many countries."

RADON....Federal Radon Action Plan

 
Radon, Mitigation, Waterloo, Cedar Falls, Waverly, Hudson, Gilbertville, Grundy Center, Parkerburg,  Iowa, Mallon Construction Services, INC

RADON....Federal Radon Action Plan

Learn more about the federal government's strategic approach to reduce radon risk in the millions of homes, schools and daycare facilities that it influences. Protecting People and Families from Radon: A Federal Action Plan for Saving Lives.

Radon, College of Medicine University of Iowa

College of MedicineUniversity of Iowa

The Iowa Radon Lung Cancer Study was a large-scale epidemiology study initiated in 1993 and funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS).  The study assessed the risk posed by residential radon exposure. The 5-year study was performed in Iowa and the participants were women throughout Iowa who lived in their current home for at least 20 years.  Over a thousand Iowa women took part in the study.  Four hundred and thirteen of the participants were women who had developed lung cancer, the remaining 614 participants were controls who did not have lung cancer.  The study was limited to women, because they historically tend to spend more time at home and they have less occupational exposure to other lung carcinogens.

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Radon

Driving Radon Action and Awareness at the Federal Level

Mr. David Rowson, Director of EPA's Indoor Environments Division, talks with Douglas Kladder, Director of the Center for Environmental Research and Technology, Inc. (CERTI), about federal commitments aimed to integrate radon awareness into several new collaborations, especially Healthy Indoor Environment Protocols for Home Energy Upgrades, HUD's Healthy Homes Initiatives and the Federal Radon Action Plan. Health hazards indoors affect the quality of life for so many, and radon, the second leading cause of lung cancer in the US, is no exception.

Ragbrai! Want to ride with us?

RAGBRAI  RIDERS!!!!!

Join Team Radon for 2 days!

Sag vehicles  

Contact us by Monday July 14,2014.  

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Radon, Mitigation, Waterloo, Cedar Falls, Waverly, Husdon, LaPorte City, Parkersburg, Jesup, Grundy Center, Iowa

         I Am Selling a home, What Should I Do?

If Your Home Has Not Yet Been Tested for Radon...

 
Have a test taken as soon as possible! If you can, test your home before putting it on the market. You should test in the lowest level of the home that could be used regularly. This means testing in the lowest level that you currently live in or a lower level not currently used, but which a buyer might use as a family room or play area, etc.
The radon test result is important information about your home's radon level. If you do the test yourself, you should carefully follow the testing protocol for your area o r EPA's Radon Testing Checklist. If you hire a contractor to test your residence, protect yourself by hiring a qualified individual or company.

How do we know radon is a carcinogen?

The World Health Organization (WHO), the National Academy of Sciences, the US Department of Health and Human Services, as well as EPA, have classified radon as a known human carcinogen, because of the wealth of biological and epidemiological evidence and data showing the connection between exposure to radon and lung cancer in humans.

There have been many studies conducted by many different organizations in many nations around the world to examine the relationship of radon exposure and human lung cancer. The largest and most recent of these was an international study, led by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), which examined the data on 68,000 underground miners who were exposed to a wide range of radon levels. The studies of miners are very useful because the subjects are humans, not rats, as in many cancer research studies. These miners are dying of lung cancer at 5 times the rate expected for the general population. Over many years scientists around the world have conducted exhaustive research to verify the cause-effect relationship between radon exposure and the observed increased lung cancer deaths in these miners and to eliminate other possible causes.

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Radon Mitigation, Waterloo, Cedar Falls, Waverly, Hudson, LaPorte City Iowa

Radon is formed as part of the normal radioactive decay chain of uranium. Uranium has been present since the earth was formed and its most common isotope has a very long half-life (4.5 billion years), which is the amount of time required for one-half of uranium to break down. Uranium, radium, and thus radon, will continue to occur for millions of years at about the same concentrations as they do now.

RADON.... WHAT IS IT???

Radon, where does it come from?

PRODUCTION: Radon is not produced as a commercial product. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas and comes from the natural breakdown (radioactive decay) of uranium. It is usually found in igneous rock and soil, but in some cases, well water may also be a source of radon.

RADON, A SCIENTIFIC DESCRIPTION

A scientific description

PROPERTIES: Radon is a gaseous highly radioactive element discovered by English physicist Ernest Rutherford in 1899. The discovery is also credited to German physicist Friedrich Ernst Dorn in 1900. More specifically, Rutherford discovered radon's alpha radiation and Dorn discovered that radium was releasing a gas.

Radon!

Federal Radon Action The Action Plan Protecting People and Families from Radon: A Federal Action Plan for Saving Lives The Action Plan aims to increase radon risk reduction in homes, schools and daycare facilities, as well as radon-resistant new construction. It contains both an array of current federal government actions to reduce radon risks and a series of new commitments for future action

RADON INFORMATION, WATERLOO, CEDAR FALLS, IOWA

HOW DO I TAKE CARE OF A RADON PROBLEM?

Performing work to lower indoor radon levels is called radon mitigation. Radon mitigation is the process of installing a vent pipe and fan system within a home to reduce indoor radon levels. There are many ways to mitigate radon. The most common and effective is a vent pipe and fan outside the home or building. This radon mitigation system removes radon from under the foundation and vents it above the roof line of the house so that it does not enter the home.   Order your test kit at www.mallonconstructionandradon.com

Genetically Altered Foods... WARNING!

WARNING!
The problem with genetically modified foods is it changes the molecular structure of food which means we do not have the enzymes to digest the food, combining the fact that if farmers use chemicals on the soil which kills the living organisms that secrete the minerals we need for our bodies we receive NO nourishment. So if you are not eating organic then you must take supplements to feed your body.
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Dr OZ says,

Taking the Time to Test Your Home for Radon Could Save the Lives of You and Your Loved Ones
Most everyone knows that the sun gives off natural radiation, which can damage your eyes and skin. And, most people take action to protect themselves and their children from the sun’s rays. But did you know that the earth gives off natural radiation too, which can seep into your home and become an indoor air hazard for your family? This form of radiation is called radon gas and it comes from the natural breakdown of uranium in rocks and soil.
Radon is all around us, but when it is trapped indoors, it becomes a serious health concern. In fact, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer among smokers and the top cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. It is responsible for about 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year — killing more people than even drunk driving.
Radon is invisible and odorless and can appear in any type of home: old, new, with or without a basement. High indoor radon levels have been found in every state. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates about 1 in 15 homes have high levels of radon. That’s about 8 million homes with high levels.

RADON HISTORY

Radon was discovered by Friedrich Ernst Dorn at 1900 in Germany. Origin of name: named after "the element radium" (radon was called niton at first, from the Latin word "nitens" meaning "shining".
Radon was discovered in 1900 by Friedrich Ernst Dorn, who called it niton. It is essentially inert. It has been called radon since 1923, before which it was called niton.

THE GEOLOGY OF RADON

The Geology of Radon

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Radon is a gas produced by the radioactive decay of the element radium. Radioactive decay is a natural, spontaneous process in which an atom of one element decays or breaks down to form another element by losing atomic particles (Protons, neutrons, or electrons). When solid radium decays to form radon gas, it loses two protons and two neutrons. These two protons and two neutrons are called an alpha particle, which is a type of radiation. The elements that produce radiation are called radioactive. Radon itself is radioactive because it also decays, losing an alpha particle and forming the element polonium.

What do my results from a Radon Gas Test mean?

What do my results from a Radon Gas Test mean?

The results from radon testing will be provided in picoCuries per liter (pCi/L). The USEPA has set an action level of 4.0pCi/L and recommends that buildings equal to or over this level have radon mitigation (radon reduction measures) performed to reduce the level of risk within the home.
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IMPORTANT ABOUT RADON

RADON 
Lonnie Mallon President of Mallon Construction & Radon Mitigation Services attended the EPA Regent 7 Radon Stake Holders Meeting in West Des Moines, Iowa on March 4, 2014. It was attended by 180 people interested in the radon issues. Key note speaker was a middle school principle that survived stage 4 lung cancer due to radon. For more information on radon or to purchase test kits go to www.,mallonconstructionandradon.com

Radon Mitigation, Waterloo, Cedar Falls, Waverly, Jesup, Grundy Center, www.mallonconstructionandradon.com

Radon & Schools!

The classrooms present another hazard. The E.P.A. tested for radon in a sample of schools nationwide resulting that over 70,000 classrooms in the United States were likely to have radon concentrations that equal or exceed the E.P.A.'s action level. Sending a student to a classroom with high radon concentrations presents a cancer risk similar to the student smoking a few cigarettes during the school day.

RADON, IS YOUR HOME SAFE?  

Testimonial

My husband and I got the news on the day before my 57th birthday - I had lung cancer. How could that be? I've never smoked a cigarette in my life. But after reading a short article titled 'Nonsmokers and Lung Cancer," I learned that radon causes lung cancer, and Iowa has the highest incidence of radon in the entire country- seven out of ten homes have levels that are too high! I tell my story often so that other Iowans won't hear those words, it's lung cancer! 

Define Radon Mitigation?

Performing work to lower indoor radon levels is called radon mitigation. Radon mitigation is the process of installing a vent pipe and fan system within a home to reduce indoor radon levels.A radon mitigation system removes radon from under the foundation and vents it above the roof line of the house so that it does not enter the home.

Radon Information

Unfortunately, many Americans presume that because the action level is 4 pCi/L, a radon level of less than 4 pCi/L is "safe". This perception is altogether too common in the residential real estate market. In managing any risk, we should be concerned with the greatest risk. For most Americans, their greatest exposure to radon is in their homes; especially in rooms that are below grade (e.g., basements), roomshttps://www.facebook.com/lonnie.mallon# that are in contact with the ground and those rooms immediately above them.

Radon Test Kits under $15.00! Order now!

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How does radon get into your home?

Radon gas rises up through the soil and is pulled into a house or building. It enters a home or building through cracks in the foundation, construction joints gaps around service pipes or wires, and sump pits. It doesn't matter what type of foundation your home has-basement, crawl space , slab-your home could have high levels of radon.