RADON gas in basements

[Mezuka]

I just spent the last 8 years working in the basement full time only to discover this week that the levels of Radon gas are at 248ppm which is 48 above the Canadian safety limit of 200. I have to install an air exchanger to mix the radon polluted air with fresh air. At higher levels, you need to take more measures. I'm getting my lungs checked next week as a precautionary measure.

If you work or live in a basement (half-basement) do the radon test. This has nothing to do with the age of the house. It is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers. If you are a smoker and live in an environment with high radon levels you are doubly at risk.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

This is something I teach as part of high school physics.

It largely depends on the underling bedrock of the area. If it's granite*, there is likely to be radon leaking up through the subsoil, however, it will only build up if the building is poorly ventilated.

The good news is 8 years at 248ppm is a very light exposure (I assume you were not sleeping in the basement). It's people who live in an effected house their whole lives who may experience problems.


*Granite contains traces of uranium, and radon gas is a product of the radioactive decay of uranium.

 

[Mezuka]

This is something I teach as part of high school physics.

It largely depends on the underling bedrock of the area. If it's granite*, there is likely to be radon leaking up through the subsoil, however, it will only build up if the building is poorly ventilated.

The good news is 8 years at 248ppm is a very light exposure (I assume you were not sleeping in the basement). It's people who live in an effected house their whole lives who may experience problems.


*Granite contains traces of uranium, and radon gas is a product of the radioactive decay of uranium.

I spent about 8 hours working and about 2-3 hours watching tv every night or in my gaming room.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I spent about 8 hours working and about 2-3 hours watching tv every night or in my gaming room.

You should be fine. The safety limits are because it affects domestic houses where people might live and sleep for 70 years. If the basement is in your house you need to check out the rest of the house, especially bedrooms.

 

[Mezuka]

You should be fine. The safety limits are because it affects domestic houses where people might live and sleep for 70 years. If the basement is in your house you need to check out the rest of the house, especially bedrooms.

Good to know.
I moved my office desk to the first floor, of my house, this winter to get more sunlight as I was getting depressed with Covid restrictions. My hours in the basement are now down to 2-4 hours a day.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Good to know.
I moved my office desk to the first floor, of my house, this winter to get more sunlight as I was getting depressed with Covid restrictions. My hours in the basement are now down to 2-4 hours a day.

Still, I would try to make sure you keep your home well ventilated (actually this is always a good idea for a whole bunch of reasons). You should probably make sure you neighbours are aware, and see what you can find out about your underlying geology. I had no idea this was an issue in the Montreal area. In the UK the affected areas are in Cornwall and north east Scotland.

I found this.

 

[Mezuka]

Still, I would try to make sure you keep your home well ventilated (actually this is always a good idea for a whole bunch of reasons). You should probably make sure you neighbours are aware, and see what you can find out about your underlying geology. I had no idea this was an issue in the Montreal area. In the UK the affected areas are in Cornwall and north east Scotland.

I found this.

Our house is old and it breaths. It does not have modern isolation. I guess that helps. Ventilation is a reflex in winter but in summer I have severe allergies and use AC. I want to install a mechanical air-exchanger with EPA anti-allergenic filter.

I did warn the neighbours. We all got a letter last fall but seems I'm the only one who did the test. Some of them have young kids sleeping in the basement.

 

[John R Davis]

Are you on mains water or a nearby pump etc. Spent many a year in Derbyshire using gas probes to monitor radon gas in the geology and dissolved gas in local water supplies

 

[Paul Farquhar]

The air-exchanger is a good idea. I'm not sure how you can convince your neighbours. Maybe contact the local high school science department and ask them to investigate? Could make a useful project. If your schools are like UK schools, they should have basic radiation detection equipment (G-M tube). Nothing specific for radon though. Get students to map the background radiation in the local area. Then you can point out that anywhere higher than your basement is probably a problem.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Are you on mains water or a nearby pump etc. Spent many a year in Derbyshire using gas probes to monitor radon gas in the geology and dissolved gas in local water supplies

Buxton Spring mineral water. Gives you a glow!