Radon Construction Helps Reduce Health Risks in Appalachia

Did you know that you can increase home healthiness and reduce risk from radon? Radon construction, materials, and methods now make it possible.

Radon is an ever-present risk for those who live in the southern Appalachians, including western North Carolina, eastern Tennessee, the South Carolina Upcountry, and north Georgia. This is a high-risk Radon region. That’s why increasing numbers of area residents are embracing radon construction, and with good cause.

Radon is created by the naturally occurring uranium that is in this region’s rocky layers.

Since Radon is both odorless and tasteless, lots of folks are unaware of this healthiness risk in their home. Medical scientists recognize that radon exposure over time is now the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States.

If you’re new to the radon discussion or need a way to access knowledge and resources fast, you can learn more by downloading my free e-book, Radon Health Risk: What You Need to Know When Living or Working in the Southern Appalachians. Download Your Copy Here.

EPA has defined “best practices”

Happily, there’s no room to debate whether radon construction is worth the investment. The positive health outcomes are unmistakable. Happily, the Environmental Protection Agency has fully defined best practices for radon resistant construction. For homeowners focused on their home’s healthiness status, the key to successful risk mitigation is whether those best practice guidelines are followed.

When might a homeowner implement radon resistant construction?

When living or working in any high radon area
When buying an existing home
When building a new home
When renovating any existing structure

The EPA has defined how to effectively control radon in both new construction and in existing homes. In fact, the house is a primary element of the radon control system. When building a new house from “scratch,” or literally from the ground up, the homeowner has more control over the radon resistant elements of construction.

In existing homes, homeowners may find specific challenges which lie outside the established guidelines. Identifying and addressing these challenges requires expertise. In these cases, the assistance of a certified, experienced radon installation professional will prove invaluable.

The project stages of design, materials selection, installation, and post installation run testing need to be managed with an eye to quality. Place attention on the parts, pieces and materials that have been gathered to build the system. Examine the built components before they are sealed from view.

Learn more about home ventilation and its relevance to radon construction here.

First, check for installation error. Make certain the parts fit together correctly. A wrong-sized or cracked part, a missing component – one small item can make a big difference. Items to check include the pipe, screws, adhesive, and sealant.

Next, necessarily consider the potential for a systems failure. Check the gravel bed, wrenches used, pressure applied, and location of the termination point of the venting. An apparent problem could be as simple as a power surge or an issue with the fan that powers the system.

Your installation professional should work with you to check and double check. Quality control is the most critical component of radon resistant construction.

In terms of timing, this means to do due diligence prior to the time that the concrete slab is poured downstairs – or the plastic barrier is installed in the crawlspace. Last, but not least, sample the resulting radon levels indoors soon after the completion of the installation.

What if, despite every effort, you run into problems? The best way to know that your radon resistant system is doing its job is to regularly monitor its operations and monitor the actual radon level inside the home.

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