Nobility is more than a mental state. As it turns out, it also applies to the state of matter, that is to say, gas. Radon is an inert, noble gas that decays fast, sticking around for a few days. It makes it one of the rarest naturally happening noble gasses.

However, it is off-gassed by uranium and thorium, which are very common and stable in Earth’s crust. It denotes location plays a major role in how common this gas is in your surrounding air.

Even if the indoor air seems okay, it may have radon penetrating through the small cracks in the basement and walls. Having no smell, color, or taste, it quietly decays into the radioactive particles that float inside houses. To combat it, you might have contemplated getting an air purifier. But the question is, do air purifiers help with radon gas? Yes, the air purifiers can assist in decreasing the amount of Radon gas in your indoor area.

However, not all the purifiers function against this gas, and even the top HEPA air purifiers can prove incompetent against radon. The air purifier with an activated carbon filter is a great option for controlling radon concentration levels.

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Radon Around You:

It’s rare because of its fast decomposing nature but is emitted by thorium and uranium, which are commonly located in the Earth’s crust. It can make its way through underground water, through small basement cracks, cracks in walls, or even through the soil, and because of its tasteless, odorless nature, it can go overlooked.

It is decaying into radioactive particles that can discharge powerful alpha radiation that can cause permanent damage to the lung’s inner lining. The constant exposure to this noble gas can also cause lung cancer.

According to CDC’s official stats, radon-based lung cancer claims as many as twenty thousand innocent lives in the United States alone every year. It’s now on the watch list of each environmental protection organization, but before the damaging effects became obvious, there were numerous cases where everyday use materials integrated the element in some form unconsciously.

Mattress companies that utilized certain earth minerals in the production procedure unknowingly appended the issue of radon off-gassing to the product. So did a bunch of building materials and accessories companies that led to the spike in radon contagion.

Health Risks Of Radon Gas:

The EPA (the United States Environmental Protection Agency) claims there’s no safe radon level for an enclosed area; however, the agency recommends employing a radon professional if the radon level reaches four picocuries per liter (pCi/L).

Excessive exposure to this noble gas can cause lung cancer and can permanently damage the lungs' inner lining. The best bet against it is to keep the area ventilated, but it’s barely possible with the HVAC systems in the buildings and increasing populations.

The indoor levels of radon exposure are forty-eight Bq/m3, while as we go outdoors, the value drops to simply fifteen Bq/m3. The radon particles are accountable for as many as twenty-one thousand lung cancer deaths in the United States alone every year. Even non-smokers can catch lung cancer from radon exposure.

Without severe exposure, radon poses a 0.45 percent risk of lung cancer, and luckily air purifiers can assist in keeping such risks from spiking. Sadly, it’s a silent killer, and symptoms such as wheezing, fatigue problems, blood in cough, coughing, infections, and loss of appetite only surface when cancer has already spread.

What Are The Symptoms Of Radon Exposure?

There are no definite symptoms of radon exposure. However, fatigue problems and chronic lung could point to the radon presence. Coughing followed by blood, wheezing, infections, and loss of appetite could point to radon exposure. Unfortunately, these symptoms tend to emerge only when cancer is imminent. It is great to schedule a radon test ASAP.

Radon Testing Kit:

A qualified radon mitigation contractor can cost anything between five hundred dollars and two thousand dollars, or perhaps even more, depending on the size of the area and ambient levels of radon. Conversely, a radon test kit is relatively low-cost (ten to fifty dollars) and is readily accessible at hardware stores.

As radon contagion can cause health concerns, it\s imperative that you test the indoor area to ensure optimal air quality. Before you start, it’s important to comprehend some things. As radon is given off by imperfections and surface cracks, the radon levels near surfaces (ceilings, walls, and floor) would usually be higher.

The great way is to hang the radon testing kit from your ceiling, where it hangs freely at eye level so it can compute the radon pollution levels in breathable air. Any proximity to surfaces will skew the test outcome. Also, test kits are rated to measure the radon levels over diverse time frames. A few short-term test kits can compute the levels in as little as two days and will provide you with a quick estimate if the levels of radon in the area are dangerous.

The long-term test kits are better for measuring the annual average levels of radon, and the Minnesota Department of Health recommends spreading the ninety-day test time of the kit over both non-heating and heating seasons.

If two successive tests yield a two to 3.9 pCi/L result, then the radon mitigation system ought to be contemplated. Doing a test is recommended every two to five years or whenever there are any improvements or changes to the exterior walls or foundations.

Can You Decrease Radon By Opening Windows?

Yes, but it’ll take ages to clean out all radon if the climate is kind. That denotes the amount of radon seeping in will far exceed the gas from flowing out. Also, it’s not a sustainable fix as this gas will stay indoors in summer and winter, where the air is humid and hot. Not to state, by opening the window, you’re allowing in more outdoor contaminants from flowing inside. A few airborne pollutants don’t react well with radioactive gasses.

Do Air Purifiers Get Rid Of Radon?

Whether a model is competent relies upon if it’s created for removing gasses or particles from the air. The majority of air purifiers are built to trap particles in the air like dander or dust that frequently cause allergies. Catching pollen is very different from trapping a gas, though.

For trapping the radon gas in large enough quantities to make a dent in the total amount, the air purifiers have to come with an activated carbon filter.

How Do Air Purifiers Really Help With The Radon Gas?

We already know that just a few air purifiers function against this gas; here’s a thorough breakdown of what every filtration stage of the air purifier brings to the table.

  • Activated Carbon Filters:

The HEPA filters are the suggested defense against particulate matter, but for most gaseous pollutants, the activated carbon filters are a great option. Radon is trapped by the activated carbon that’s commonly utilized for trapping smells. The activated carbon filters also trap cooking smells, VOCs, and pet smells and can assist in neutralizing the dangerous chemicals.

  • HEPA Filter:

A HEPA filter (high-efficiency particulate air filter) is exceptional against particulate matter and can get rid of particles down to the size of 0.3 microns with a 99.97 percent efficiency. This figure is backed by the EPA (US Environmental Protection Agency), but as this gas can be even smaller, 0.5 to three nm, the HEPA filters don’t provide a viable fix to trapping this gas. The radon decay products are bigger in size, and a few of them can be caught by the HEPA filter.

  • UV Light Chambers:

UV-C light doesn’t have any effect on this gas or the radon decay products. Hence, utilizing a UV-C light air purifier only for dealing with radon would be a waste of cash. Out of all the types and stages of filtration, just carbon-activated filtration works exceptionally against radon and its products.

  • Ionic Filtration:

Studies have revealed that the negative ions can considerably bring down the radon contamination in the air. It’s factual for both radon gas particles and for the decay products.

Instructions For Reducing Radon Gas:

If you do not desire to go into external remediation or desire to keep levels of radon within the safe threshold without utilizing purifiers for radon gas, you can try:

  • Improving HVAC System And Underfloor Ventilation:

If the building has underfloor ventilation, make certain it’s not blocked as obstructions can impact ventilation. Likewise, a non-functional exhaust fan can also make your indoor air stale, increasing the levels of radon and the number of airborne contaminants.

  • Sealing Surface Imperfections:

Sealing off openings, cracks, and other access points in a structure can go a long way in decreasing ambient levels of radon. Utilizing draft excluders will also keep outdoor contaminants away that otherwise creep into the indoor environment from through gaps between windows or under the door.

  • Improving Ventilation:

Radon is a tasteless, odorless gas, and ventilation is the only real fix to decrease chemical pollutants such as radon gas. Ventilation assists, not just with radon but with other toxic chemicals too, and can considerably improve the quality of indoor air. Keeping your window open can assist with indoor air contaminants and can even assist in improving sleep quality.

How Much Does It Really Cost To Fix Radon?

The average cost of fixing a house, particularly, is twelve hundred dollars and ranges from eight hundred dollars to twenty-five hundred dollars. The total cost differs depending upon the construction and size of your house. Such factors can also influence which radon reduction techniques are needed.

Conclusion:

Radon is proof that not all nobility ought to be welcomed in the houses. In this situation, it ought to be graciously shown the exit. The radon gas isn’t an extinction-level threat for us, but it does deteriorate the quality of life.

It is worth scanning for and tackling in a calm and composed way. In fact, it’s worth asking about when purchasing a property because of how insidiously it can seep inside. Even in situations where it has not been scanned for or tackled with, doing either is simple and relatively inexpensive.

The great way of dealing with radon is to spot entry points, reduce time spent there and install suction systems to prevent a buildup. For so, the air purifiers can assist but are just adequate if they make use of carbon-activated filters. You are not meant to duke it out with this noble gas. Find procedures that count and provide radon-free air worthy of a king.