Radon Mitigation
Anywhere you are on Earth, the soil on which you stand is likely emitting gasses. While many of these gasses are harmless to humans, radon is not. Installing a radon mitigation system in your commercial structure will prevent any employees from experiencing the effects of this invisible threat, and ensure the long-term health of not only the structure but the people that work within it..
What Is Radon?
Radon is an odorless gas produced by the decay of uranium in rocks and soil. That's right - radon is a product of decaying nuclear materials, the refined version of which fuels the world's nuclear weapons. Radon gas is present in every state in America, though its presence varies in intensity depending on where your commercial structure is located. The map below details high-risk areas throughout the country, as well as those areas with less inherent risk.
(US national radon level map)
As noted in the map's key, typical indoor radon screening levels in the United States measure between 2 and 4 pCi/L (picocuries per liter). Some areas, particularly those in the north-central region of the country, have a higher chance of seeing dangerous levels of radon in indoor spaces. If your structure is located in an area with cold winters, then testing should be a frequent occurrence - radon levels can be up to 10-times higher in the winter than in the warmer months. When the tested level reaches above 4 pCi/L, you'll need a radon mitigation system.
How Does Radon Enter A Building?
As radon is a gas, even the slightest cracks, holes, or miniscule openings can provide an access point into your structure. Gasses will leech into your building through the soil under the foundation through a process known as the "stack effect", wherein the lower pressure of an indoor space creates a vacuum with the higher pressured outdoors. Hot air will continue to rise through the building and escape from any exit it can find at the higher levels, while each particle of air that escapes is replaced by new ones from lower levels - some of which come from the soil under your building's foundation.
Radon Mitigation Systems
Radon mitigation systems are rather simple, but hugely effective in ridding your structure of the gas as it's emitted from your soil. PVC pipes installed at key locations in the ground below your structure collect the gasses as they rise through the soil. From there, a radon exhaust pipe with a fan and exhaust port outside of the structure will pull the gasses upward and out through the exhaust.
If you've never had your structure for radon presence, or believe you may need to take steps to mitigate the effects of radon gas in your building, call the experts at Arizona Foundation Solutions today. Our radon gas measurement specialist will visit your premises and install the testing equipment within an hour. If the results read higher than 2.8 pCi/L, we'll get in contact immediately to handle the next steps.
When it comes to your health and that of your employees, you need expert solutions to deliver excellent results. Get in touch with Arizona Foundation Solutions today!
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