Radon-safe house

There are studies to suggest safer construction materials with the lowest possible risk on health for the indoor environment, mainly to decrease the effect of second factor (chemical contaminants from indoor sources) listed above [7, 8]. Most of these are natural , or in other words, they are green . However, one should also consider the fact that, all natural things are not safe. A number of natural materials can contain VOC and hence can pose hazards to health as well. Radon is an example, it is a natural material, which is radioactive and exists almost everjrwhere in the house. In addition, allergic reactions to the odours from cedar furniture, a natural material, are very common. The risk is always low if a certain agent remains in the building product that does not affect occupants through respiration and physical contact. 

The average indoor residential radon level in the United States is about 1.3 picocuries per liter (pCi/L), over three times the average outdoor level of -0.4 pCi/L. While there is no safe level of radon, the action level for mitigation set by the EPA is 4 pCi/L. (One curie of radioactivity is equivalent to the quantity of a given nuclide that provides 3.700 x 10 ° disintegrations per second). Radon levels are often evaluated at the time of a house purchase. However, testing can be carried out at any time by a professional or with a self-test kit. 

Once a reUable level of radon is determined, radon concentrations may need to be reduced to a safe level. This can be done either by altering the amount of radon that is able to seep into a dwelling and/or by increasing the ventilation that carries radon out. The best method is the sealing of cracks and crevices in basement walls that allow the gas to diffuse into the house. In some cases, this is easy to do, but in others, due to the varying porosity of foundation materials, it is more difficult. 

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