Ohio Mitigation License # RC202
Our Licensed Radon Company in Worthington can provide you with Radon Testing and Mitigation Services.
Awareness of radon in Worthington, OH, is growing. So are questions about what it is, where it comes from, and what makes it so dangerous? The gas has three defining features. It is odorless, it is invisible, and it is tasteless.
Unlike fire, flood, or natural gas, there is absolutely nothing to smell, see, or taste. With this being the case, how is a homeowner supposed to know if they should test for it?
Worthington is located to the north of Columbus city center. It is easily accessed via Interstate 71 or I-270, the Columbus ring road. As a suburb, Worthington offers residents the convenience of a major metropolitan center, as well as the charm and ambiance only found in small-town America.
The area was originally settled in the early 1800s. Several families from regions in the northeast of the country founded the Scioto Company. The founders and their families headed out to find land for a new community. A leading member of the group, James Kilbourne, along with Thomas Worthington, purchased 16,000 acres of land.
In 1803 Ohio became a state. In the same year, settlers from Connecticut arrived in the area. They named their fledgling community Worthington in honor of Thomas, who became a senator of the state, later to become governor.
In 1893, Worthington and nearby Columbus were joined by an electric street railway. Within a few years, the village had a telephone exchange and a public water distribution system. The area continued to grow, and with neighboring Colonial Hills, incorporated as a city.
In the years following WW2, the population grew, new subdivisions were incorporated into the city, and the school district bloomed. Today, the city hosts police and fire departments and is home to three medical centers, one of which is aligned with nearby Ohio State University.
When uranium, deep in the ground, begins to break down, the radioactive gas slowly but surely finds its way to the surface. When it enters free air, it dissipates quickly and harmlessly into the atmosphere. When the gas enters the basement of a home, it can build up into toxic levels.
As the gas works its way to the surface, it can enter a home through a below-grade space such as a basement or crawl space. The gas enters the home through cracks in the basement floor or walls and openings used for pipes. Radon can also permeate groundwater, entering a home’s enclosed spaces through sump pumps and drains.
The leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. is tobacco smoke. The second leading cause is the inhalation of radon gas. Tobacco smoke is very noticeable by sight and smell. Radon is not. As a result, it is extremely difficult to know if you are being exposed to it in your home.
As air containing radon is inhaled, radioactive particles, albeit small, are absorbed by the human body. Over time, the damage done to the cells causes them to change. The tissue becomes cancerous.
As the lungs are most affected, the early symptoms of exposure include difficulty swallowing, shortness of breath, a nagging cough, and hoarseness.
As the gas is odorless, tasteless, and invisible, the only way to know if the home has dangerous levels of radon is to test for it. As radon in the home tends to change with the weather and the seasons, a test can take several months to complete.
Although DIY kits are readily available, the importance of accuracy cannot be understated. Homeowners should consider working with professionals such as Radon Eliminator. For tests to return accurate data, the siting of test equipment is important.
The type of soil and rock in Ohio produces radon. Although the problem is statewide, it is particularly prevalent in the greater Columbus area, including Worthington. The only way to know if your house has elevated levels is to have it tested.
Companies that offer testing and mitigation services use reliable, predictable techniques to reduce radon levels in the home. Over many years, mitigation experiences have formed a knowledge base for effective mitigation in homes and other buildings.
Radon concentration is measured in picocuries per liter of air (pCi/L). Any home with a concentration of 4pCi/L or greater should be fitted with a gas reduction system.
The most common technique for reduction in a home is “active soil depressurization.” This system collects the gas from under the basement slab before it enters the basement, and eventually, the living space. Once installed, the cost of operating the fan is a minor consideration when one considers the downside.
This system of reduction of gas levels relies on drawing the gas from under the slab and exhausting it outside of the premises. The system is quite simple. It consists of a pipe that is inserted into the soil under the basement floor.
Attached to the pipe is a fan that operates continuously, drawing the gas from under the floor and depositing it well away from the home.
Radon testing and mitigation contractors and their personnel must be licensed in the State of Ohio. In addition to requesting information about credentials and training, a homeowner should also ask for references, proof of insurance, and a concise contract.
Look for a company that has several years’ experience in testing and mitigation. As radon is dangerous and prevalent in Ohio, choosing a reliable and reputable mitigation contractor is extremely important.
Like the furnace or air conditioning system in your home, the radon reduction system also requires maintenance.
Every couple of years, go back to the company that performed the initial testing and mitigation work and have them retest your home. Gas levels vary considerably from one season to the next and one year to the next. Periodic retesting ensures the levels remain low.
You are invited to contact Radon Eliminator, Ohio’s foremost testing and mitigation company. Radon reduction systems can reduce radon levels in your home by as much as 99 percent.
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