Hello everyone,
I've heard that the radioactive gas radon can accumulate in basements and is harmful to health, especially if you spend a lot of time there (lung cancer). Measurements showed a level of 250 Bq/m3. Levels above 100 Bq/m3 are considered problematic, and at workplaces, the limit should not exceed 300 Bq/m3. Have you heard about this before? Is it really such a big issue? By ventilating, I was able to reduce the level to 20 Bq/m3... but after a day with windows closed, it was back up to 100. Unfortunately, I made a borehole in the basement wall that wasn’t properly sealed. Now I’m thinking about how to handle the situation: more ventilation (which causes issues with humidity in summer and insect screens, since the rooms are partly used as leisure spaces), a radon ventilation system, sealing the boreholes... etc. What do you think, and what experiences have you had?
I've heard that the radioactive gas radon can accumulate in basements and is harmful to health, especially if you spend a lot of time there (lung cancer). Measurements showed a level of 250 Bq/m3. Levels above 100 Bq/m3 are considered problematic, and at workplaces, the limit should not exceed 300 Bq/m3. Have you heard about this before? Is it really such a big issue? By ventilating, I was able to reduce the level to 20 Bq/m3... but after a day with windows closed, it was back up to 100. Unfortunately, I made a borehole in the basement wall that wasn’t properly sealed. Now I’m thinking about how to handle the situation: more ventilation (which causes issues with humidity in summer and insect screens, since the rooms are partly used as leisure spaces), a radon ventilation system, sealing the boreholes... etc. What do you think, and what experiences have you had?
People have heard about this before, and it is occasionally mentioned here in the forum as well.
Radon is naturally occurring and has always been present in varying concentrations depending on the ground and weather conditions.
High radon levels indoors usually result from leaks in the basement. Recommendations for new buildings are quite simple: build a tight basement. Which is what you would do anyway. You generally don’t spend much time in a leaky basement for other reasons, so there is no need to panic.
If elevated radon levels are detected, ventilate the area and separate the basement from the living spaces to prevent radon from rising. There isn’t much more you can do.
Radon is naturally occurring and has always been present in varying concentrations depending on the ground and weather conditions.
High radon levels indoors usually result from leaks in the basement. Recommendations for new buildings are quite simple: build a tight basement. Which is what you would do anyway. You generally don’t spend much time in a leaky basement for other reasons, so there is no need to panic.
If elevated radon levels are detected, ventilate the area and separate the basement from the living spaces to prevent radon from rising. There isn’t much more you can do.
Hello,
Radon exposure is not a new issue and is a naturally occurring hazard. It is actually quite significant, as radon is responsible for about 5% of all lung cancer cases. The website of the Federal Office for Radiation Protection provides detailed information about soil contamination levels in different regions. In some areas, this has led to building regulations that specify how basements must be constructed.
You can only try to seal and ventilate the basement. Ideally, this should be done with a ventilation system. If you plan to spend a lot of time there, having such a system is recommended anyway.
Best regards,
Andreas
Radon exposure is not a new issue and is a naturally occurring hazard. It is actually quite significant, as radon is responsible for about 5% of all lung cancer cases. The website of the Federal Office for Radiation Protection provides detailed information about soil contamination levels in different regions. In some areas, this has led to building regulations that specify how basements must be constructed.
You can only try to seal and ventilate the basement. Ideally, this should be done with a ventilation system. If you plan to spend a lot of time there, having such a system is recommended anyway.
Best regards,
Andreas
A
Allthewayup6 May 2023 21:32It has been a long time since I last looked into this topic. I don’t remember all the details anymore, and my studies were quite a while ago, but I recall the isotopes radon-220 (which undergoes alpha decay to polonium-216 and lead-212) and radon-222, which is produced by the alpha decay of radium. When inhaled, these decay products settle in the bronchi. I have a radiologist among my friends who said that about 5-8% of respiratory tract cancers are attributable to radon exposure. This is not an insignificant issue, but it mainly relates to older basements. As others have mentioned, there are certain risk factors and conditions that can increase radon concentration in basements. There is an online radon map of Germany that shows naturally occurring radon levels. I once borrowed a measuring device from a friend and left it overnight in my basement with the windows closed: the result was 0.11 μSv/h (microsieverts per hour), so an average value of 0.11 microsieverts. This is not a particularly high value, though it was only a relatively short measurement period. To reliably assess radiation exposure, only long-term measurement is meaningful, excluding random influencing factors.
Because the accumulation of decay products can be prevented quite effectively through ventilation (radon has a half-life of 3.8 days), I wouldn’t stress too much about it. The same radiologist also told me that nearly all natural stones, such as marble and granite, also emit measurable radiation. Bananas contain the isotope potassium-40. Brazil nuts emit about 10 becquerels of radium per kilogram. So, where do you start and where do you stop? We have a waterproof concrete basement (“white tank”) and a central ventilation system in our new build and feel well prepared against this “risk.”
Because the accumulation of decay products can be prevented quite effectively through ventilation (radon has a half-life of 3.8 days), I wouldn’t stress too much about it. The same radiologist also told me that nearly all natural stones, such as marble and granite, also emit measurable radiation. Bananas contain the isotope potassium-40. Brazil nuts emit about 10 becquerels of radium per kilogram. So, where do you start and where do you stop? We have a waterproof concrete basement (“white tank”) and a central ventilation system in our new build and feel well prepared against this “risk.”
N
NatureSys6 May 2023 23:11If you have a poorly sealed hole in the basement, I would seal that first. This might already solve the problem.
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