RADON IN RIVERCHASE
By Bill Garvin
I have been an Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) professional for over thirty years. One of my areas of expertise is radiation. My primary goal in writing this article is to motivate residents to test for radon and mitigate any potential risks. Jefferson County is on Alabama’s list as having some of the highest potential for radon in the homes. That includes Riverchase.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with it, radon is a radioactive, tasteless, odorless, invisible gas, and is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. Long term it can lead to lung cancer in our children. If you smoke, it increases the likelihood of developing this fatal disease by ten times.
However, radon can easily be reduced to healthy levels.
To check for radon, borrow one of their meters from the library (place it in an enclosed basement or first floor location for at least a week) or buy a couple of radon test kits at Lowes or Home Depot for $25 or $30 and follow the directions (I recommend the kits).
A contractor can easily remedy the problem. I put a system in by myself for less than $1,000 that reduced my radon exposure by 96%. A contractor may cost you several thousand dollars, but it is worth it.
I have plans for mitigation systems and can answer your questions. I am hoping this article will result in the testing and the saving of more lives.
Contact me with any questions:
Bill Garvin (205) 903-5106
Email [email protected]
website www.directcih.com
