Quarter 2 Article 8
Radon in Homes an Invisible Danger
Roger Greenway
January 16, 2010
Like carbon monoxide radon is an invisible, odorless, radioactive gas that kills may people every year. It is a house hold pollutant and needs to be taken with more percussion.
When radon gets into a home it can increase the resident's cancer risk. The most common way is through cracks in basement floors, walls, and sump pump sumps. In the winter, if a furnace or boiler is in the basement, the chimney can act as a depressurization device since combustion air is vented to the outdoors. Another infiltration route is through groundwater. Radon is a colorless, odorless, radioactive gas that can exist at dangerous levels in homes, schools and other buildings. An estimated 20,000 people die every year in the U.S. from radon-related lung cancer. The EPA is going around and spreading awareness so people are educated and know how to handle a toxic gas like this one.
I think it is great that the EPA is educating people because most people do not know how bad a chemical like this one is and how quickly it can take your life.
depressurization- to remove the air pressure from.
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