EMSL Analytical Warns of Increased Radon Risks in Colder Seasons

Seasonal Changes in Soil Conditions and Home Heating Can Amplify Danger.

EMSL Analytical, the leader in providing cutting edge laboratory services and products, has seen a significant increase in the number of radon samples from property owners and environmental consultants in recent weeks.

According to the Surgeon General, radon gas exposure causes lung cancer and is classified as a Class A carcinogen. As the months get colder and there may be snow, frost, and/or heavy rain covering the soil, radon gas cannot escape as easily through the ground. It therefore has to look for other ways to escape into the atmosphere. If there is a home nearby, the gas can move through cracks in the basement floor, diffuse through hollow concrete block walls, and/or any other pathway available to enter the house.

The colder seasons also usually mean people keep their windows and doors closed, whereby fresh outdoor air does not enter the home to dilute any indoor home radon concentrations. As people heat their homes and the warm air rises through the house, a pressure differential is also created between the lower areas of the home and the upper areas known as the “stack effect”. As the warm air rises through the house, it pulls the radon gas from under the home’s foundation into the home; much like a vacuum cleaner, thus increasing the radon concentration in the house.

“Radon has the potential to be a silent killer in the one place that most people feel the safest, their homes,” reported Paul Cochrane, Business Development Director for EMSL Analytical. “It is important to understand how to perform simple tests for radon and also the steps that homeowners can take to mitigate this invisible threat to their family’s health,” Cochrane went on to say.

More information about radon can be found at www.RadonTestingLab.com, EMSL’s dedicated radon website.

About EMSL Analytical, Inc.
EMSL Analytical is a top provider of environmental and materials testing services to professionals and the general public throughout the nation and internationally. Over 10,000 customers rely on the services provided by EMSL’s 27 locations. The company has an extensive list of accreditations from leading organizations as well as state and federal regulating bodies.

Contact Information

Paul Cochrane

Director of Business Development

EMSL Analytical, Inc.

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