Radon Detectors

Radon detectors

Inhaling radon is more than just risky, this gas is held responsible for thousands of cases of lung cancer signaled every year all over the globe. Unfortunately, there are almost no reliable ways to predict the presence or the concentration of radon in a certain area, and not even geological studies can be of any help here. This is why, the only way to prevent poisoning is by means of special radon detectors; the use of such devices is an absolute must particularly since two house located next to one another may have completely different radon exposure levels. Measurements to detect the presence of the gas are mainly performed in the basement, and here is the place where radon detectors are generally installed.

There are several types of radon detectors used to track the gas level in an enclosed space. The most commonly used are the alpha-track devices that rely on the use of small sheets of polycarbonate plastic material. The moment the alpha particles come into direct contact with these plastic sheets, they create some tiny pockmarks that are afterwards identified and analyzed in labs. Depending on the counting of the pockmarks, the level of radon concentration will be higher or lower.

Radon detectors are designed either for long or for short-term use; the latter for instance may require a period varying between two and ninety days for an accurate data collection. The important thing to mention here is that the long-term radon detectors are more reliable than the others, since they provide an average value of the radon level. Why does the average value matter so much? Well, radon gas concentration varies from one day to the other, and there is a whole range of environmental factors that influence such alternations; cold vs. hot weather, air circulation in the house and moisture are only a few factors to be mentioned here.

Radon detectors may also help one find out about the extent of the radon exposure threat starting from the number of hours the house is inhabited per day. Windows opening and closing are equally important here since they are both connected to the time you spend at home. Besides the use of radon detectors, simple measures should be taken to ensure the safety of the family members; thus, ventilation systems installed in the basement, the sealing of holes, cracks and even piping joints, the pressurization of the house by means of fans, they are all ways to maintain a radon-free environment.