Recently, a new problem has come to light concerning radioactive exposure. This problem is that of Radon Seepage, and the worst part is that it can occur even inside your home, while you think you are completely safe. But what exactly is Radon ? 

It is an invisible and odourless  gas which has radioactive properties. Elevated amounts of radon are constantly being detected in countless homes around the world. Radon can sneakily seep into all types of buildings, including office buildings and schools. A rather disturbing fact is that every year, the average person receives more radiation from radon than from all other natural or man-made sources combined. The problem is so significant that an average (radon affected) homeowner’s radiation exposure may exceed that of uranium miners. Partially soluble in water, Radon can move far away from its origin point through underground streams. This unpredictable underground movement of gas explains why homes in low-radium areas can have high radon concentrations. 

Most radon enters into homes from the soil. Radon gas naturally moves into the permeable disturbed soil and gravel bed surrounding foundations and then, inside the buildings through openings, cracks, and pores in concrete. Even modern homes may secretly be housing major levels of Radon due to cracks in the foundational concrete. The soil gas infiltration from basements ranges from less than 1% to over 20% of the total "fresh air" infiltration into homes (typically 3-5%). Opening basement windows to increase ventilation may seem like an effective solution, but it wastes energy and may actually draw in more soil gas. 

Currently, the best solution is to ensure that the concrete used in a home’s foundation is completely solid, and has no cracks which would serve as vents for radon seepage An innovative product, the RadonSeal deep penetrating concrete Sealer reacts with alkalis in concrete, expands inside the capillaries, and seals the concrete against water, moisture vapor, and even the single-atom radon gas. Instead of removing radon from underneath the slab by a fan, it simply seals the concrete and leaves the gas in the ground. Sealing the pores greatly reduces radon diffusion and advection through the slab and basement walls. (RadonSeal.com)

I hope I have been able to inform all of you about the major problem of Radon Seepage so you can take steps to protect yourself. Thank you for Reading !