[Greenbuilding] Tap-Water Radon RE: FW: radon question

[Carmine Vasile]

Clarke: The procedures you recommend are insufficient for millions of homes in NY State. For example, if you live on Long Island -- where the Brookhaven National Laboratory superfund site is located, and are supplied by the Suffolk County Water Authority (SCWA) another uncontrolled source of Radon is tap water. See list of Towns in 
http://www.gfxtechnology.com/Table-A.pdf and supplemental well analysis in the footnotes. Uncle Sam has blocked the proposed MCL of 300 pCi/L for Radon for over a decade. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer, yet the EPA doesn't mandate venting water distribution systems fed directly by wells instead of vented water towers or reservoirs. To make matters worse, the EPA doesn't require the SCWA to monitor photon (gamma) emissions; only Gross Alpha/Beta although the MCLis 4 mrem per year for beta/photon contamination -- not 50 pCi/L that NYS health officials pass off as the federal MCL! Carmine   
> From: douglaslamb at columbus.rr.com
> To: greenbuilding at lists.bioenergylists.org; colsen at fairpoint.net
> Date: Mon, 2 Apr 2012 21:00:08 -0400
> Subject: [Greenbuilding] FW:  radon question
> 
> Mr. Olsen,
>  
> http://www.radonleaders.org/sites/default/files/HC%20Rn%20Mitigation%20Guide
> %20English_0.pdf
> 
> This site contains a Canadian Builders Guide to correct radon gas
> infiltration in existing residential dwellings. I don't know if it all
> applies to your local conditions however, from a cursory scan of the text,
> photos, and sketches it looks very much like the info presented in the
> "Builders Guide to Cold Climate", but for existing conditions. CABO and The
> Ohio Residential Code For One, Two, and Three Family Dwellings both contain
> solutions for new construction work only. 
> 
> Regards,
> Doug Lamb
> douglaslamb at columbus.rr.com
>  
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: greenbuilding-bounces at lists.bioenergylists.org
> [mailto:greenbuilding-bounces at lists.bioenergylists.org] On Behalf Of Douglas
> E Lamb
> Sent: Monday, April 02, 2012 8:40 PM
> To: 'Green Building'; Clarke Olsen
> Subject: Re: [Greenbuilding] radon question
> 
> Radon Issue:
> 
> Mr. Olsen,
> 
> In a book titled "Builders Guide to Cold Climates", by Joseph Lstiburek, on
> pages 185 thru 189 there are some good representation of the types of method
> being used to siphon off radon gas. But again the drawings mostly represent
> new construction conditions not existing ones. If I run into any other
> documentation expressly depicting existing condition I will forward them to
> you. 
> 
> 
> Regards,
> Doug Lamb
> 614.323.2005
> douglaslamb at columbus.rr.com
>  
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: greenbuilding-bounces at lists.bioenergylists.org
> [mailto:greenbuilding-bounces at lists.bioenergylists.org] On Behalf Of Clarke
> Olsen
> Sent: Monday, April 02, 2012 5:23 PM
> To: Green Building
> Subject: [Greenbuilding] radon question
> 
> 
> A ground floor room tests positive for Radon - not high, but more then
> nothing.
> The floor is 4+" of concrete on 2" ext. styrofoam, on 6 - 8" of gravel.
> Big (1/2") joint between foundation and slab is the likely source.
> Should I: 
>                  a) seal-up the joint with non-shrinking mortar?
>                  b) seal it with expanding foam? With caulk?
>                  c) arrange some form of fat baseboard vent?
> 
> Clarke Olsen
> 373 route 203
> Spencertown, NY 12165
> USA
> 518-392-4640
> colsen at fairpoint.net
> 

> 
> 
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