Radon Mitigation in Poughkeepsie

What is radon?

Radon is a naturally occurring, radioactive gas that escapes when uranium in the soil decays. Radon becomes concentrated in a home, school or workplace as it seeps through cracks in the foundation or other natural openings in a structure.

At SWAT Environmental, we are dedicated to protecting families in and around Poughkeepsie from radon exposure. Through our radon remediation process, our radon mitigation technicians have installed radon mitigation systems that reduce radon gas and make the air you breathe safer.

Radon in Poughkeepsie:

Any home in the Poughkeepsie area is at risk for elevated radon levels. Radon testing is the only way to know if your home has harmful radon levels.

According to the New York State Health Department radon gas initiative:

• Over 25% of homes in the Poughkeepsie area have radon levels about 4.1 pCi/L.
• Poughkeepsie is designated a radon gas Zone 1 by the EPA, having average radon levels of 4.0 pCi/L or higher.
• Radon gas causes over 20,000 radon-related death each year.
• The Surgeon General has warned that radon gas exposure is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States.

Radon Problems in Poughkeepsie Homes

When you think of health hazards in Poughkeepsie NY, a slew of external threats come to mind. However, the radioactive byproducts of radon are a deadly foe that’s found right at home where you’re supposed to be the safest. If you have certain unexplained respiratory ailments, you should check for symptoms of radon exposure. Some of the common signals that your lungs have been compromised by radon include wheezing, coughing up blood, and chest pain. Radon gas is the second most frequent cause of lung cancer in America, including Poughkeepsie New York.

When experts conduct radon mitigation in Dutchess County NY, they find that the gas and its radioactive particles are waterborne as well as airborne. The gas contaminates groundwater but often gets detected and removed at municipal water treatment centers. People who rely on well water should get their water tested for radon even though waterborne radon problems are generally less common than airborne, especially in Poughkeepsie. According to Nicolasa Horton, radon gas is responsible for approximately 60 deaths each day in the United States.

The only way that you can make sure that your Dutchess County home is free from radon is by testing the air and water in dwelling. While most people prefer professional radon testing, you can get a quick look at your home’s radon status with an at-home radon test kit. Most Poughkeepsie NY hardware stores sell these test kits and they are also available online at reasonable prices.

Basements tend to have higher levels of airborne radon than other parts of homes or businesses. If you have a basement, it’s best to start your test there. If your home is built on a crawl space or slab, conduct the radon test on the lowest livable level. As a resident of New York, radon testing and mitigation should be a routine step in home ownership. Much like heat, radon rises from the ground and remains suspended in the air for some time.  That said, several studies have found that the half-life of radioactive gas is roughly four days.

Radon Mitigation in Poughkeepsie New York

If you have high levels of radon in your home or workplace, you’ll need a professional New York radon mitigation company to install a radon reduction system on your property. SWAT Environmental services all Dutchess County, NY including Poughkeepsie and the 12601 area. During the installation process, technicians seal gaps, cracks, or openings that lead to the ground. They follow up by installing a system that creates vacuum suction under the building using negative pressure. Radon gas that builds up underneath the home gets drawn into the vacuum tubes and away from the structure before it seeps into interior spaces.