Obtaining a home has become one of the major pursuits for anyone willing to settle down at a particular location of their choice. This process usually proves to be quite challenging and consumes many resources in terms of money, time, and energy just to name a few. It is, therefore, safe to say that you would not want to get anything wrong especially when we look at the perspective of your health and those around you.
This is what has brought forth the question of both radon and mold testing in your homes. These two processes are very important at the beginning of your purchase because they are what will determine how safe the house you want to buy is. There then rises the question of whether or not radon and mold are connected and the best way to answer this question is by first understanding what radon and mold testing are all about, from the definition to the methods of testing and last but not least the importance of each of these tests.
Radon
Radon is a gas that can go unnoticed because of its characteristics. These include, it is colorless thus will go unseen, it is odorless, and it is tasteless thus will go undetected. It is also very important to note that it is naturally occurring and can therefore be detected in any home. This radioactive gas is usually created when uranium that may be found in either soil, rocks, or even water, is broken down through the process of decay. Radon is then also produced outside but the emphasis is put on our homes because, unlike our confined homes, the radon produced outside will disperse quickly and will then not lead to many health problems.
Radon gas will find various ways to seep into a house with no way of exiting. This can be through cracks that may be in the foundation, basement walls, sump pumps, and so many more ways. A lot of emphases has been put on the awareness of this type of gas because of its fatality. It has been proven that extended breathing in of this gas will lead to lung cancer and the seriousness of this fact is already proven in various statistics made that prove radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer.
Mold
Mold is found almost everywhere because it can grow in any type of environment both in and outdoors, on our food, plants, building materials, and in soil on the condition that water is present. Similar to radon, mold occurs naturally in our environment and plays a useful role to us for example, in the production of cheese and penicillin. The spread of mold is through the release of spores that are microscopic during reproduction, a process that will make it simple for mold to occur in our homes and buildings through vents, cracks, and even open windows.
Mold requires water to survive and the best way to prevent its buildup in our home is through the elimination of water or moisture. Molds will have varying effects on individuals with those people allergic to mold or suffering from asthma having serious symptoms. These may include wheezing, difficulty in breathing, sinus congestion, and sneezing just to name a few. The severe symptoms are headaches, asthma attacks, memory loss, and upper respiratory infections. Infants, children, the elderly, and immune-compromised individuals for example those with HIV infection are at more risk to suffer from those symptoms mentioned.
Is There a Connection?
It has been seen that not exactly radon, but some passive radon systems can cause the occurrence of mold in your homes. This is especially seen in hot, humid conditions whereby these radon systems can cause mold through the increase of indoor moisture and humidity faster than the installed air conditioners can remove it. This, therefore, leads to the accumulation of moisture and it then soaks into everything in the house leading to the growth of mold in most areas especially in hidden parts that could not easily be seen. It can also be noted that other radon mitigating systems will assist in the prevention of mold because they remove water vapor that could enter the home leading to the growth of the mold.
In conclusion, both radon and mold can lead to serious health problems thus a major concern. They are caused by different conditions and the existence of one is most of the time independent of the existence of the other. Testing of both mold and radon proves to be important and understanding what to do next when one finds out their home is affected.
Follow Us!