Many homeowners are unaware of the potential health risks of indoor air pollution, but one common problem that can lead to adverse health effects is the presence of radon gas.
Radon gas is an invisible and odorless radioactive gas that forms naturally from the breakdown of uranium in soil and rock and seeps into homes through small openings in floors, walls or foundation cracks. Since it’s impossible to detect without proper testing, many households may be exposed to unhealthy levels without knowing it!
Thankfully, installing an air purifier can help reduce your exposure to radon and provide numerous other benefits for you and your family.
In this blog post, we’ll discuss what radon is, explain why a home should be tested for it, compare different types of air purifiers available on the market today, and explore how they can help with this dangerous contaminant.
So keep reading if you want to learn more about reducing your risk from radon gas!
What is radon?
Radon gas is a naturally occurring radioactive noble gas that can be found in soil, rocks and even groundwater. It is odorless, colorless and tasteless, making it difficult to detect without specialized equipment.
Radon gas typically enters homes through cracks or openings in the foundation, which allows the gas to seep inside undetected.
Why you should test your home for radon gas
Radon is considered one of the most significant environmental health hazards today due to its potential to cause cancer when inhaled in large doses over long periods of time.
How harmful is radon gas?
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has stated that radon causes 21,000 deaths each year in the United States — making it the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking.
Research into this deadly substance has been going on since 1910, with some studies suggesting that exposure might also increase other types of cancers, such as leukemia or lymphoma.
However, more research must be done before any definite conclusions can be made about these hypothesized risks from radon-induced exposures.
How to protect your family from radon exposure
The best way to protect yourself from dangerous levels of radon is by regularly testing your home for its presence and installing a mitigation system if the concentration exceeds 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L).
The UK Health Security Agency recommends reducing indoor radon levels when they are above an average of 200 Bq/m3 (UKradon).
The first step in reducing radon concentration is to test if your home has high radon levels. The good news is that radon test kits are widely available at hardware stores or online and provide an easy way for homeowners to check their indoor air quality quickly and accurately.
Home maintenance to protect against radon gas
To further reduce one’s chances of exposure to dangerous levels of radon, it is essential to ensure proper ventilation inside a building, or home with windows opened regularly and exhaust fans installed near potential sources of contamination.
Additionally, sealing any visible cracks in walls with caulk or foam sealant can effectively diminish airborne amounts of radon and other residual gases like nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2) and carbon monoxide (CO).
Combined with an efficient air purification system for air filtration that uses carbon or HEPA filters, these measures can significantly lower a person’s exposure rate while at home or work – ultimately leading to improved health outcomes over time!
How air purifiers reduce the risk of radon gas
Air purifiers are effective tools in reducing the risk of radon gas exposure in indoor environments. Air purifiers use various filtration techniques to remove hazardous particles such as pollen and other allergens from the air.
In addition to removing these particulates, many air purifier models also contain activated carbon filters, which absorb radon gas molecules from ambient room air, thereby decreasing its concentration within the living space.
These activated carbon filters also help control dust mites and bacteria by trapping them on their surface before releasing them outside into nature during regular filter cleaning processes or change-outs.
How carbon filters for air purifiers work
Carbon filters are an all-natural air purifier consisting of activated carbon used to absorb impurities from the surrounding air. When air passes through these porous carbon filters, airborne particles get adsorbed on their surface, thus filtering out pollutants.
Activated carbon refers to carbon treated with high temperatures or steam, creating a porous surface structure that allows for greater adsorbent capacity.
The higher the quality of this treatment and its temperature, the more it will absorb odors, smoke particles and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Carbon filters also reduce unpleasant smells by absorbing odor molecules.
As well as removing airborne contaminants such as dust and pollen from your home’s atmosphere, they can also remove gases such as radon gas, benzene from tobacco smoke or formaldehyde found in household cleaning products.
In addition, they have antibacterial properties, which help improve indoor air quality even further!
How long do carbon filters last?
Finally, when it comes to how long should these last? It depends on several factors, but a good quality filter should usually last around 6-12 months if you take proper care of it!
What’s the best air purifier to reduce the amount of radon in your home?
Radon gas can be a serious health hazard if it lingers in your home, so it’s essential to find an effective way to protect yourself and your family from its harmful effects.
This is where air purifiers come in: they provide a practical solution for removing radon gas and other pollutants like dust mites, pollen, mold spores and smoke particles.
Here are some of the most effective air purifiers available today that are specifically designed to eliminate radon gas from indoors.
NUWAVE Air Purifier OxyPure Pro
This NuWave Air Purifier is made for large rooms in homes. It has been demonstrated to clean your entire house and cleanse 2,671 square feet in just one hour!
100% of airborne particles smaller than 0.09 microns, such as pollen, pollution, smoke, pet dander, dust, and other allergies, are successfully captured by a combination of a stainless steel pre-filter, an ozone emission removal filter, a True HEPA and Carbon filter, and a Bio-Guard filter.
Additionally, it reduces harmful Ozone levels in the house to under 1 ppb, creating an ozone-free environment.
What’s included with the NUWAVE Air Purifier OxyPure Pro?
- ELIMINATES over 99% of bacteria and viruses
- Removes ozone and other gaseous elements less than 0.001 PPM
- Removes 100% of particle pollutants at 0.09 microns
- Powerful filtration system featuring a pre-filter, HEPA/carbon filter, bio-guard filter and ozone filter
- Carbon filter lasts up to one year, and all other filters last up to twenty years
- Noise level can be adjusted with 6 fan speeds ranging from whisper quiet to turbo
- NUWAVE OxyPure Pro comes with a 5-year warranty
IQAir HealthPro Plus Air Purifier
The IQAir HealthPro Plus is the top-rated room air purifier for use in residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional buildings. The 320-degree EvenFlow Diffuser’s superior airflow effectively filters all the air in bedrooms and large rooms several times an hour.
The HealthPro Plus offers unmatched protection against bacteria, dust, mould, pollen, pet dander, smoke from wildfires, odours, harmful chemicals like formaldehyde, and more.
The Medical Grade H14 HyperHEPA Filter is proven and certified by a third-party testing lab to remove and trap 99.995% of all airborne particles down to 0.003 microns.
What’s included with the IQAir HealthPro Plus Air Purifier?
- Filters 5% of ultrafine pollution particles down to 0.003 microns
- Delivers 99.97% cleaner air or better
- Uses HyperHEPA filters to remove airborne contaminants
- Delivers four filtration stages, including Pre Max Micro-Particle Filtration, V5 Cell Granular Activated Carbon Adsorption and Pelletized Chemisorption and HyperHEPA filters
- Pre-filter lasts 16 to 18 months, activated carbon adsorption and pelletized chemisorption filter lasts 2 years, and HyperHEPA filter lasts 4 years
- Low noise level with 32% less sound across all fan speeds
- IQAir HealthPro Plus comes with a 10-year limited warranty
LEVOIT LV-H133 Air Purifier
The LEVOIT LV-H133 is designed for large open spaces, including living rooms, kitchens, loft apartments, basements, and man caves. Enjoy clean air in rooms up to 1150 square feet in just 30 minutes.
The 3-Stage filtration of the LEVOIT air purifier helps to reduce congestion, sneezing, and other allergy-related symptoms.
The H13 True HEPA Filter collects at least 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns, including smoke, pollen, pet dander, and dust.
What’s included with the LEVOIT LV-H133 Air Purifier?
- Delivers a filtration rate of up to 97% of airborne particles down to 0.3 microns
- 3-Stage filtration uses a nylon pre-filter, H13 true HEPA filter, and a high-efficiency activated carbon filter
- Filters are advised to be changed every 6 to 8 months
- Requires only 30 minutes to freshen the air in rooms up to 1076ft² and 15 minutes in rooms up to 538 ft²
- Extremely low noise levels of 25-54dB
- LEVOIT LV-H133 comes with a 1-year warranty which is extendable up to 2 years with registration
Final thoughts
Radon is a colorless, odorless, radioactive gas that can be found in any home. Testing your home for radon is the only way to know if you are at risk.
An air purifier can play an essential role in reducing your exposure to radon gas.
Air purifiers remove radon from the air and reduce the risk of exposure. There are many different types of air purifiers on the market, so choosing one specifically designed to remove radon is crucial.
If you are concerned about exposure to radon gas, an air purifier is a good investment for your health and safety.
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