Basement waterproofing and crawl space repair in BC

Slashes Slated for U.S. Radon Protection Program

Fri, March 9 2012, 00:00:00 -500

Proposed 2012 budget cuts of $2 million to the radon program of the Environmental Protection Agency threaten to drastically reduce the effectiveness and awareness of radon gas safety in our society. Additional budget cuts proposed for fiscal year 2013 would affect the State Indoor Radon Grants program and regional oversight efforts.

Because radon gas is invisible in daily life, heightened education and awareness programs are all the more critical to safe guard the population. Longer term exposure can unknowingly result in severe health problems including cancer. Since the 1988 Indoor Radon Abatement Act passed by the Federal government, progress has been encouraging. Imposing these budget cuts would undermine that progress and the law’s mission.

Groups are rallying their efforts and constituents to reverse the proposed cuts in spending. The American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists (AARST) and Cancer Survivors Against Radon (CanSAR) are among them. Contacting Congressional representatives is one of the best ways to express opposition to the cutbacks. Voices must be heard; health and safety risks can be averted.

The National Radon Defense (NRD) is a network of radon professionals dedicated to delivering the highest quality radon measurement and mitigation services. All members are carefully selected and participate in extensive, on-going training ensuring customers quality solutions and value pricing. The NRD is the world’s most trusted source in the radon measurement and mitigation services industry.

As a member of the National Radon Defense network, BC Basement Systems strictly adheres to their guidelines for service, workmanship, and reliability. They are ready to answer any questions about radon in the home, test and monitor radon gas on the premises, and provide results and solutions specifically designed for the house. The process is simple, fast, and accurate.

BC Basement Systems specializes in radon mitigation in Victoria, BC and other surrounding areas. Visit them online to set up a radon mitigation estimate.

Radon Gas Alert for Every Parent of School-age Children - MSNBC Today!

Mon, March 5 2012, 00:00:00 -500

Are Your Children at Risk? Watch the Video.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

A new investigative report has aired on the MSNBC Today Show sounding the alarm about the occurrence of radioactive radon gas in our nation’s schools, affecting thousands of children. The report identifies a reluctance of many schools to conduct radon gas tests, perhaps fearing the results. But radon gas testing, in schools and homes, saves lives.

Quoted in the report, Bill Fields, highly respected in the radon field, says that exposure to radon gas causes more deaths than any other environmental hazard. He compares it to the proven and documented dangers of smoking.

Lack of money, the report goes on to say, is often cited as one of the reasons school districts don’t test; federal law also does not require them to test for radon gas.

Essential viewing for everyone, this important video presents the facts and dangers of radon gas in schools and homes, and goes in depth about what school districts are doing and not doing, the EPA, and stories of victims.

The National Radon Defense is a network of radon professionals dedicated to delivering the highest quality radon measurement and mitigation services. Members are carefully selected and participate in extensive, on-going training ensuring customers quality solutions and value pricing. This network is the nation’s trusted source of radon measurement and mitigation services available.

As a member of the National Radon Defense network, we strictly adhere to their guidelines for service, workmanship, and reliability. We are ready to answer questions about radon in the home, test and monitor radon gas on your premises, provide results, and suggest solutions specifically designed for you. The process is simple, fast, and accurate.

BC Basement Systems specializes in radon mitigation in Victoria, BC. Visit us online for a radon mitigation quote.

Radon and Your Health

Tue, May 10 2011, 00:00:00 -500

These days, radon is a very talked about subject, but there are homeowners and renters who remain unaware of radon and the serious effects it can have on their health.

Radon is an invisible, silent, hazardous, and odorless radioactive gas that silently enters into your home. Radon is a direct result of the decaying of a small amount of uranium found in the earth's crust. Radon tends to enter through small holes and cracks in the walls and floors of your foundation, or through utility lines openings, drains, sump openings. Radon spreads rather quickly. Once radon enters your basement it can quickly spread to the above levels and living spaces of your home. Once radon enters your home it can put you and your family, as well as your health in danger of poisoning.

Why is radon so dangerous?

Radon is a very dangerous and hazardous gas because it breaks down quickly and instantly spreads throughout the air. Because radon has the tendency to break down at a rapid speed, larger amounts of radon can be dangerous to you and your health. Radon poisoning can occur without your knowledge and within a short amount of time. As quickly as the gas spreads in your home, you and your family are at immediate risk of radon poisoning.

How can radon be found?

Radon in the largest sources is located in the soil around and under homes, but radon can also be in the water you drink, the building materials in your home, or in the air you breathe.

Can radon levels elevate?

Since radon comes directly from the soil under and around your home, any home is placed at risk, especially those that have a dirt crawl space. Basements that only have a dirt crawl space are at risk to being exposed to maximum levels of radon.

Can my home be exposed to radon if I have a concrete basement?

Even if your basement has a concrete floor it is also at risk of hosting maximum levels of radon.

How is radon measured?

There are radon detectors that can be installed and monitored by professionals. By having the radon in your home under a constant careful eye allows the levels of radon to be continuously measured. This will also protect you and your family from radon poisoning exposure.

If you are on a tight budget, here are inexpensive to moderately priced devices and special detection equipment on the market. These devices and special detection equipment is available in most hardware stores and home building centers around the country.

These devices and special detection equipment is placed in your home for several days. After several days, the detection system is removed and sent to a processing center or lab where tests are performed to determine if radon is in your home, if you and your family have been exposed, as well as the level of radon. Once all the tests have been processed, a report will be sent to you to confirm if you do or do not have radon in your home.

Can radon put me and my family at risk of serious health issues?

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, over 20,000 people die in the United States each year due to from radon related lung cancer. Men and women who smoke and have been exposed to the radioactive gas have a greater chance of developing lung cancer than those who do not smoke or use tobacco based products.

Studies have also shown, non-tobacco users and young children have a much higher chance of developing lung cancer when they have been exposed to the radioactive gas than those who have not been exposed, but young children tend to be more at risk of being exposed.

What is radon poisoning?

Since radon is the source of a decaying process, tiny radioactive particles are slowly and silently released into the air. Radon poisoning occurs when you inhale large mounts of high levels of the radioactive gas into your lungs. By breathing radon into your lungs it can cause moderate to severe damage to the lungs, resulting in lung cancer.

Why does radon poisoning occur?

Radon poisoning has a tendency to occur when crawl spaces, basements or mines are poorly encapsulated.

What are the signs of radon poisoning?

The Environmental Protection Agency has spent endless hours and money researching the symptoms and effects of this radioactive gas. There are indications to look for to tell if you and our family have been exposed to radon poisoning. Those symptoms are a persistent dry cough, hoarseness, respiratory infections, and respiratory issues.

What is the best way to confirm if I have been exposed to radon?

If you believe you or your family have been exposed to radon or if you are experiencing symptoms that you believe are from radon poisoning, it is best to seek medical attention. A physician will give you a complete check up, and run the appropriate tests to determine if you have been exposed to the radioactive gas, and what treatment will suit your specific needs.

How can I protect myself and my family from radon poisoning?

The United States Surgeon General's office recommends all homeowners and landlords have their homes and rental properties tested for radon.

Solution: If you believe you and your family may have been exposed to radon it is best to contact a professional who can evaluate and properly test your home for radon. This will assure you and your family are safe from this radioactive gas.

Contact the radon experts at Interior Basement Systems for radon mitigation in Kelowna!

The Effects of Radon Exposure in Your Home

Thu, April 21 2011, 01:59:29 -500

Many homeowners are unaware of the serious effects radon can have on you, your family and your home. Radon is a silent, invisible, odorless, hazardous and natural occurring gas. It is a result of the decay of small amounts of uranium found within the earth's crust.

Radon is a radioactive gas that silently enters your home through utility line openings, drains, sump openings, and small cracks in the walls and floor of the foundation. Radon has the tendency to spread quickly, going from the basement of your home to the main living space, odorless-ly, putting you and your family in danger of radon poisoning.

Radon is a dangerous gas because it easily and quickly breaks down and scatters throughout the air in your home. Due to the fact that radon breaks down and spreads so quickly, large amounts of radon can accumulate inside your home without your knowledge. As the gas spreads throughout your home, you and your family are placed in a dangerous position.

Where is radon found?

The largest source of radon is located in the soil around and under your home, but radon is also in the air you breathe, in water supply you drink and in building materials. As long as radon is present, you and your family are at risk.

Can radon be measured?

There are devices and special detection equipment available in most hardware stores and home building centers around the country to detect and measure the silent, invisible and odorless gas. Today, radon detectors are commonly used in homes throughout the United States and Canada.

Radon detectors are usually placed in the home for several days at a time. After a desired amount of time, the device is removed from your home and sent off to the lab where tests will be performed to determine if you have radon in your home, as well as the amount of radon. After several tests are performed, you will receive a report from the lab. This is sometimes called a short term test.

There are also radon detectors on the market that can be installed and monitored by a professional. This allows the levels of radon to be continuously measured, protecting you from exposure. This is sometimes known as a long term test.

Can radon levels elevate in my home?

Radon comes through the soil, so any home or building that has a dirt crawl space is at risk of being exposed to the maximum levels of radon. However, homes and buildings with concrete foundations can also host maximum levels of radon.

Can radon cause health risks?

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over 20,000 men and women across the United States die from radon related lung cancer each year. Smokers who have been exposed to radon have a greater chance of developing lung cancer than non-smokers.

However, non-smokers and children have a higher chance of developing lung cancer when being exposed to radon rather than those who have not been exposed to radon.

Further studies have shown that children are more at risk of contracting the effects of being exposed to radon than adults.

Recognizing radon poisoning:

Radon originates through a decaying process that slowly and silently releases tiny radioactive particles. Radon poisoning occurs when your lungs have been exposed to and inhale high levels of the radioactive gas. This can cause mild to severe damage to the lungs, resulting in lung cancer.

Why does radon poisoning occur?

Radon poisoning occurs due to poor ventilation in crawl spaces, basements or mines.

Symptoms of radon poisoning:

The EPA has spent a lot of time and money researching the effects and symptoms of radon. Indications of radon poisoning are the same as lung cancer and include: a persistent cough, respiratory infections, hoarseness, and respiratory and breathing difficulties. It’s best to seek medical attention to be sure you or your family hasn’t been exposed or aren’t experiencing symptoms of radon poisoning.

How do I protect myself?

According to the United States Surgeon General office, it is highly recommended that homeowners periodically have their homes tested for radon.

Solution:

If you believe you and your family have been exposed to radon, it is best to contact a professional who can evaluate and properly test your home’s radon levels. This will provide the information and further action to be taken to ensure that you and your family are safe from this radioactive gas.

Contact the experts at Interior Basement Systems for more information about radon and for radon mitigation in British Columbia and all surrounding areas.

Basement Expert Adds Radon To List of Expertise In Time of High Radiation Awareness

Mon, April 4 2011, 00:00:00 -500

British Columbia - Local basement and crawl space specialist has increased its services arsenal to now include radon mitigation.

While Japan continues to make news regarding its recent radiation concerns, it's also drawing attention to the radiation people are already being exposed to on a daily basis-- radon. Unfortunately it's taken such a tragedy overseas to raise awareness to the severity of radon exposure.

Radon is found in most soil and enters the air upon the decay of uranium. As radon enters the air it makes its way into basements through small cracks and holes. If during the winter or summer, when homes are most commonly tightly sealed, the radon can become congested without an escape route.

Whether confined at high or low levels, the effects of radon exposure are quite severe. In the U.S. the Environmental Protection Agency has estimated 21,000 annual deaths from radon induced lung cancer.

Interior Basement Systems has joined in the fight against this in-home terror because they vastly understands the need for awareness and removal of this gas from homes, jobs, gyms, and all local buildings.

Contact Interior Basement Systems today for more information about radon mitigation and removal in BC. They also offer basement waterproofing and crawl space repair. Contact them today for a free estimate.

Alternatives to Fix Wet Basements

Thu, February 24 2011, 04:49:22 -500

When shopping for ways to fix a wet basement, homeowners are likely to be presented with many alternatives. Some seem easy and unexpensive, some are disruptive and costly. Which is more effective?

First it is important to understand that the reason why the basements leak is that they are basically concrete boxes buried in wet dirt. Concrete in itself is porous, and there is no way to completely seal the box. Every time the soil around the foundation gets over saturated with water, hydrostatic pressure increases and pushes water against the basement walls. Water will find its way in through joints, cracks and will infiltrate the porous concrete through capillary action.

Therefore the only way to keep your basement dry is to keep that soul around the foundation as dry as possible with adequate drainage.

Gutters should be installed and kept clean, with downspouts discharging as far away from the foundation as possible.

The terrain should be graded to slope away from the foundation.

Plants that need constant watering, sprinklers and garden hoses should be kept away from the house as well.

A functioning foundation drainage system should be in place.

When houses are built, a french drain, which is usually a perforated clay pipe is installed by the foundation footing. The problem is that french drains tend to clog or collapse overtime, and that is how previously dry basements develop water problems.

So what is the alternative? Internal Drain Tiles!

Internal perimeter drainage systems, like out patented WaterGuard, have been used successfully for over 20 years. They are installed by jack hammering a few inches off the basement slab, close to the wall, installing a specially engineered drain tile over a bed of gravel, connecting it to a sump pump system, and then patching the concrete back up.

They do the same thing a french drain does and more: they collect ground water relieving the hydrostatic pressure, and collect any eventual water seeping through the walls as well, like a simple baseboard system would do.

But the best advantage of these systems is that they are serviceable. Should they clog, they can be serviced from inside the basement, which is why good companies will back them up with a Lifetime Transferable Warranty.

At Interior Basement Systems, we know just what works and, after solving many basement problems over the years, we are proud to say that we sell the best solutions available in this industry.

We install 24 patented products and award winning systems, developed by a company with over 20 years of experience and success in basement waterproofing.

If you want your basement dry all the time, contact us for a free quote!

IceGuard: another line of defense against basement flood.

Tue, January 13 2009, 03:04:44 -500

A sump pump is a homeowner’s first line of defense against basement floods.

However, low winter temperatures can freeze discharge lines and render even the best sump pump in the market, virtually useless or cause it to burn out.

To protect your sump pump and keep the discharge lines flowing, Basement Systems developed this simple and inexpensive extension that can virtually mean the difference between a dry basement and a flooded one. It is called IceGuard, and it is so effective it should become standard for every sump pump system installed in cold regions.

Click here to see a video on how the IceGuard works.

Then call us for a free estimate and find out about other innovative and affordable solutions to keep your basement dry all the time.