Community Discussions

How do I get rid of it? 1281 pCi/L.
Thanks.

Good question was how diod you find out ya had it??   Are you on well or city water???   I have alot of water filtration on my well.  I have a softener, and chlorine filter, and UV sterilizer, then, and MOST importantly I run 2 Big Blue 20" filters.  I have a sediment filter in the 1st, and then I run a Carbon block filter in the next.  I use a CCF20 BB carbon block filter.  They run about $70/  filter, but are worth it to me because they last for 150,000 gallons.  I've tried all kinds of filters, like thoise the best.  I would suggest adding the Big Blue dual canister filter.  You can pick up the equipment for probably $200, then plus the filters. 

If you are not on well I would take up action w/ your local municpality, as it is their problem to correct.  If you are on well, as I suspect, I would bet w/ just the carbon filter, you will be close to radon free.  I definately wouldnt be drinking your water until you correct this though.   

Marshall & Chris,

I found out in 99 when they did the test for the air. So I had the water checked. Did not get the full test for types of isotopes, just a count. The county has sent some papers around to create panic. So now I'm panicing.

People, including plumbers, don't have much experence with the stuff around here. The porblem is localized to some small areas. And it not real bad. I just want it gone.

I saw the scrubber guys in NH. Bubble JR, and ECCO or something.

I don't drink the water. But I don't like my family showering in a radon scrubber either.

Doesn't the radioactivity build up in the carbon? They said something about needing a sheild around them.

The EPA has no threshold, so testing is not required. All the crazy stuff they get involved in, go figure. But since it was in the air in the house, I had the water checked. Decided not to drink the water, and not worry about the limited exposure in the shower. But I changed my mind.

Rob, whenever the city decides, or is forced to possibly create panic, I would be a tad worried as well. I wish I knew what to tell you but I really don't. Has the city put out any recommendations? I can't imagine them telling people what's wrong but not giving any advice?

That was part of my long reply.  As weird a state this is they have strict radon laws as I remember when we closed on our house.  If it wasn't within a certain level the owners had to pay for the compliance.  At least that was my memory.

Rob I would not panic if you have been there since 99 but there has to be some filtration companies around who can advise you.  If they are aware of some county govt. warning then I would be prepared to hear some gouging prices and be prepared to call quite a few of them.

If it is city water they should be taking care of it.

C

Oh yeah, I'm on a well.

The county is pretty level headed. I don't think they are trying to incite concern, but it is an issue, they want to educate. However, it has created a higher level of concern than I think they planned on.

The county's main concern is drinking water it seems. They recommend some full blown tests to identify isotopes and the remedition methods differ depending on what the tests show. Mostly some form of ion exchange (like a softener with regeneration to rise the bad stuff into the septic tank) or reverse osmosis (some kind of smashing water through a sheeps stomach lining or something). But from what I have read, aeration is the most effective method to remove the radioactive gas. But I think there is some sediment that can be a problem. I don't know. And it is hard to get good, practcal information around where I live. There are other parts of the country that are much more used to dealing with this than we are.

As you can see, the county may be level headed, but I'm not.

1st off, the radon is harmfull like chlorine to your respitory system when you are in the shower.  Yes the radon eventually fills the carbon, but, lets for example sake compare it to chlorine, the filter I mentioned will reduce it for 150,000 gallons to less than .01 PPM(parts per million).  Then change your filter, and your safe for another 150,000 gallons.

Reverse osmosis I have in my kitchen for drinking water availability.  What you are doing is compressing water through a filter membrane, that only allows in Hydrogen, and Oxygen particles.  Everything else present can not get in.  It wastes alot of water, for example a good system will use about 6-8 gallons of water, to produce 1 pure gallon of R/O water.  You can pick up a whole house R/O system, for about 4 grand, plus the filters need to be changed every 3 months and cost about $250 each time.  Just a kitchen sink unit would cost about 200 for a decent R/o system, and filters about 50 bucks each time you change.

Like I said, I would be MOST comncerned w/ the steam when you shower giving off radon gas into your lungs.  Art the very least put the Big Blue filters on I spoke of.  I have piuctures of my set up, if you want pm me your email, and I'll send them to you, along w/ the cheapest places i found for the filters, and initial hardware to.

Many thanks, Bill.

robmints@qis.net

Sorry Rob.  Lost track of this.  here's a link of a good place to buy equip.  Note the side by side BB housings.http://www.aquascience.net/cartridge.htm

Thanks Bill.