Jim Derby

This is an old thread but one aspect of radon is completely absent. Radon is also found in well water, particularly from drilled wells. Once the water enters your house it outgasses and enters the air. Radon in drinking water has a much smaller chance of causing stomach cancer than airborne radon causing lung cancer so it is generally given less attention.

In the U. S. each state can modify the EPA radon guidelines so you need to check locally to see what the rules and recommendations are. Here in Maine the state government is more conservative than the federal government and recommends the testing of water for radon in every home. The federal guideline is to only test for radon in water if the radon air levels are high. There are treatment systems to remove radon from domestic water if your levels are high.

You can get radon in air test kits from retail stores such as hardware stores and take the sample yourself, unless you are selling your home. At the time of real estate transaction Americans are required to hire a trained, registered person to take the sample or set out a testing device which gives the results directly.

Jim

Hi Kelly.

In American English a slab is a partially rounded "first cut" of a log. In Australian English a slab is a thick plank. Could you clarify the meaning, this is an international forum.

There is such a thing as wood foundations, but modern times the wood is pressure treated to be rot resistant. Generally I do not think of wood as being a good choice for earth sheltered buildings unless they are simple and non-durable. The "first cut" slabs are also mostly sapwood which generally rots much faster than heartwood. Are you thinking of a durable building?

I do not want to distract from the topic of heat storage but please keep in mind that radon, a naturally radioactive soil gas, may be present in earth sheltered buildings or basements depending on your geography. Radon also enters houses in the water from drilled wells. Your radiation exposure depends on the concentration of the radon and length of time you spend in the space. Deep breathing such as from working increases your intake also. Radon mitigation systems are based on a plastic film and vent pipe typically with an electric fan pulling the gas up the pipe but lower concentrations could be managed with natural ventilation.

Just a thought;
Jim