Dealing with radon gas levels
RADON GAS REDUCTION
Question: What should I do about radon gas levels in my house? I built the place in 2007, but until last year I didn’t even know what radon was. I’ve since installed a permanent radon detector in the basement and another in the ground floor space. Our basement is constantly above 150 Bq/m3. I’m worried.
Answer: Radon is a naturally occurring colourless, odourless soil-borne gas that triggers lung cancer when present in high enough concentrations in certain regions. It sounds like you don't yet have a radon mitigation system in your basement to lower indoor radon levels. Is that right? 150 Bq/m3 is considered the high end of acceptable, but you're wise to take action. That said, don't worry about having been exposed to this level since your house was new.
Take action now, yes, but don't worry about past exposure. Worry does nothing and the radon risk is a cumulative thing and takes time to cause trouble at the levels you have (if it even ever does cause trouble). There are people who live their whole lives with 200 Bq/m3 and more, and never have an issue. Also, since your levels are at the high end of acceptable, any radon reduction system should be able to bring the levels down quite nicely.
Any radon plan involves sealing all gaps and cracks in the basement, then installing a fan system that draws air out from the soil underneath your basement and exhausts it outdoors near the roof. The system essentially extracts the radon gas and exhaust it outdoors before it can accumulate in your home. It’s mature technology and professionals exist who can certainly help you. Bottom line is that there’s no need to worry, just take prudent action.
PRESERVING FOOD SAFELY
Question: How much of a concern is the danger of food poisoning with homepreserves in jars? Botulism is a major concern for my wife and I. Even with modern canned goods from the store, we’re always questioning if it's good or not.
Answer: You’re wise to be concerned about home preserving, but the good news is that botulism is a non-issue if you follow modern canning practices taught by the canning jar companies and in modern books on canning. Pressure canning is the fastest and most effective way to preserve food in jars and I’ve used it for decades (including canning meat) with not a single issue. Here are two things that I hope will make you feel better:
THING#1: LOOK AT THE LIDS
All mason jar lids for home preserves have a central disk of metal that dishes downwards in shape due to the internal vacuum that develops when hot jars of preserves cool down. When things are not preserved properly, microbes inside the jars start to grow, giving off gases. These gases not only relieve the suction but actually build internal pressure in the jars, causing the lids to dish upwards or even leak out liquid. A downwards dished shape in the lid is something you want to see in a fresh jar that hasn’t been opened. Also, always use new lids when packing home preserves in jars.
THING#2: EVEN SLOPPY CANNERS SEEM OK
Now, I certainly don’t recommend this, but I know plenty of people who don’t follow the most cautious canning procedures and they don’t get sick.
Like I said, I don’t recommend this, but I do know people who simply pour hot preserves into old, non-sterilized pickle jars, pop the old lid on, and call it a day. They’ve been doing this for 50 years with not a single health issue.
My point in telling you this is to show how far on the safe side of the line proper and recognized proper canning is. I trust it and you can, too.
Steve Maxwell always enjoys opening a nice jar of homepreserved venison. Visit Baileylineroad.com and join 31,000+ people who get his Saturday morning email newsletter each week.