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AutismDad's avatar

The irony of Radon gas is it's danger is exacerbated in modern homes, owing to the obsession with "fighting climate change" group think. Because of this, to be more energy efficient modern homes use construction techniques that make them more airtight.

Homes built before the 1980's were built so they would ventilate more naturally, because it's been known for centuries that that is the way to build healthy habitable spaces.

After the energy shock of the 1970's, building designs made houses air tight pockets that recirculated heated air to conserve energy.

This saved energy, but didn't factor in the health hazards of doing so.

The most obvious one being that by recirculating air, people get respiratory illnesses more often, hence why the flu / cold season corresponds perfectly with the time when people enter their little heat bubbles in the fall / winter.

At the same time, moisture also gets recirculated, which in excess leads to mold growth, which further exacerbates respiratory diseases, as well as allergens which cause asthma and reduced immunity.

Lastly, as your article points out, it also traps radioactive radon gas from beneath your houses foundation.

A few years ago, when I moved into my basement suite, I was really worried about radon, and tested it myself. I was in the low 70's Bq/m3 most of the time and would spike to the 100's if I closed all the windows.

The funny take away with this is that in our society's obsession to get "the latest and greatest" with whatever is trending, we overlook or forget knowledge and wisdom that are intrinsic and self evident with the relics of the past.

This loss of wisdom and intellect then creates new problems with newest and best which causes regressions in the quality of life of everyone consume that which is new.

It's interesting how before, when I used to live in a house built in in the 2000's, my health and the health of my children was terrible, but after moving back to a house built in the 1970's, we have never been healthier.

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