Moon affects deadly radon levels in homes.

[Nick Gromicko]

Moon affects deadly radon levels in homes
David Adam, environment correspondent
Thursday March 16, 2006
Guardian

Thousands of homeowners could be exposed to higher levels of the deadly gas radon than they realize because of a bizarre interaction with the moon.
Scientists have discovered that natural levels of the radioactive gas, which is thought to kill up to 2,000 people in the UK each year, are affected by changes in the lunar cycle, because it alters the gravitational pull on the Earth.
The study raises doubts about the reliability of home-testing kits for radon, which are often used to show house buyers their new property is safe.
Robin Crockett, a radon expert at the University of Northampton, said: "Somebody could measure radon for a week and show a level about 40% below the true value." Monitoring is needed for at least 14-15 days, he said, to cover the transition between new moon and full moon.
Companies that make the one-week tests market them as a convenient alternative to three-month with the moon."
But he adds that radon readings close to the safe level should be checked using a longer-term test.tests, which the government recommends.
Radon can cause lung cancer. The gas occurs naturally inside rocks, and seeps from the ground into buildings. Levels vary across the country, but are higher in Cornwall and parts of south-east England.
Dr Crockett and colleagues at the University of Bradford and Northampton general hospital discovered the effects of the moon while carrying out routine radon measurements for the government. Writing in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, they say the lunar cycle changes the amount of stress in the Earth's crust and drives the water table up and down. Combined with ocean tides, which squeeze and relax the ground, this can change radon emissions during a full moon and a new moon by up to 46%.
The scientists say: "One-week measurements could erroneously indicate that a building with 'safe' levels is unsafe, if measured around a tidal-cyclic radon maximum, or that a building with 'unsafe' levels is safe."
Brian Ahern, chairman of the Radon Council, a trade body that promotes home testing, insists the tests are reliable: "I've tested radon levels for a year at a time and haven't detected any changes

[John Nosworthy]

I'm thinking this squeezing of the earth is especially pronounced near the centers of the crop circles

[Jay Moge]

if you squeeze me just right........i release gas too.

[Russell Spriggs]

Actually, I find that rather fascinating, and worth passing on.

Like gas from a non-member!

[Jay Moge]

Originally Posted by rspriggs

Actually, I find that rather fascinating, and worth passing on.

Like gas from a non-member!

so if i join now you'll do it?? come on, just 'cuz i'm not a member yet doesn't mean i'm not worthy.

[Joseph Hagarty, CMI]

Elevated Radon readings appear to be cyclable in this area.

I Have not tracked Radon previously to the Lunar Phases.

I will attempt to do this in the future and report any noted correlations.

[Nick Gromicko]

If several members would agree to run their continuous monitors right through a full moon (before and after) and offer their readings I would reimburse them for this research and publish it here.

[Russell Spriggs]

Relax, Jay!
See the smile & wink on my post?

[Andy T. Bishop]

Nick
I wish i had a continous system. I think and have been told that you need to do a test every month to really see the true readings with barometric pressure, snow covered, wet, dry and whatever else. I got an 8 on my home and had a system installed. You buy me a system and i will do some test for you whenever however in diffent homes and in different areas.
I am too new to the HI business to drop the coin on that. I have dropped enough. Just purchased a mold test kit/pump system a month or so ago also.
BHI

[Jay Moge]

Originally Posted by rspriggs

Relax, Jay!
See the smile & wink on my post?

yeah i got that Russ, i was bustin' chops too .

[Nick Gromicko]

----- Original Message -----
From: Conrad Weiffenbach
Sent: Monday, March 20, 2006 3:13 PM

Hello all,
To check if there's a significant effect from moon phases on indoor radon (www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,1731676,00.html), I've looked at our spreadsheet graphs of more than a year's hourly radon data for two houses. The data is from our study of houses built to be radon-resistant, presented at the Nashville AARST Radon Symposium, October 2003, and the best graph is in the proceedings CD for that meeting. I added vertical lines at full moon dates in 2002-2003 to the graphs. Windows were kept closed when outside temperatures were continually below freezing, late November 2002 through February '03, so window opening was not an uncontrolled variable then. No systematic effect from phases of the moon is visible to me. I think I would be able to see an effect as large as 40%. Dan Steck has a graph of hourly CRM data for Jan. through March 1995, at csbsju.edu/MNradon/indoor_radon_variation_over_time.htm. You can hold your fingers on the screen at approximate dates of tull moons in 1995: Jan 16, Feb 15, Mar 17, and Apr 15. No lunar-phase effect is visible to me in that data either. His latitude in MN is colder than our latitude in WI, so I would guess those windows were kept closed too. I'll have to hear more about the study in GB; read their paper.

Conrad Weiffenbach
Radiation Protection Section
Division of Public Health, State of Wisconsin
weiffcv@dhfs.state.wi.us
608-267-4796 (fax 608 267-4853)
website, Radon Information for Wisconsin: www.lowradon.org

[ddelaney]

Nick,

Why don't NACHI buy two continuous monitors, and allow them to run and annotate throughout the entire cycle (or two). Then, at the end of the research period, auction them off on our MB--NACHIbay???

[Dale L. Staben]

Originally Posted by ddelaney

Nick,

Why don't NACHI buy two continuous monitors, and allow them to run and annotate throughout the entire cycle (or two). Then, at the end of the research period, auction them off on our MB--NACHIbay???

Now there's an Idea

[Joseph Hagarty, CMI]

From: Conrad Weiffenbach

This individual Post is indicative of information that is already available.

There are many State Licensed Radon Firms already operating within the NACHI Organization (as Members) employing CRM technology for Radon Testing that could supply additional data without added expense.

Purchasing equipment to be used by Unlicensed / Untrained individuals will not deliver verifiable results.

[sbogren]

If I have a CM available at the time I'll run one through the cycle.