Maine’s Water & Radon Experts
Uranium treatment for the private homeowner will be necessary if the concentration of uranium is above EPA’s maximum exposure level (MCL). The EPA has set the MCL for uranium at 30ug/L (ppb). Although uranium is radioactive, the MCL was set based on its chemical toxicity. At elevated concentrations, uranium affects kidney function and can cause cancer.
Manganese will cause a black stain and is often accompanied by iron staining and hydrogen sulfide (egg) odor. In combination with iron, manganese staining will sometimes be chocolate colored or brown.
“What is hard water?” is a question we quite often get asked. Hard water is the result of the dissolved minerals Ca (calcium) and Mg (magnesium). These minerals become less soluble at high temperatures and form a white precipitate (solid). This characteristic is what causes most of the problems with hardness.
Radon mitigation using air to air heat exchangers requires the building have low radon levels and a low natural ventilation rate. These restrictions mean air to air heat exchangers have limited use for radon mitigation.
Soil gas radon enters structures through openings in the foundation. The radon gas concentration in any building is determined by the radon concentration in the soil, soil permeability, and the pressure differential between the soil and the building.
The EPA suggests the radon level in the water should be tested if there is a private well and an elevated radon gas concentration is found in the home. This is good advice for a home owner but not necessarily good advice for a home buyer.
