[ RadSafe ] Re: Selective ventilation

[jjcohen]

Given an indoor atmosphere containing both radon and smoke, how would
opening windows, or any other form of ventilation  mitigate one but not the
other?


----- Original Message -----
From: Kai Kaletsch <eic at shaw.ca>
To: jjcohen <jjcohen at prodigy.net>; radsafe <radsafe at radlab.nl>
Sent: Tuesday, May 24, 2005 5:52 AM
Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] Residential radon risk


> Jerry asked: "Given the apparent negative correlation between smoking and
> radon levels, I wonder
> whether it is low radon levels that cause people to smoke, or does smoking
> somehow
> cause lower radon levels? "
>
> I think it is likely that smoking causes lower radon levels, because
smokers
> would open a window to let some fresh air in.
>
> We have to remember that residential radon levels are, in part, determined
> by the residents' lifestyle. So, one could also expect that being sick
> increases radon levels. (Sick people might not lead as active lives and
> doors will stay closed.)
>
> Since residential radon levels are related to ventilation, one would also
> expect that they correlate positively with mould and other indoor
> pollutants.
>
> In the ecological studies, these factors probably largely cancel out and
the
> average county radon levels are more related to the radon source term.
Case
> control studies would be very susceptible to the influence of these other
> factors, unless these are specifically controlled.
>
> Kai
>