Soil gas / Guides

...gas in your water supply. Radon gas occurs naturally as uranium in the soil breaks down, and can seep into your home undetected as it is colourless, odourless and tasteless; it can also dissolve in well water entering your home with the water you consume. While the concept of radon gas has not yet become common kno...

...gas, but unfortunately some very destructive ones as well. On the bright side, there are biogas projects underway that are harnessing methane escaping from landfill sites and other organic materials. While the biogas industry is still in its infancy, it is accessible through Bullfrog power which currently sources nat...

...soil gas, but it is far more durable during the construction phase than the 6 mil poly. More on radon protection : Removing radon gas from well water Removing radon gas from crawlspaces & basements From the EcoHome Green Home Building Guides

...gas concentrations, as well as techniques for radon prevention in new homes and mitigation techniques in existing homes that tested above safe levels. This page highlights the importance of Preventing Radon Gas in Home s, now be sure to read about Removing Radon gas from Crawlspaces & Basements , Removing Radon Gas f...

...soil conditions (disturbed soil, expansive soils, low-bearing capacity, high water tables, etc.) may require significant investment in drainage, soil replacement and compaction before an engineer will approve a project. The photos below are images of drainage measures that were required to support a thickened-edge fo...

...Gas exposure is, is the fact that Radon isn't an eye-watering or sneeze-inducing gas. Unlike natural gas which is also colourless, odourless and non-toxic but can go BOOM. As a safety precaution and to enable the quick detection of a leak of natural gas, a chemical that smells like rotten eggs is added tonatural gas to...

...soil with a high water table to prevent frost heave, by first installing drainage below the slab. Related slab on grade foundation pages: Slab-on-grade technical guide Building a thickened edge slab on grade with normal soil conditions Raft slabs on poor soil conditions to avoid excavating and soil remediatio...

...soil below. The build-up of ice happens largely because water in the unfrozen soil below gets drawn up into the freezing zone and attaches itself to the existing frost crystals to form ever thickening layers of ice. The key phrase for this phenomenon is " ice segregation" . This is what causes the expansion that forc...

...Gas in Crawlspaces & Basements - why is it a problem? Radon gas was not high on the radar of builders and home owners over the last few decades , but as it is the second leading cause of lung cancer (after smoking) in the USA & Canada, it is quickly becoming a household term. Many newer homes will have radon barriers...

...soil that does not have a high water table and has sufficient compressive strength to carry the load of the building. For problem soils see our pages on raft slabs and building on problem soils. 1. Creating a level building surface After the land was cleared, compactable fill was brought in to bring the site to a w...

...soil depletion that could lead to global starvation in the future as populations continue to explode? As a quick little tangent - a similar dilemma began decades ago with ethanol gas. Ethanol is a plant-based transportation fuel and therefore ‘eco-friendly’, right? However, when the inevitable day comes when there is...