ARE HAZARDOUS VAPORS SEEPING INTO YOUR BASEMENT?
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VAPOR INTRUSION
When we refer to vapor intrusion, we talk about the vapors produced by a chemical leak that enters the home, making its way into indoor air. These chemicals in the form of vapors come from underground sources such as storage tanks and groundwater. These vapors travel through soils, especially if they are sandy substrates or there are fissures underground.
Today, vapor intrusion is a concern because it can build up until endangering the health of residents or workers in buildings and homes. Some fumes from petroleum products may smell similar to gasoline, and others are odorless.
HEALTH HAZARDS
Many contaminants that seep houses are chemicals such as chlorinated solvents and similar products that can migrate through soil and groundwater from the earth. The sources of these contaminants can be found in surrounding facilities like gas stations, industrial buildings, military bases, and vehicle repair workshops.
EXPOSURE TO VAPORS Permanent exposure to high levels of these vapors can cause immediate effects. For example, children and elderlies are vulnerable to those vapors and experience symptoms as irritation and fatigue. Similarly, a woman’s exposure to TCE during the first trimester of pregnancy can lead to fetal heart malformations.
VOC’S
Vapor intrusion is the way volatile chemicals in soils and groundwater are released. These emissions enter and accumulate inside buildings, parking lots, basements, and other facilities. In this sense, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) evaporate easily after being released to the subsoil in industrial areas in an uncontrolled way.
The problem with radon is a phenomenon similar to human pollution. However, its source is natural rather than a human-made phenomenon. On the other hand, the average person cannot detect this vapor intrusion as they cannot smell radon. And experts say that both radon and human-made fumes can enter a building in much the same way that dirt is drawn into a vacuum cleaner.
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