[Strawbale] is there concrete atomic radiation

[Sherwood Botsford]

Shody Ryon wrote:
> I will reread and think about all this. reasking the
> concrete radiant question more clearly; is there a
> health concern regarding atomic radiation from
> concrete and if so, do people have an accepted
> proceedure to midigate this? Lead based paint (yea
> right!) or lead foil or ...?
> p.s. my marriage is over ... my girlfriend left (the
> one after my marriage ended), etc.
>
>   
Oops.  Misunderstood.  I was speaking of thermal radiation.

You're talking about radioactivity.
Unless the aggregate for your concrete is uranium ore, the radiation is 
insignificant, equivalent to the same weight of rock or dirt.  You will 
get more radiation from flying on your holidays than from your concrete.

In some places you can get tiny amounts of radon gas infiltrating into a 
basement which is a very long term cancer risk, but my recollection was 
that this depended on gas permeable subsoil, and a fair amount of 
uranium in the soil.  There are a few communities in Ontario that this 
is a risk for.  Easy answer: ventilate the basement if the house is 
leaky, overpressure the basement if the house is tight.