Poll of the Day > Too scared to go to bed

(+) Yeah! (+)

afraid that monsters will come up from my basement

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If you can't sleep, maybe you should visit that r/nosleep place.

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Just go down to the basement before bed, tell the monsters a bedtime story and they won't bother you.

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Man, I wish basements were more of thing here in Albuquerque. I know why they aren't, but I miss them.

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CyborgSage00x0 posted...

Man, I wish basements were more of thing here in Albuquerque. I know why they aren't, but I miss them.

Wait, why don't they have them there? I wouldn't imagine the ground is too wet >_>


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There are no monsters. Now go back to your clown bed.



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Zeus posted...

Wait, why don't they have them there? I wouldn't imagine the ground is too wet >_>

The opposite, ground is too hard. Solid granite mountain is under most of the area, and radon exposure can be a problem.

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CyborgSage00x0 posted...

and radon exposure can be a problem.

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat? That's crazy.

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Zeus posted...

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat? That's crazy.

I had to google it. Today I learned that one of the geological layers in the area is very rich in Uranium. Neat

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Lokarin posted...

I had to google it. Today I learned that one of the geological layers in the area is very rich in Uranium. Neat

Pretty much. It's common when building on granite type rocks, found near most mountains. It's very easily dealt with, though, homes just have tubes/pipes that divert radon from your ground level to outside. It's quite common to do a radon test with a home inspection, they are like $50. And even then, the particle count would have to be very, very high, over a long time of exposure before elevated cancer risks become truly worrying.

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The nasty thing about radon is that it is a gas, so you breathe it in easily, then it undergoes radioactive decay into elements that are solids which remain trapped in your lungs. Radon is an alpha emitter, so it can cause only limited damage inside the body, but most of the decay products produce beta particles, which can penetrate much deeper. Some of them are also toxic, like polonium, lead and mercury. And the total half-life of the decay products is over 23 years, so once you breathe this stuff in, you're pretty much going to be irradiated for most of your life.

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CyborgSage00x0 posted...

It's common when building on granite type rocks, found near most mountains.

Is that a problem with granite itself? Or something else?

captpackrat posted...

The nasty thing about radon is that it is a gas, so you breathe it in easily, then it undergoes radioactive decay into elements that are solids which remain trapped in your lungs. Radon is an alpha emitter, so it can cause only limited damage inside the body, but most of the decay products produce beta particles, which can penetrate much deeper. Some of them are also toxic, like polonium, lead and mercury. And the total half-life of the decay products is over 23 years, so once you breathe this stuff in, you're pretty much going to be irradiated for most of your life.

jfc, that's some scary shit.

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Yes. If you have a particular of a neutron emitter on your skin it can only radiate a few angles towards you... if it's inside you that's a full 360x360 degrees of absorption

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I wish there were monsters under my bed, would be better than the trauma and bad thoughts that fills my brain instead.

Zeus posted...

Is that a problem with granite itself? Or something else?

Technically, any soil/ground manipulation can release radon, but granite in particular has higher amounts of radon trapped inside (packrat seems more knowledgeable on it, so he can elaborate). Even granite countertops emit very low amounts of radon emissions. Radon is the 2nd highest cause of lung cancer in America, (far) after smoking.

Like I said though, detecting it and resolving it is relatively inexpensive and easy, and areas with high granite ground bases already have buildings constructed with radon exhaust in mind.

I've been looking to buy a house since January, and actually looked at an open house that disclosed the radon level was higher than acceptable, so work would need to be done on ventitlation thereof.

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CyborgSage00x0 posted...

Even granite countertops emit very low amounts of radon emissions.

Suddenly I feel a lot better about formica (although I want to go with marble someday)

CyborgSage00x0 posted...

Like I said though, detecting it and resolving it is relatively inexpensive and easy, and areas with high granite ground bases already have buildings constructed with radon exhaust in mind.

I've been looking to buy a house since January, and actually looked at an open house that disclosed the radon level was higher than acceptable, so work would need to be done on ventitlation thereof.

I'm going to probably have to start reading more about radon exhaust because this whole thing seems a little crazy. Oo

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Dont be afraid of monsters, they have all the cool shit and in exchange for pain and suffering they will share

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Clowns will eat you?

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can't sleep, clown will eat me
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