Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Why is my dryer radioactive?

physics.stackexchange.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

11–20 of 170 posts

Re: Why is my dryer radioactive?

#11

Post by thedanbob »

afterburner wrote: post #3

> I was once prevented from leaving a neutron-science facility at Los Alamos after the seat of my pants set off a radiation alarm on exit. This was odd because the neutron beam had been off for weeks. It was a Saturday, so the radiation safety technician on call didn't arrive for half an hour — at which point I was clean, so the detective questions began. I had spent the day sitting on a plastic step stool. The tech…

I appreciated his tl;dr in the comments:

> ONE TIME I GOT RADON ON MY BUTT

Re: Why is my dryer radioactive?

#13

Post by ck2 »

Florida is about to build some test roads using phosphogypsum, a radioactive waste product of the fertilizer industry that has been piling up and they want to unload.

It contains high quantities of radium which decays into radon, this should end well.

> "Phosphogypsum contains appreciable quantities of uranium and its decay products, such as radium-226," according to the EPA. And because the fertilizer production process concentrates waste material, "phosphogypsum is more radioactive than the original phosphate rock," the agency notes.

> "The radium is of particular concern because it decays to form radon, a cancer-causing, radioactive gas," the EPA adds.

https://www.npr.org/2023/05/09/1174789570/florida-roads-radi...

Re: Why is my dryer radioactive?

#14

Post by Kon-Peki »

anamexis wrote: post #10
r3trohack3r wrote: post #2

We had this issue in the Midwest (central Illinois). Can’t remember exactly why, but radon would accumulate in the basements. Had to have sensors and ventilation for it.

Indeed - radon checks are a standard part of pre-purchase home inspections, because remediation can be quite expensive

Most of the cost is the installation of equipment in the existing home. In areas of the country that have a lot of radon, it's not uncommon to install the equipment during construction of the house foundation, which then only adds a few hundred dollars to the total cost.

> Radon-resistant new construction (RRNC) typically costs a builder between $250 and $750. RRNC could cost less than $250 if the builder already uses some of the same techniques for moisture control.

https://www.epa.gov/radon/radon-resistant-new-construction-h...

Re: Why is my dryer radioactive?

#15

Post by schiffern »

dotBen wrote: post #4

Related: HNer recommendations for home geiger counters? (serious request - for general fun/experimentation/curiosity satiation)

I've seen Cody (of CodysLab fame/infamy) use a GMC-320 Plus,[0] which runs about $130.

You can get the GMC-300E a bit cheaper, but with no temperature compensation sensor[1] it won't be quite as accurate.

[0] https://old.reddit.com/r/codyslab/comments/hk3jru/more_fun_w...

[1] https://www.gqelectronicsllc.com/support/GMC_Selection_Guide...

Re: Why is my dryer radioactive?

#16

Post by danbtl »

anamexis wrote: post #10
r3trohack3r wrote: post #2

We had this issue in the Midwest (central Illinois). Can’t remember exactly why, but radon would accumulate in the basements. Had to have sensors and ventilation for it.

Indeed - radon checks are a standard part of pre-purchase home inspections, because remediation can be quite expensive

We had such a remediation done recently, in Alberta close to the rocky mountains.

Costs were around $2,000 CAD to install a sub-slab depressurization system (i.e. a fan that pulls air from below the house and vents it away from the house).

Radon values dropped from around 500 Bq/m3 to less than 20 Bq/m3.

Re: Why is my dryer radioactive?

#17

Post by rolobio »

dotBen wrote: post #4

Related: HNer recommendations for home geiger counters? (serious request - for general fun/experimentation/curiosity satiation)

I have a GQ 600-RPS and I love it. It detects alpha, beta and gamma. Detection range is only a few inches, so you have to know what to look for. We take it on family outings and search for uranium rocks.

Re: Why is my dryer radioactive?

#18

Post by blackfawn »

dotBen wrote: post #4

Related: HNer recommendations for home geiger counters? (serious request - for general fun/experimentation/curiosity satiation)

I really like my https://www.bettergeiger.com/ (no affiliation with them, I just own one and am happy with it) It uses a solid-state scintillator instead of the older and less sensitive Geiger-Müller tube.

Re: Why is my dryer radioactive?

#19

Post by dylan604 »

afterburner wrote: post #3

> I was once prevented from leaving a neutron-science facility at Los Alamos after the seat of my pants set off a radiation alarm on exit. This was odd because the neutron beam had been off for weeks. It was a Saturday, so the radiation safety technician on call didn't arrive for half an hour — at which point I was clean, so the detective questions began. I had spent the day sitting on a plastic step stool. The tech…

I know that red tape is a thing with gov't procurement, but come on!

Re: Why is my dryer radioactive?

#20

Post by dylan604 »

tpmx wrote: post #5
afterburner wrote: post #3

> I was once prevented from leaving a neutron-science facility at Los Alamos after the seat of my pants set off a radiation alarm on exit. This was odd because the neutron beam had been off for weeks. It was a Saturday, so the radiation safety technician on call didn't arrive for half an hour — at which point I was clean, so the detective questions began. I had spent the day sitting on a plastic step stool. The tech…

Also: That competence (the radiation safety technician).

I would hope that at some place like Los Alamos the technicians are a little more qualified than your run of the mill techs.
Post reply on HN