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Why is my dryer radioactive?

physics.stackexchange.com

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Re: Why is my dryer radioactive?

#21

Post by voynich »

kzrdude wrote: post #9

I haven't read much on physics before. My favourite thing to do on these stack overflow sites (or on specific tags) is to go to Questions -> sort by score, and just read through the top questions and answers. It's a bit hidden away because they want to steer people to the active questions, not to established ones.

I always find this a more entertaining way to learn about these topics, because they're questions which we might have had before, but never thought much about.

Re: Why is my dryer radioactive?

#22

Post by dylan604 »

kzrdude wrote: post #9

I haven't read much on physics before. My favourite thing to do on these stack overflow sites (or on specific tags) is to go to Questions -> sort by score, and just read through the top questions and answers. It's a bit hidden away because they want to steer people to the active questions, not to established ones.

Yeah, these kinds of things are what the internet should be all about rather than whatever the hell it morphed into. Sure, I'm applying my morals and expectations to it, but I don't think I've ventured onto a thin limb here.

Re: Why is my dryer radioactive?

#23

Post by dmicah »

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.

It can be an issue everywhere, Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer, after smoking.

Re: Why is my dryer radioactive?

#26

Post by lazide »

theGnuMe wrote: post #12
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.

Happens almost everywhere where basements exist.

Higher amounts of granite in the soil make it worse. Depending on the area, it can be a severe health hazard to the point no one puts in basements - others, kinda meh.

Here is a map! [https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2018-12/documents/ra...]

Re: Why is my dryer radioactive?

#27

Post by inglor_cz »

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.

Some places in Czechia have a huge problem with radon emanating from the ancient bedrock below. These places, even though rural and not polluted, tend to have more deaths from lung cancer than the rust belt in northern Moravia, where air quality in general is worse, but the radon problem is almost non-existent.

Newly built houses are required to be radon-proofed, AFAIK.

Re: Why is my dryer radioactive?

#29

Post by tpmx »

dylan604 wrote: post #20
tpmx wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

I suppose the downside of all that secrecy is balanced with the upside of having lots of competent and smart colleagues.

In my experience that is worth even more than a very high salary for your quality of life.

(That 1958 article morkalork dug up and presented below, seems historically interesting at least. Thanks for making an effort to show it.)

Re: Why is my dryer radioactive?

#30

Post by skybrian »

ck2 wrote: post #13

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 pro…

It’s outside though, so the radon wouldn’t normally accumulate unless something weird happens. Seems like this is the sort of thing you’d want experts to look at.
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