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Why is my dryer radioactive?

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Re: Why is my dryer radioactive?

#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 looked at it, said that radon's decay products are concentrated by static electricity, and told me that I needed to get a real chair.

Hilarious

Re: Why is my dryer radioactive?

#5

> 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).

Re: Why is my dryer radioactive?

#7
Reminds me of the story about how Radon was discovered (well the fact that it can accumulate in homes). The story goes that a worker at a nuclear power plant kept on setting off the detectors when coming in to work and eventually they investigated his house.

Re: Why is my dryer radioactive?

#8
post #4

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

I have a GMC-320S, its ok, I had to cut away some of the plastic so it could read a uranium source I bought. The plastic housing would shield the tube from most of the radiation of the source. There are little slits that would let some in, I just widened them with a dremel.

I wouldn't recommend it again, but if you received one as a gift, with a bit of tweaking, you'll be measuring random stuff in your house.

Re: Why is my dryer radioactive?

#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.

Re: Why is my dryer radioactive?

#10

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
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