Cob: Re: radon

[Robert Bolman]

>I'm new to the list. I haven't built anything yet. But in considering a
>cob home or an earth home, do you have to take into consideration the
>radon levels in the soil? Do people test for this? It seems that a
>radioactive house may not be a great thing. Just wondering.

The issue of Radon was addressed by Mike Reynolds (earthship guru) in the
following manner:  Earthships (and most cob houses) are not like "tight"
modern houses in the sense that they are drafty.  However, they have so much
thermal mass that it's not an issue.  So, because the air is constantly
changing, Radon accumulation in not an issue.  Neither is the smell of used
tires.

I would be more concerned with Radon or accumulating chemicals form toxic,
industrially manufactured building materials in a modern, energy efficient
house where everything is weather stripped, housewrapped and caulked.

Rob