envirozone-sge

Radon: Pre-Construction Considerations

WCAdmin@marketamerica.com (Market America WebCenters) — Tue, 21 Mar 2023 07:05:13 GMT

Radon is a radioactive gas that is produced from the decay of naturally occurring uranium in the soil, rock and water. It chiefly enters buildings through cracks, joints, penetrations and gaps in the buildings floors, walls, plumbing, etc. Radon gas is more prevalent in certain areas of the State of Florida than others, but it has been observed in buildings throughout the State. The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) “Building Radon Out” Publication (EPA/402-K-01-002), the State of Florida’s Department of Community Affairs Radon Program’s “Florida Standard for Passive RadonResistant New Residential Building Construction- July 1, 1995” and “Florida Standard for Radon-Resistant New Commercial Building Construction- January 23, 1996” should be referred to and followed during the initial planning stages of the construction project through completion.

The Florida Department of Community Affairs standards establish requirements regarding the sub-slab membrane material(s) and proper installation. The standards require the installation of a single layer of at least 6 mil polyethylene with a maximum perm rating of 0.3 as a soil-gas retarder membrane. PVC, EPDM, neoprene or other non-deteriorating, non-porous materials may be used under certain conditions. The membrane should be placed over the entire soil-contact area and care should be taken to limit seams, joints, penetrations and damage to the membrane.

Tape and/or mastic should be used in conjunction with the membrane installation at penetrations, seams, cuts, punctures or tears. The standards should be referenced regarding particular installation scenarios. A minimum 12 inch overlap should be maintained at membrane seams when concrete is placed. If the soil- gas retarder membrane needs to be sealed within 24 inches of a soil-depressurization system mat or pit only tape may be used.

The standards establish requirements for concrete strength, shrinkage, mix, curing and sealing. Concrete slab joints, penetrations, stakes, sumps etc. all require special considerations to limit gas intrusion. The standards also specific wall, crawl space, ventilation system and soil depressurization systems construction standards. Architects, Engineers, Ventilation, Building and Radon Mitigation contractors alike should study and follow these standards to limit radon gas entry into the new structures built here in the State of Florida.

Keep in touch with site visitors and boost loyalty

WCAdmin@marketamerica.com (Market America WebCenters) — Tue, 21 Mar 2023 07:05:13 GMT

There are so many good reasons to communicate with site visitors. Tell them about sales and new products or update them with tips and information.

Here are some reasons to make blogging part of your regular routine.

Blogging is an easy way to engage with site visitors

Writing a blog post is easy once you get the hang of it. Posts don’t need to be long or complicated. Just write about what you know, and do your best to write well.

Show customers your personality

When you write a blog post, you can really let your personality shine through. This can be a great tool for showing your distinct personality.

Blogging is a terrific form of communication

Blogs are a great communication tool. They tend to be longer than social media posts, which gives you plenty of space for sharing insights, handy tips and more.

It’s a great way to support and boost SEO

Search engines like sites that regularly post fresh content, and a blog is a great way of doing this. With relevant metadata for every post so search engines can find your content.

Drive traffic to your site

Every time you add a new post, people who have subscribed to it will have a reason to come back to your site. If the post is a good read, they’ll share it with others, bringing even more traffic!

Blogging is free

Maintaining a blog on your site is absolutely free. You can hire bloggers if you like or assign regularly blogging tasks to everyone in your company.

A natural way to build your brand

A blog is a wonderful way to build your brand’s distinct voice. Write about issues that are related to your industry and your customers.

Tips for writing great posts that increase your site traffic

WCAdmin@marketamerica.com (Market America WebCenters) — Tue, 21 Mar 2023 07:05:13 GMT

Write about something you know. If you don’t know much about a specific topic that will interest your readers, invite an expert to write about it.

Speak to your audience

You know your audience better than anyone else, so keep them in mind as you write your blog posts. Write about things they care about. If you have a company Facebook page, look here to find topics to write about

Take a few moments to plan your post

Once you have a great idea for a post, write the first draft. Some people like to start with the title and then work on the paragraphs. Other people like to start with subtitles and go from there. Choose the method that works for you.

Don’t forget to add images

Be sure to include a few high-quality images in your blog. Images break up the text and make it more readable. They can also convey emotions or ideas that are hard to put into words.

Edit carefully before posting

Once you’re happy with the text, put it aside for a day or two, and then re-read it. You’ll probably find a few things you want to add, and a couple more that you want to remove. Have a friend or colleague look it over to make sure there are no mistakes. When your post is error-free, set it up in your blog and publish.