January is National Radon Action Month, as designated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to encourage people to get their homes and offices tested for radon.
Radon is a radioactive gas, element No. 86 on the periodic table, a byproduct of the decomposition of uranium in soil. It’s invisible, odorless and tasteless. Winter is an especially dangerous time for the presence of radon in houses and buildings due to the effects of heating the home, closed doors and sealed windows.
“Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer,” said Jeffrey Brittingham, owner and principal scientist of Lexington-based Bluegrass Radon Systems, “and it is particularly high in areas of karst geology like Central Kentucky. An invisible radioactive gas is hyperaccumulating inside some of our homes, schools and offices because of the geology.”
Limestone, sinkholes and underground water sources make up the karst topography of the Bluegrass. Brittingham’s company installs systems to intercept and redirect the radon gas before it has an opportunity to migrate inside a structure. “We are a full-service company.
Our primary focus is radon system design and install,” he said. He often installs new construction systems for high-end builders and remodelers in town. “Typically, it’s much better functionally and cosmetically to install systems during the homebuilding process,” he said.
Bluegrass Radon Systems also installs and repairs radon systems in multifamily buildings, offices and schools. “We are very conscientious about the cosmetics of the system on the exterior, which contributes to overall quality and customer satisfaction.”
A native Lexingtonian, Brittingham’s undergrad studies were in soil science and hydrology at the University of Kentucky. After graduating in 2001, he moved to California to work as an environmental scientist for a consulting firm. He studied vadose zone hydrology at
California State University in Fresno and then came back to Lexington for a graduate degree in environmental science and systems at UK. As an environmental scientist, consultant and project manager, he has worked on complex soil and groundwater remediation, phytoremediation and stormwater projects.
“I felt like this was a perfect opportunity to help people, make homes safer and fully utilize my background in science.” — Jeffrey Brittingham, owner and principal scientist of Bluegrass Radon Systems
In the fall of 2014 he took his expertise as a soil scientist and decided to open his own radon mitigation business, Bluegrass Radon Systems, with help from Land Dale Jr., vice president of operations. Brittingham’s career choice to help prevent disease—in this case, lung cancer—had its origins in his early childhood. “My first memory is my grandfather, Poppy, being picked up at home by an ambulance,” Brittingham said. “He was very sick with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and was being transported to hospice.”
Emily and Jeffrey Brittingham with their children, Emerson, 6, and Beckett, 10
Intrigued by science, geology and hydrology as a kid, Brittingham was also interested in mechanical systems. “Designing and installing radon systems gives me an opportunity to apply all these interests and different disciplines on a daily basis,” he said. “I felt like this was a perfect opportunity to help people, make homes safer and fully utilize my background in science.”
The types of foundation, construction and insulation, along with the age of the house, school or office building—and even weather—all play a role in the presence and concentration of radon. “Typically, newer construction is going to have higher concentrations,” Brittingham said. “It’s all based on site-specific geology; there’s a multitude of factors to determine what the concentration is.”
The EPA recommends a radon follow-up test a minimum of every two years. “When I design a system, I expect it to work in perpetuity,” Brittingham said. “Some people really like to monitor the levels inside their home. It’s really the owner’s preference.”
His wife, Emily, was also born and raised in Lexington and is another UK alum. They are raising their children here and are proud supporters of the university and enjoy the spirit of community in Lexington. “At the end of the day, it feels great to know we are improving people’s quality of life, improving their homes and to know you are an expert at what you do.”