Champia Shares Why You Should Test for Radon in Atlanta

    NORCROSS, GA, August 12, 2013 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Radon is an odorless, tasteless and invisible gas that is produced by the decay of uranium in soil and water. It can be hazardous when found in highly-concentrated areas in homes and other buildings. Atlanta home inspectors, Champia Real Estate Inspections, discuss why it is essential to know the level of radon in your home.

Why is Radon Dangerous?
Statistics reported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) indicate that radon is the leading cause of lung cancer around the world aside from smoking. The chances of smokers contracting lung cancer from radon are significantly higher than for non-smokers because of the combined impact of the two.

Radon Levels in Atlanta and Throughout Georgia
Nearly one out of every 15 homes in this country has an elevated radon level. You cannot predict radon levels based on local measurements or even on levels in neighboring homes. Homes that are next to each other can have different radon levels.

Levels of radon in Atlanta are particularly high. According to the EPA, Fulton, Cobb, Gwinnett, and DeKalb counties around Atlanta have a predicted average indoor radon level in the elevated or "red zone" level with a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L--higher than any other area in the state.

When and How Often Should You Test for Radon?
You should definitely have a home you are considering purchasing tested. However, there are a number of times when testing is warranted. Radon levels can change with the seasons. That's why some experts recommend testing seasonally. The EPA also recommends testing before you do any construction so that if there is a problem, you can use radon-resistant techniques.

Getting a Qualified Radon Tester
There are low-cost "do-it-yourself" radon test kits available online and in hardware stores. If you are buying a home, however, you should hire a qualified radon tester. Do not just accept the seller's test. Radon testing in Atlanta, GA should be done by qualified professionals. Champia's inspectors are certified with the highest industry standard certifications, including American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), International Code Council (ICC), and National Radon Proficiency Program (NRPP).

What to Do if High Radon Levels are Found
If elevated levels are found during the inspection, the EPA recommends that it be mitigated. The buyer should request that the seller mitigate to below the necessary threshold. The cost of making repairs to reduce radon levels depends on how the home was built among other factors.

Bill Compton, President and CEO of Champia Real Estate Inspections says, "Our qualified inspectors can do a radon test along with the home inspection and other inspections, including termite and mold inspections. It will allow you the chance to work out the cost of fixing it with the seller, just as with any other repairs that are needed. Most importantly, with Atlanta radon levels being so high, it will give you peace of mind for your family and yourself."

For more information on Champia's services, and to schedule testing and an Atlanta home inspection, visit http://champia.com/.

About Champia:
Champia Real Estate Inspections has been providing comprehensive home inspections in Atlanta and the surrounding area since 1987. Their services are available 24/7 and cover new properties to older historic properties. They also involve a range of services from radon testing to termite inspections.

For more information, visit http://champia.com/.

For all media inquiries, please contact:

Allie Petit
Content Manager
Cardinal Web Solutions
http://www.CardinalWebSolutions.com

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European Shares and Japanese Yen Weakened Further

ONG Focus | Insights | Written by Oil N' Gold | Tue Feb 19 13 00:15 ET

The US market was closed on the President Day while European stock weakened as the ECB President Draghi cautioned of risks to economic outlook in the Eurozone. Japanese yen continued its slump, now at the lowest level in 33 months, after the G-20 shrugged off the risks of currency war. Moreover, the market was moved by conflicting comments from Japanese official. In the commodity sector, the front-month contract plunged to a 4-day low of 95.21 before settling at 95.86 before settling at 95.86, down -1.49% while the Brent crude contract slipped -0.24%. Gold price remained fragile with the benchmark Comex contract losing for the third consecutive day to as low as 1596.7 before ending the day at 1609.5, down -1.59%.

In a speech at the European Parliament, the ECB President Draghi addressed the competitive depreciation of foreign exchange rates. He stated that "most of the exchange rate movements that we have seen were not explicitly targeted, they were the result of domestic macroeconomic policies meant to boost the economy. In this sense, I find really excessive any language referring to currency wars". He believed that both the nominal and real exchange of the euro has remained around its long-term average. Concerning the economic prospect, Draghi forecast that "economic weakness in the early part of 2013 is expected to be followed by a very gradual recovery later in the year" but he warned that "considerable further efforts are needed to ensure that Europe continues emerging from the crisis".

The BOJ's minutes for the January meeting indicated that a few members were reserved about the upgrades of Japanese economic outlook. Meanwhile, 2 BOJ members expressed that extending the maturity of BOJ bond buys was an option. Yet, the minutes were overshadowed by comments from policymakers. Japanese Finance Minister Taro Aso stated that the government has no plan to buy foreign bonds. His comments contradicted with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who reiterated that buying foreign bonds "exists as one idea". The next focus is the upcoming BOJ governor. News headlines stated that Toshiro Muto, a less dovish candidate than Haruhiko Kuroda or Kazumasa Iwata, is the leading candidate for the post. Abe stressed that he expects the governor to reflect the government's determination to beat deflation. Abe stated that "it would be necessary to proceed with revising the BOJ law if the central banks cannot produce results under its own mandate".

The RBA minutes released in Asian session unveiled that recent rate cuts have shown effects in boosting the economy while benign inflation might trigger further rate easing. Regarding developments in China and Japan, the minutes stated that "a wide range of indicators showed that growth in the Chinese economy had stabilized, underpinned by public spending and somewhat stimulatory financial policies... There had also been indicators of stronger growth of domestic demand" in East Asia with the exception of Japan.

 

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Strong US Data Sent Shares to New Highs

ONG Focus | Insights | Written by Oil N' Gold | Fri Mar 15 13 01:03 ET

Financial markets remained firm as driven by encouraging US economic data. Dow Jones Industrial Average rose for a 10 consecutive day, the longest string since 1996, and ended the day +0.58% higher. The S&P 500 index also soared to a record high, adding +0.56% at close. In the commodity sector, the front-month contract for WTI crude oil gained +0.55%. Brent crude rebounded for the first time in 5 days with the front-month contract climbed +0.83% during the day. Gold continued to trade below 1660.

US initial jobless claims surprisingly fell to 332K in the week ended March 10, down from a upwardly revised 342K in the prior month. The 4-week average, therefore, reached a new, post-recession low of 347K last week. Continuous claims slipped -89K in the week ended March 9. PPI surprisingly gained +0.7% m/m in February, up from +0.2% a month ago as driven by sharp +3.0% increase in energy price. Food inflation, however, eased and indeed dropped -0.5% during the month. Core PPI climbed another +0.2%, same as in January. On annual basis, both headline and core PPI added +1.7% last month.

In the Eurozone, Spain successfully issued 803M euro of long-term bonds in a special auction. Yet, 10-year yields still closed up +9 bps. President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy stated after the first day of EU meeting that “the situation across Europe is of great concern” but policymakers have pursued “clear and consistent” objectives such as restoring financial stability, reducing the unemployment rate and improving long-term growth prospects. Meanwhile, news reported that the ECB was discussing how to ease funding costs for SMEs in debt-ridden countries. Regarding this, ECB governing council member Erkki Liikanen stated that “this is a difficult question but I can say it is on our table, under consideration”. Yet, President Draghi Mario denied, saying that the central bank is “not at this point in time ... committing or planning anything special".

Today, US headline CPI probably gained +0.4% m/m in February, up from the flat reading a month ago. On annual basis, inflation added +1.8% in February, compared with a +1.6% gain a month ago. Core inflation is expected to have risen +2.0% y/y last month. University of Michigan confidence probably edged up +0.4 point to 78 in March while industrial production in the world’s largest economy climbed +0.3% in February, following a -0.1% drop a month ago.

 

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