Radon is drawn out of the ground from under the foundation of a home. It can compromise air quality and cause cancer if left untreated.
Radon can be a very real threat to public health in homes all across the country. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as well as the Surgeon General’s Office have estimated that as many as 20,000 lung cancer deaths are attributed to radon. Radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer behind smoking.
Radon cannot be seen, smelled or tasted, making it very difficult to detect in homes and other buildings. In most cases the source of radon in structures is formed from the normal decay of the elements uranium, thorium and radium in rocks and soil upon which homes are built. Homes act as chimneys, helping gases, including radon, rise from the ground level through foundations.
Although no level of radon is completely harmless, The American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers suggests radon levels do not exceed 2 picoCuries per liter (pCi/L). The Environmental Protection Agency allows a slightly higher top level of 4 pCi/L. Outdoors, radon levels average 0.4 pCi/L. Certain areas of North America have higher levels of radon than others. On the EPA’s radon zone map, those residing in red areas (zone 1) on the map can expect to encounter radon levels above the recommended level.
Only a radon test can determine if radon levels inside a home are unsafe. Tests can be purchased for around $20 at many home supply retailers. Radon testing often is required when individuals purchase a home as well.
If high levels of radon are detected, it’s important not to panic, as there are ways to mitigate the problem effectively. First of all, you may want to retest, which can confirm if your initial test was a fluke or caused by unusual weather. Short-term tests can measure radon over the period of a week, but longer assessments lasting about a month or more may paint a more accurate picture of your home’s average radon concentration.
If high levels of radon are discovered, one of the first things to do is to ventilate the home to bring more fresh air in and dilute radon concentrations. You may then want to consult with a radon removal contractor. You may need to use a heat recovery ventilator to introduce more fresh air or ventilate the home using a fan.
Contractors may use suction to vent air from below the foundation of the house, through a pipe and above the roof. This way the radon does not leach into the home. This method ventilates radon well out of the way of human breathing spaces.
You also may want to have your water tested for radon, as homes that rely on well water may have radon in the water source, too.
Do-it-yourself radon mitigation resources also are available.
Radon is a concern but nothing to panic over. With radon tests and treatment methods readily available, it’s relatively easy to live in a home within a zone of high radon measurements.
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