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Radon:
The Basics
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What
is radon?
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Radon
is a tasteless, colorless and odorless gas that is a decay
product of uranium and occurs naturally in soil and rock.
Radon gas has been identified as the second leading cause of
lung cancer, second only to cigarette smoking, and it is
estimated to be responsible for 21,000 deaths annually.1
Radon breaks down into components called radon progeny,
sometimes called "radon daughters," which emit
high-energy alpha particles. These emissions raise the risk of
lung cancer.
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How
Radon Affects Your Health
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Radon is the
second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. Of
the 155,000 lung cancer deaths annually in the United States,
about 12% are due to radon exposure. The remainder is due to
smoking. According to the National Academy of Sciences, radon
is estimated to cause about 15,000 deaths per year, although
the number could be as high as 22,000.
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SOURCES OF
RADON IN THE HOME
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Radon gas can
enter a home from the soil under the house through cracks in
the concrete slab, floors, or walls and through floor drains,
sump pumps, construction joints and cracks or pores in
hollow-block walls. Normal pressure differences between the
house and the soil can create a slight vacuum in the basement,
which can draw radon from the soil into the building. The
design, construction and ventilation of the home can affect
the radon levels of the home.
Well water can be another source of indoor radon. Radon
released by well water during showering or other activities
may release radon gas into the home. Radon in water is a much
smaller factor in radon exposure than radon in soil.
Radon exposure outdoors is much less of a risk than indoors
because the radon is diluted to low concentrations by the
large volume of air.
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RADON TESTING AS
A PART OF THE REAL ESTATE TRANSACTION
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If you are thinking of buying a
home, you should have a radon test done before purchase. You
may want to consider including provisions in the real estate
contract specifying details about the radon test. Make sure
the test is done in the lowest
level of the home suitable for occupancy. In addition, we
recommend using a Professional Tester to administer your radon
test, according to EPA or your state's protocols.
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Short
Term Test
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Short term tests
measure radon levels for exposure periods of 2 days to 90 days,
depending on the device. Short term testing is extremely useful
when you need
results quickly such as during a real estate transaction. Most
common tests for
radon last 2-7 days.
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HOW TO TEST
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Using a test kit that meets
the EPA requirements, place the test kit in the lowest level
of the home suitable for occupancy, at least 20 inches above
the floor. The kit should not be placed in the bathroom or
kitchen, where the humidity and use of fans could effect the
test results. If a short term test lasting less than 4
days is conducted, doors and windows should be closed
12 hours prior to and throughout the testing period. If the
test lasts up to 7 days closed house conditions are
recommended. Short term testing should not be done
during severe storms or periods of unusually high winds. Place
the test kit in an area that will not be disturbed and away
from drafts, high heat, high humidity and exterior walls that
may have windows or doors. Carefully follow the directions in
the test kit and leave it in place for the time period noted
in the instructions.
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