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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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