Radon Information:

 

The natural decay of uranium produces the radioactive element, Radium.  Radium and its product Radon gas can be found in many homes. Radon has no color, smell, or other telling sign and requires the use of special equipment and testing for detection.

While radon is most prevalent in areas of porous subsoils it can be found anywhere.  Foundation cracks and poorly ventilated crawl spaces are the easiest places for radon to enter a home.

Picocuries (pCi) are measures of radon and pCi per liter of air is how homes are tested for radon levels.  Radon concentrations that exceed 4.0 pCi/L should be addressed.  The average concentration of radon in an indoor space is roughly 1.3 pCi/L.

 

Dangers of Radon

Prolonged exposure to radon has been linked to lung cancer and other ailments.  The alpha radiation emitted from Radon can cause damage to the cells and tissues of the body.

Each year as many as 22,000 cases of lung cancer are directly attributed to radon according to the National Academy of Sciences.  The U.S. Surgeon General as well as the EPA has recommended testing for radon in every home.

 

Radon in the Home

There are measures that can be taken when high levels of radon are discovered in a home.  Radon mitigation equipment and techniques are available to help bring radon levels down to an acceptable level.  Such things as installing PVC piping under the basement floor or installing and air pump can effectively reduce the amount of radon that enters a living space.

These are also things that you can look for when purchasing a home. If you see pipes under the concrete floor in the basement of fans venting to the outdoors there may be radon issues that he current homeowner has not disclosed. 

Another important issue to be aware of regarding radon is that coal and wood ashes in a fireplace or stove are plausible sources of radon emissions.  The levels expelled from standing ash are small but can combine with Radon from other sources and possibly increase them enough to be dangerous.  To prevent this added risk you can simply clean out wood and/or coal ashes from any sources you have on a regular basis.

 

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