Healthy Home Report - Radon Gas

Has your home been invaded by Radon?

If so, don't panic. Act now.

Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in this country. That's why the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Surgeon General strongly recommend that all homes be tested, and if a problem exists, corrective action be taken as soon as possible.

If your test shows that your home's Radon level is dangerously high, the time to act is now.

How Radon affects you.

Your lung cancer risk from Radon is determined by the amount you're exposed to, and the length of time you’re exposed to it. The higher the level, the greater the risk. The list below gives you an idea of how lifetime exposure to various Radon levels compares with other risks.

Interpreting your results.

Because no level of Radon is considered absolutely save, you should try to reduce Radon levels in you home as much as possible. The average Radon level in homes is about 1.5 picocuries per liter (pCi/L). You should definitely take action to reduce Radon in you home if you average annual level is higher than 4 pCi/L.

In most cased, you can reduce the Radon level in your home to as low as 2 to 4 pCi/L, and sometimes even below 2 pCi/L.

Short- and long-term results should be interpreted differently. If your long-term results are high you should definitely take action to fix you home as soon as possible.

If you short-term results are high, the best way to determine your annual level is by doing a long-term results from tests made during the cooler months generally overestimate annual levels by one to three times.

Fore example, if you short-term test result is 6 pCi/L, then your annual average level is probably between 2 pCi/L and 6 pCi/L. Or, if your short-term result is 12 pCi/L then your annual average level is probably between 4 pCi/L and 12 pCi/L.

If your short-term test results are low, you may want to test again at some time in the future. This is to make sure that your test was not conducted at a time when Radon levels happened to be much lower than usual.

Fixing you Radon problem.

While in some cased you can treat the problem yourself, you should always consider the use of trained personnel. Trained Radon reduction contractors offer their service in many areas. Call you State Radon Office or you local government to locate one.

You'll find more information on how to reduce Radon levels in you home in EPA's booklet, "Radon Reduction Methods: A Homeowners's Guide," which is also available from your State.

The two most common Radon reduction strategies are:

Remember, high levels of Radon are extremely dangerous to you and your family. And if your tet results were high, you should take action.

Questions and Answers:

What is Radon?

Radon is a radioactive gas that has no smell, taste, or color. It comes from the natural decay of uranium that is found in nearly all rock and soil. Where geologic conditions are favorable, the potential increases for high indoor levels of radon. Tn the Provo-Orem area, soil with potential for higher indoor-radon levels is common on the east bench and on alluvial fans along the Wasatch Range front. This soil is derived from black shale and metamorphic rock in the mountains.

If radon is natural, why is a hazard?

Outdoor radon levels never reach dangerous concentrations because air movement scatters radon into the atmosphere. Radon is a hazard in buildings because the gas collect in enclosed spaces.

What conditions mus be present for high indoor-radon levels?

Four conditions must be present. The building must: 1: be bu9ilt on ground that contains sufficient uranium, 2) have underlying soil that allows easy movement of radon, 3) have porous building materials, cracks, or other openings below the ground surface that allows radon from the soil to enter the building, and 4) have a lower air pressure inside than in the soil around the foundation. Radon from building materials, rather than from the soil, rarely caused radon problems.

Can radon enter buildings in water?

Radon is easily dissolved in water and released into the air during water use. However, water rarely contributes significantly to high indoor radon levels. High levels of radon have never been found in Utah's public-water supplies, but may be present in well water. If indoor-radon levels are no high, there is no need to be concerned with radon in water.

What are the health risks of radon?

Radon decays into radioactive particles that can be trapped in the lings when inhaled. These particles release energy that damages lung tissue and may lead to ling cancer. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. Only smoking causes more lung-cancer deaths, and chances of getting lung cancer are higher from the combination of smoking and radon than from either sources alone. This combination is a particularly serious health risk because the smoke places a greater number of particles in the air, to which racon decay products become attached and are then inhaled. Not everyone who is exposed to radon develops the disease, but the chances increase with increasing levels of radon and length of exposure. The amount of time between exposure and onset of the disease is usually many years.

How do I test for radon?

There are tow general ways to test for radon: 21: short-term testing takes from two to 90 days, depending on the device; 2) long-term testing takes more that 90 days. The U.E. environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends a short-term test first and, if high levers of radon are found, follow up with either a long-term test or a second short-term test. Low-cost, “so-it-yourself” radon test kits are available both through the mil and in retail outlets, or you can hire a trained contractor. Make sure the test kit has passed EPA’s testing program or the contractor is EPA qualified.

What can I do if my home has high levels of radon?

Level of radon gas are measured in picocureis per liter of air (pCi/L). The EPA snuggest that occupants of homes with radon levels above 4 pCi/L take action to reduce indoor-radon concentrations. There are several hazard-reduction techniques that cost about the same as other common home repairs.

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