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Radon Information
What is Radon?
Radon comes from the natural breakdown
of uranium in soil. Uranium decays to radium, which further decays
and gives off Radon gas. The release of this radioactive gas enters
the air you breathe, causing a potential health risk to you and your
family. Radon gas can be found just about anywhere. It can get
into any type of building – homes, offices and schools – and build
up to high levels.
What should I know about Radon?
 Radon
is a cancer causing radioactive gas. You cannot see radon and
you cannot smell it or taste it, but it may be a problem in your
home. This is because, when you breathe air containing radon, you
increase your risk of getting lung cancer. In fact the Surgeon
general has warned that radon is the second leading cause of radon
Should I test for Radon?
Testing is the only way to find out about your home’s Radon level.
The EPA and the Surgeon General recommend testing of all homes below
the third floor for Radon.
Can a Radon problem be fixed?
If you find that you have a high Radon level, there are ways to fix
it. Even very high levels can be reduced to acceptable levels.
If you are buying a home, first check
to see if the present or previous owner had a radon mitigation
system installed. If so, you know that there had been a problem,
but you still need to have the home tested to see if the radon level
was reduced to an acceptable level; usually considered to be less
than 4.0 picocuries/liter. You can also check with us. We have
access to data that gives an indication of what the chances are of
having radon in a home based on its location. (This data has been
gathered by our radon testing affiliate.)
The EPA recommends that you obtain the
radon level in the home you are considering buying. An EPA
publication, “The Home Buyer’s and Seller’s Guide”, is available
through most State Health Departments or Regional EPA offices listed
in your local phone book. EPA also recommends that you use a
certified or state licensed radon tester, such as ours, to perform
the test. If elevated levels are found, it is recommended that
these levels be reduced. In most cases, a professional mitigator
can accomplish this at a reasonable cost; usually around $1,000.00.
What are the risk factors?
The EPA, Surgeon General and The
Centers for Disease Control have all agreed that continued exposure
to radon gas can cause lung cancer. In fact, their position on the
matter is that ALL homes should be tested for radon gas exposure,
and the all homes testing over 4.0 pCi/L should be fixed.
How does radon enter a home?
Typically, the air pressure inside
your home is lower that the pressure in the soil around the home’s
foundation. Due to this pressure difference, your house acts like a
vacuum, drawing radon gas in through foundation cracks, basement
floor cracks, around the floor or slab perimeter and any other
openings between the house and the soil. If you have a private well
that supplies your water, radon can also be released into the sir in
your house when water is used for showering and other household
uses.
1. Cavities
inside walls
2. Cracks in solid floors
3. Construction joints
4. Cracks in
walls
5. The water supply
6. Gaps in suspended floors
7. Gaps around
service pipes
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