Frequently Asked Questions
Most radon is in the rock and soil under the home. Air pressure in the home and buildings are normally lower than the air pressure under the floor. Cracks in the floors and walls allows radon to be drawn into the home. Once the radon enters the home it gets trapped indoors creating health issues. Crawlspaces with gravel and dirt floors allow greater levels of radon to flow into the home.
Radon can also enter the home through the water system. Well water directly into the home can release radon into the air through showering and doing dishes. Most municipalities have low radon levels in water since they have water in reservoirs that release radon outdoors before it enters your home.
Traces of uranium are sometimes found in building materials. Concrete, brick granite and drywall have the potential to produce radon.
Nearly one out of 15 homes have radon levels considered elevated to the EPA 4-pCi/L or higher. The more time people spend in their homes radon is a health concern.
No. The only way to determine the radon levels in your home is test. Elevated levels have been found in new homes and old homes with stone foundations have shown low levels. Testing is the only way to measure your levels.
A radon mitigation system can reduce the radon levels in your home by drawing a vacuum under the basement floor and venting the radon gas above your roof. Some mitigation systems also help reduce humidity in the home by pulling out moisture from under the slab or moisture from a crawlspace.
High radon levels in the water supply can be reduced by installing a granular activated carbon (GAC) system or an all air aeration system that forces large volumes of air through water. The resulting gases, including radon and VOC’s, are then vented above the roof and no radioactive waste is left behind.
When planning to install a radon reduction system contact a licensed mitigation specialist. Always check the contractor’s license, up to date insurance policy and worker compensation insurance. Normally there are a few options, interior or exterior and different types of fans. Fans can draw from 14 watts to 625 watts. A good plan is designing a system works best and using a fan that draws the least amount of wattage.
EPA recommended this mitigation level in 1986 for several reasons. First, at lower levels (2 pCi/L) measurement devices false negative errors increase threefold, and false positive errors increase twofold. Secondary, mitigation research indicates that elevated levels can be reduced to 4 pCi/L or less 95% of the time. Research shows that 2 pCi/L can be achieved 70% of the time. Further, today’s mitigation technology can reduce levels between 2 and 4 pCi/L most of the time. Finally, the cost benefit analysis performed in 1986 indicate that an action level of 4 pCi/L results in a cost of about $700,000 per lung cancer death saved. If the action level was set at 3 pCi/L the cost would be $1.7 million, and if set at 2 pCi/L the cost would be $2.4 million per lung cancer death saved. EPA states that 4 pCi/L is a recommended action level, yet home owners can further reduce their potential lung cancer risk by mitigating homes that are below 4.0 pCi/L.
All types of homes can have high indoor radon levels, old or new with or without a basement. Old drafty basements or well insulated basements can have high radon levels, only way to know is test.
Regular exposure to only 4.0 pCi/L of radon is comparable in risk to smoking 8 cigarettes per day or getting 200 chest x-rays per year.
The lung cancer risk increases 16% for every 3 pCi/L of increase in your long term average radon concentration.
According to CDC the risk to children exposed to radon may be almost twice as high as the risk to adults exposed to the same amount of radon.
Indoor radon levels fluctuate throughout the day and night, week to week and month to month. Real time continuous monitoring is the most comprehensive Rn test methodology.
