What can be done to reduce the dangers of radon?
The techniques that can be used to reduce high levels of radon are the following: – Positive Pressure Ventilation. Positive pressure systems bring clean, fresh air into the building and inhibit radon being drawn in via advection by altering the pressure difference between the building and the ground – Radon Sump.
How dangerous is radon really?
When radon gas enters the body, it exposes the lungs to small amounts of radiation. In small quantities, experts say this is harmless. However, in persistent exposures or larger quantities, radon can damage the cells of the lining of the lungs, increasing a person’s chance of developing lung cancer.
What exactly is radon and why is it dangerous?
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that is the primary cause of lung cancer for nonsmokers and the secondary cause for smokers. Because it is a gas, radon moves up through the soil into the atmosphere, where it dilutes and dissipates. However, when a home or other building is constructed on top of the soil, it can enter, become ...
What is a dangerous level of radon?
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined that measurements of 4 pCi/L (picocuries per liter) or higher are considered dangerous levels. This radon level is largely unsafe and is 10 times higher² than the average outdoor air levels. At what level is radon dangerous? Levels of 4 pCi/L or higher are considered hazardous.
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What does radon do to humans?
Radon is the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers, according to EPA estimates. Overall, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer. Radon is responsible for about 21,000 lung cancer deaths every year. About 2,900 of these deaths occur among people who have never smoked.
What are sources of radon in the home?
The main source of indoor radon is radon gas infiltration from soil into buildings. Rock and soil produce radon gas. Building materials, the water supply, and natural gas can all be sources of radon in the home. Basements allow more opportunity for soil gas entry than slab-on-grade foundations.
What triggers radon?
Radon gas forms naturally when radioactive metal (radium, thorium or uranium) breaks down in rocks, soil or groundwater. It evaporates and disappears outdoors, so levels outside are low. Indoors, however, radon gas can enter buildings through their foundations and become trapped.
What is the problem with radon?
Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. People should be aware of their risk from radon exposure. Testing a home for radon is simple and inexpensive.
Should I walk away from a house with radon?
Radon-related deaths are due to exposure over the course of a lifetime. "You should definitely take it seriously but you really don't need to walk away from the home. It's actually pretty easy to remove radon, and it's not that expensive," Consumer Reports Home Editor Paul Hope said.
What are the first signs of radon poisoning?
A persistent cough could be a sign that you have radon poisoning.Persistent cough.Hoarseness.Wheezing.Shortness of breath.Coughing up blood.Chest pain.Frequent infections like bronchitis and pneumonia.Loss of appetite.More items...
How do you reduce radon in a home?
Improving indoor ventilation One of the simplest ways to dilute moderate levels of radon is to increase the indoor ventilation by installing wall vents or window trickle vents. This can reduce radon levels in your home by up to 50%.
How do I make my house safe from radon?
An active radon sump, fitted with a fan, is the most effective way to reduce indoor radon levels. Sumps work best under solid floors and under suspended floors if the ground is covered with concrete or a membrane. Occasionally, passive sumps without a fan may reduce radon levels.
Is there a cure for radon poisoning?
Unfortunately there is no cure for radon poisoning. Radon enters the body as in the form of tiny particles. These particles enter the lungs where they release alpha radiation that can damage lung cells and lead to lung cancer. The damage caused by the radiation cannot be reversed.
How do you detox from radon?
There are no known methods for reducing the toxic effects of radon once you are exposed; however, there are some foods and supplements that can help you to detoxify your body and protect you from the harmful effects of radiation, including glutathione, chlorophyll and spirulina.
What does radon smell like?
Radon is a radioactive gas with no taste, smell or color. This means the human senses alone cannot detect it. That is why, although radon was discovered in 1899 and even back in 1530 Paracelsus noticed some health effects in miners, regulation and radon's connection to lung cancer are fairly new.
How can radon gas be detected?
You can hire a professional tester or do it yourself with a kit you buy at a hardware store or online. Follow the instructions for leaving the kit in your house for the required number of days. Then mail it to a lab and wait for the results. If radon levels in your home are high, you can take steps to lower them.
What products contain radon?
Granite Countertops and Other Building Products Because granite bearing trace amounts of uranium can release radon into the air, granite countertops emit radiation and radon gas.
How do I make my house safe from radon?
An active radon sump, fitted with a fan, is the most effective way to reduce indoor radon levels. Sumps work best under solid floors and under suspended floors if the ground is covered with concrete or a membrane. Occasionally, passive sumps without a fan may reduce radon levels.
Which states have the most radon?
Here are the 10 US States with the highest average Radon levels:Alaska (10.7)South Dakota (9.6)Pennsylvania (8.6)Ohio (7.8)Washington (7.5)Kentucky (7.4)Montana (7.4)Idaho (7.3)More items...•
How can radon be prevented?
More Ways to Take ActionStop smoking and discourage smoking in your home. ... Increase air flow in your house by opening windows and using fans and vents to circulate air. ... Seal cracks in floors and walls with plaster, caulk, or other materials designed for this purpose.More items...
Why is radon radioactive?
Radon itself is radioactive because it also decays to form the element polonium. Polonium is also radioactive - it is this element, which is produced by radon in the air and in people's lungs, that can hurt lung tissue and cause lung cancer. Radon is ubiquitous (usually in small amounts) in rock and soil and can be carried in water, air, ...
Where is radon found in the ground?
Radon in Blue Ridge Ground Water Among Highest In Nation. Radon concentrations in ground water from homeowners’ wells in the Blue Ridge area of the New River watershed, in parts of North Carolina and Virginia, were among the highest measured in the nation in a new report from the U.S. Geological Survey.
How many wells were radon tested?
Ground-water samples collected from 267 wells were analyzed for radon as part of a water-quality reconnaissance of subunits of the Lower Susquehanna and Potomac River Basins conducted by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) program. Radon is a product of the radioactive decay of...
Where is radon found in drinking water?
Tests of 75 private drinking water wells in Lycoming County, in north-central Pennsylvania, found water from most of the sampled wells contained concentrations of radon that exceeded a proposed, nonbinding health standard for drinking water.
Is radionuclide water safe in Pennsylvania?
Naturally occurring radionuclides in the ground water of southeastern Pennsylvania may pose a health hazard to some residents, especially those drinking water from wells drilled in the Chickies Quartzite. Water from 46 percent of wells sampled in the Chickies Quartzite and 7 percent of wells sampled in other geologic formations exceeded the U.S....
Is radon found in groundwater?
As of the late 1990s, USGS research on radon has mostly been limited to its presence in groundwater. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the best starting point for information about air quality and radon in buildings.
How Does Radon Affect Your Health?
When you breathe in radon, it gets into the lining of your lungs and gives off radiation. Over a long time, that can damage the cells there and lead to lung cancer.
What Are the Symptoms of Radon Exposure?
You won’t have symptoms of radon poisoning right away. Instead, health problems from the exposure, such as lung cancer, show up after many years.
How Are You Exposed to Radon?
Buildings, like your home, school, or office, are built into the ground. If there are cracks in floors or walls, or small openings for pipes or wires that aren't fully sealed, radon can escape the soil and get indoors. Though it can get trapped in any enclosed area, radon levels are often highest in basements and crawl spaces because they're closest to the ground. Experts say that nearly 1 out of 15 houses in the U.S. has elevated levels of radon.
How many people die from lung cancer from radon?
If you breathe a lot of radon and smoke, your chance of getting lung cancer is very high. About 21,000 people die each year from lung cancer related to radon. Some research has linked radon to other kinds of cancer, like childhood leukemia, but the evidence for that isn’t as clear.
How long does it take to test for radon in your home?
You can test your home or office with a radon kit. Some will measure levels for a few days, and others can gather the data for at least 3 months. You leave a small measuring device in a room, and then send it to a lab. You can also hire a professional to test your home or workplace for you. The Environmental Protection Agency website has a list of approved contractors in each state.
What happens when radium breaks down?
When radium breaks down, it becomes radon. Radon gas leaves the soil and becomes part of the air and water. It can be in the air around you, but it’s usually in very small amounts that aren't harmful. Large amounts of radon cause health problems.
How many people die from radon?
About 21,000 people die each year from lung cancer related to radon. Some research has linked radon to other kinds of cancer, like childhood leukemia, but the evidence for that isn’t as clear.
What are the two studies that confirm the radon health risks?
Two studies, a North American study and a European study, both combined data from several previous residential studies. These two studies go a step beyond earlier findings. They confirm the radon health risks predicted by occupational studies of underground miners who breathed radon for a period of years.
Who issued the Advisory on Radon?
(January 13, 2005) U.S. Surgeon General, Richard H. Carmona, issues a Health Advisory warning Americans about the health risk from exposure to radon in indoor air. The Chief Physician urged Americans to test their homes to find out how much radon they might be breathing.
Is radon a serious health problem?
This report by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) is the most definitive accumulation of scientific data on indoor radon. The report confirms that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. and that it is a serious public health problem.
Who is the author of the Iowa radon study?
Read the "Iowa Radon Lung Cancer Study " by Dr. William Field on radon-related lung cancer in women.
Is radon a cancer?
A smoker who is also exposed to radon has a much higher risk of lung cancer. Radon is the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers, according to EPA estimates. Overall, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer. Radon is responsible for about 21,000 lung cancer deaths every year.
What happens when you breathe radon?
The gas is comprised of radioactive particles that, when breathed in, damage the cells lining your lungs. When exposed to high levels of radon over extended periods of time, you are more likely to develop lung cancer.
How does radon enter a house?
Radon gas will rise into the home through the smallest of basement wall or floor cracks. 2. CAUSES OF RADON IN YOUR HOME: ROCKS. Similarly, rocks beneath your home contribute a large portion of the radon escaping into the house. Rocks and stones contain veins of radioactive materials that decay into radon.
How does a radon mitigation system work?
The fan uses pressure difference the draw the radon out of the, through the pipes and out a vent at the top where it safely dissipates into the air. Always use a certified company for your radon testing and radon mitigation needs .
What is the radon level in a home?
Before you begin the mitigation process, test your home. The U.S. EPA's radon action level is 4.0 pCi/L, the preferred concentration is 2.0 pCi/L, and the ideal level is the average outdoor level of 0.4 pCi/L, though it is challenging to mitigate below 2.0 pCi/L.
Where is radon found in the ground?
The radon source you should be most wary of is the soil beneath your home. What causes radon is the decay of radioactive elements that naturally occur in rocks and stones in the soil. If there is radon in the ground below your home, it will find its way through cracks, gaps, and porous materials into your home. Underground basements are especially concerning. To build the basement, your home builder dug deep into the earth and potentially made contact with radioactive elements like uranium. Radon gas will rise into the home through the smallest of basement wall or floor cracks.
How to fix radon in well water?
There are two ways to fix radon in your well water. Granular activated carbon (GAC) filters for a point of entry attack, and aeration devices that bubble air through the water and carry the released gas through a vent to the outside.
How does radon gas get into the air?
The gas is released into your indoor air when you brush your teeth, wash the dishes and take a shower. While, again, creating only a small fraction of the radon gas in your home, it is still concerning, and you should mitigate the problem. There are two ways to fix radon in your well water.
What are the symptoms of radon in your home?
In many cases, you won’t know you’re being affected by radon until it is too late and you are showing symptoms of lung cancer because it’s an odorless, tasteless gas.
How common is radon?
It's ubiquitous in the air around us - so we're essentially exposed to it all the time. The problem is that elevated levels of exposure are known to cause cancer.
Why is radon testing important?
Radon enters homes through cracks and holes in your home’s foundation. Once there, it can often become trapped inside. Radon can’t be seen or smelt, so the only way to know if it’s present in your home is to test for it - and radon has been found throughout the U.S., in both new and old homes. If your home tests high for radon, there are ways to remediate this.
What is a safe radon level?
It’s important to note that there is no such thing as a “safe” level of radon - the safest level of exposure is no exposure, even though radon is fairly common to encounter. The EPA recommends that homeowners whose homes have radon levels between 2pCi/L (picocuries per liter) and 4 pCi/L consider radon remediation, and if the level rises above 4pCi/L it is highly recommended that homeowners take action.
