Radon is a Cancer-Causing Radioactive Gas.
You can not see radon. And you can not smell it or taste it. But it may be a problem in your
home. That is because when you breathe air containing radon, you increase your risk of getting lung cancer. In fact, the Surgeon General
was warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States today. If you smoke and your home has radon levels,
your risk of lung cancer is especially high.
Radon Has Been Found in Homes All Over The United States.
Radon is a radioactive gas that has been found in homes all over the U.S. It comes from the natural breakdown of uranium in soil,
rock and water and gets into the air you breathe. Radon typically moves up through the ground in the the air above and into your home through
the cracks and other holes in the foundation. Your home can trap radon inside. Sometimes radon can enter the home through well water also. Any
home can have a radon problem. This means new and old homes, well-sealed and drafty homes, and homes with or without basements. In fact, you and
your family are most likely to get your greatest exposure at home. that is where you spend most of your time.
Radon Testing in Closed Building Conditions
Your cooperation is needed to help maintain the following "closed-building conditions" beginning 12 hours before testing and during the 2 day testing period.
Closed-building conditions are necessary for short-term measurements in order to stabilize the radon and radon decay product concentrations and increase the reproducibility of the measurement. Windows on all levels and external doors should be kept closed (except during normal entry and exit) during the measurement period. Normal entry and exit include a brief opening and closing of a door, but (to the extent possible) external doors should not be left open for more than a few minutes. In addition, external-internal air exchange systems (other than a furnace) such as high volume, whole-house and window fans should not be operating. However, attic fans intended to control attic and not whole building temperature or humidity should continue to operate. Combustion or makeup air supplies must not be closed. Normal operation of permanently installed energy recovery ventilators (also known as heat recovery ventilators or air-to-air heat exchangers) may also continue during closed-building conditions. In houses where permanent radon mitigation systems have been installed, these systems should be functioning during the measurement period.
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Radon Remediation System ¬
MYTH:
Radon only affects certain types of homes.
FACT: Radon can be a problem in all types of homes such as old homes, new homes, drafty homes, insulated homes, homes
with basements and homes without basements. Construction materials and the way the home has been built may also affect radon levels.
MYTH:
A neighbor's test result is a good indication of whether your home has a radon problem.
FACT: It is not. Radon levels vary from home to home. The only way to know if your home has a problem is to test it.
MYTH:
Scientists are not sure that radon really is a problem.
FACT: Although some scientists dispute the precise number of deaths due to radon, all the major health organizations
(like the Center for Disease Lung Association and the American Medical Association) agree with estimates that radon causes thousands of
preventable lung cancer deaths every year. This is especially true among smokers, since the risk to smokers is much greater than to non-smokers.
MYTH:
Radon testing devices are not reliable and are difficult to find.
FACT: Radon testing can be conducted by a professionally trained RMP listed or state certified radon tester. Active radon devices can
continuously gather and periodically record radon levels to reveal any unusual swings in the radon level during the test. Reliable
testing devices are also available through the mail, in hardware stores and other retail outlets. Call your state radon office for a list
of radon device companies that have met EPA requirements for reliability or are state certified.
MYTH:
Short term testing can not be used for making a decision about whether to reduce the home's high radon levels.
FACT: Short term tests may be used to decide whether to reduce the home's high radon levels. However, the closer
the short term testing result is to 4 pCi/L, the less certainty there is about whether the home's year round average is above or below that level.
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