There are countless ways to prepare ahead of time for an emergency, natural disaster, or other large-scale event, but there are also ways to protect yourself and your family from immediate danger. Radon, a threatening natural gas, is found throughout the country and, when present at high levels, can cause lung cancer and death.
Radon is a naturally occurring gas that comes from the radioactive breakdown of uranium in soil, rock, and water, and it emits the same type of radiation, called alpha radiation, as plutonium. The heaviest known gas, radon is a colorless, odorless, tasteless inert gas. Because it is a single-atom gas, radon can penetrate an array of common materials including (but certainly not limited to): leather, paper, most types of paint, wood paneling, gypsum board (sheet rock), mortar, concrete, insulation, and even low-density plastics like plastic shopping bags. It can also be found in underground water supplies and well water.
In the US, radon is measured in picocuries per liter, or pCi/L. Over time, inhaling any amount of radon can lead to lung cancer, but the EPA considers levels over 4 pCi/L to be hazardous. Most homes have some level of radon, and there are no immediate signs or symptoms or radon poisoning, so it is very important to test your home or have it professionally tested.
There are two ways in which radon can enter the body – inhalation or ingestion. Although ingestion is far less common, this can happen when radon is present in a drinking water supply. Contamination by inhalation is far more prevalent, accounting for over 20,000 lung cancer-deaths per year, second only to smoking.
Radon is a natural gas and is found all throughout the United States and can get into any type of building or structure. The only way to know if your home, office, or school is contaminated by radon is to test the space. Some regions are prone to higher levels of radon, such as the Northeast and northern central states. Still, low levels of radon are still hazardous, and it is wise that everyone periodically test their home for radon to ensure everyone’s safety.
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There two ways to go about testing your home for radon gas in the air. There short-term and long-term testing kits. DIY kits are a low-cost option for those who own or rent their home, and they are available for purchase from some hardware and home improvement stores, as well as larger big-box stores and a variety of web resources. In addition, free kits are sometimes available from local or county health departments, so be sure to ask around.
Several types of DIY radon testing kits exist, and the duration of those tests can last anywhere from 2 to 90 days. “Charcoal canisters,” “alpha track,” continuous monitors,” “electret ion chamber,” and “charcoal liquid scintillation” are several of the different types of short-term DIY testing kits. These kits are generally placed approximately 2 feet from the floor in the lowest-level livable room in the building. Long-term kits, which monitor the home for more than 90 days, will give a more accurate year-round average of the amount of radon present in the home, and are usually called “alpha track” or “electret” tests. Always follow packaging instructions and contact the manufacturer with any questions you may have.
Start out by testing your home with a short-term test. If the test comes up with a reading of 4 pCi/L or greater, run a second short-term test immediately. If your results are similar the second time, simple and affordable changes can be made to your home to help ventilate your space and reduce the amount of radon present. A result of less than 2 pCi/L is acceptable and does not necessarily require immediate action, but you should repeat the test within a reasonable amount of time.
If you need to adjust your home or business to reduce the amount of radon present, you can do it yourself or hire a professional. If you do decide to bring in a professional, be sure that they have experience testing and reducing radon in your county or state. There are simple and inexpensive systems that can be installed in and around your home to reduce the amount of radon in the air.
There are several DIY ways you can reduce the amount of radon present in your home or office. A good place to start is to seal any cracks in your foundation, though this will not significantly reduce the levels of radon entering the home. You can also use a fan to blow air into your basement or living area from upstairs or outside. This can create enough pressure at the lowest levels of the home to prevent radon from entering. A heat recovery ventilator (HRV), also called an air-to-air heat exchanger, can be installed and introduces outside air into the home and can ventilate a single room or an entire home and lower annual radon levels. Lastly, simply opening windows and doors will naturally ventilate your home. This is only a short-term fix as levels will rise again within 24 hours.
Well water or other underground water sources can be contaminated with radioactive radon, and though extremely less common than contamination by inhalation, over time you can develop stomach cancer from drinking water that has a presence of radon. Water that has been contaminated is also a threat because the radon can be released and inhaled through steam from showering or other household water uses. If your water comes from a private, underground well, contact the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (1-800-426-4791) to find phone numbers to local or state laboratories to find out if your water has been tested and how to have it tested if it has not been.
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas and, unfortunately, is present throughout the country. It is best to be safe and test your home periodically to make sure you and your loved ones are safe.