Blog 8: Radon testing
“Radon is estimated to cause
about 21,000 lung cancer deaths per year, according to EPA's 2003 Assessment of
Risks from Radon in Homes (EPA 402-R-03-003). The numbers of deaths from other
causes are taken from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's
2005-2006 National Center for Injury Prevention and Control Report and 2006 National
Safety Council Reports.”
“The average national indoor
radon level is 1.3 pCi/L. The average indoor radon levels of Athens County, as
determined by radon test results from Air Chek, Inc, is 5 pCi/L”
Radon is a radioactive gas. It is
colorless, odorless and tasteless. Unless you test for it, there is no way of
telling how much is present. Formed by the radioactive decay of uranium in
rock, soil, and water. Once emitted, radon moves through the ground to the earth’s
surface and air. Some remains below the surface and dissolves in water under
the ground's surface. Radon has a half-life of four days.
Typically moving up through the
ground to the air above and into one’s home the radon is then trapped inside,
where it may build. The only sure way to know if radon is present is get tested.
One important factor leading to Radon exposure in the home are homes with basements
that are used as living spaces.
Radon gets into living spaces
through:
Water supply like wells
Gaps around service pipes
Cracks in solid floors
Cavities inside walls
Construction joints
Cracks in walls
Gaps in suspended floors
There are two general ways to
test for radon, ‘Short-term testing & Long term testing’:
“The quickest way to test is with
short-term tests. Short-term tests remain in your home for two days to 90 days,
depending on the device. "Charcoal canisters," "alpha
track," "electret ion chamber," "continuous monitors,"
and "charcoal liquid scintillation" detectors are most commonly used
for short-term testing. Because radon levels tend to vary from day to day and
season to season, a short-term test is less likely than a long-term test to
tell you your year-round average radon level. Long-term tests remain in your home for more
than 90 days. "Alpha track" and "electret" detectors are
commonly used for this type of testing. A long-term test will give you a
reading that is more likely to tell you your home's year-round average radon
level than a short-term test.”
A picocurie (pCi) is a measurement
used to show the rate of radioactive decay of radon. One pCi is one trillionth
of a Curie, 0.037 disintegrations per second, or 2.22 disintegrations per minute.
The average indoor radon level is about 1.3 pCi/L, and around 0.4 pCi/L of
radon is normally found in the outside air. Most homes can have their indoor
radon levels reduced to 2 pCi/L or below.
A primarily used system to mitigate
radon levels is a soil suction radon reduction system. Consisting of a vent
pipe system and fan, which pulls radon from beneath the home and then vents it outside.
This usually does not require any major changes to your home. Sealing
foundation cracks and other openings makes this system more effective and
cost-efficient. Other systems exist that may work better in your home. The
right system depends on the design of the home and other factors.
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