Photo; prlog.org
What is Radon?
You’ve probably heard the word radon tossed around with intonations of caution, apprehension, or all out doom. There is cause for this. Radon is a colorless, tasteless, odorless, radioactive gas that is a natural product of uranium and thorium decay. To put this into context, these two elements are the most common radioactive elements on earth. This means that radon is present in soils, rock, and water, and is easily absorbed into any building.
Radon assumes a gas form in its natural state and remains radioactive, unlike any other gas in normal conditions. Though a dense gas, radon is undetectable by human senses under normal pressure and temperatures. Because of this, radon deaths from contaminated air number in the area of 21,000 per year. The most common cause of death associated with radon is lung cancer.
How Radon Enters a Building
Since radon is found naturally in uranium ores like shale, granite, and limestone as well as in surface soil to a depth of 6 inches, radon is virtually everywhere, though concentration can vary from place to place. In open air the concentration is considerably less than in confined, poorly ventilated spaces. As a gas, radon can easily enter buildings, enclosures, and even water through any sort of crack or fault in the soil. This, of course, means that radon can enter a building through virtually any kind of aperture in the foundation, walls, or pipes.
Considering the construction and ventilation of a building, radon concentration may vary from room to room. Since radon exposure and cancer is well understood, determining the radon levels in buildings is an important safety procedure. The best way to determine the presence of radon in a building is to have the building tested.
Testing for Radon
There are a few ways to test for radon in a building--including both short and long-term testing. Short-term tests are active anywhere from 2 – 90 days, and outcomes can vary by time of day and season. These short-term tests, however, can give you an indication if there is something you need to fix in your home.
Long-term testing will give you a better idea of the year round average of radon in a building and is the best way to evaluate true radon levels. These tests stay active for more than 90 days and can provide a more reliable reading. Radon levels are measured in picocuries per liter of air, or pCi/L. The average indoor radon level is 1.3 pCi/L and 0.4 pCi/L in the outside air. EPA standards strive to keep indoor radon levels at no more than outdoor levels. Professional testing should be done in public buildings or if you want a more qualified decision. This is often the case when buying or selling a home.
Reducing Radon Levels
Some radon exposure is almost inevitable given its presence in the earth on which we live. There are, however, methods to reduce radon in the home. Venting and piping radon outside the home is a common practice. This system pulls radon from beneath your house and vents it outside. Sealing cracks in the foundation or in other places in the house is also an efficient and cost-effective way to reduce radon levels. Finally, there are high-tech vapor barriers on the market than can be employed as well.
Like anything, many of the methods to reduce radon depend on the age of the home and the extent of the contamination. In many cases, contacting your state radon offices and finding a certified radon professional is the best option when seeking to reduce radon levels in the home.