Radon and Your Health
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Environmental Protection Agency and the building industry with details on how to install radon-resistant techniques in your new home. Fix the home if the radon level is 4 picocuries per liter, or pCi/L, or higher. After installation, your ongoing costs will be relatively minimal. You’ll pay about $6 to $8 per month on your utility bill, and you will need to replace the fan after about 15 years. As with most home repairs, the cost of reducing radon in your home can vary widely, depending on how your home is built and what kind of system you need.
The Environmental Protection Agency sets safe exposure limit standards for radon gas at between 2 pCi and 4 pCi. If the number exceeds 4 pCi, you need to hire a radon abatement contractor to remove the radon from your house when you get a radon test. Once that is done, a follow-up test should be performed to measure the levels to ensure they remain within safe limits. Testing is done through a device placed in your lowest level of living, not the lowest level of the entire home. The goal is to find the radon level your family is actively breathing in.
Test your home for radon after the system is installed
When combined with other effective measures, they can improve the reduction of radon levels. Completely sealing floors is difficult and can cause rot in wooden floors. The Environmental Health Department of your local council may be able to offer advice. For levels in excess of 1000 Bq m-3 you may wish to contact UKHSA for advice. Go to our radon websiteand click on the Certified Mitigator link. You will be directed to the NRPP/AARST website where you can search for qualified professionals in Utah.
All below-grade openings in the concrete foundation floor are sealed to reduce soil gas entry into the home. Because radon gas can’t be seen or smelled, the only way to know whether you're being exposed to it is to test for it. A Citizen’s Guide to Radon, produced by the EPA, explains how to test your home for radon easily and inexpensively, and what to do if your levels are too high.
WMRC Radon Menu
In fact, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. Radon comes from decaying Uranium that is contained in the rock and soil beneath the basement of every home. Being in constant contact with the ground, a home’s basement is the main entry point for Radon gas.
If used along with positive ion generators, ceiling fans are capable of reducing radon levels by 90%. This is achieved by a phenomenon called plate-out, which neutralizes radio-active particles. People who smoke and are exposed to radon are at a greater risk of developing lung cancer. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Surgeon General’s office estimate radon is responsible for more than 20,000 lung cancer deaths each year in the U.S.
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It can enter buildings through cracks in floors or walls, construction joints, or gaps in foundations around pipes, wires or pumps. Radon levels are usually highest in the basement or crawl space. The most important type of air filter to reduce radon levels is an activated carbon filter. You place a plastic detector about the size of a biscuit in your living room, another in your bedroom and leave them for three months. After that you post them off and your radon level is calculated. If the level is high you can take steps to reduce radon levels in your home.
Therefore, radon in the home will not build up over time as long as the source and other characteristics of the residence remain the same. Here are a few facts about radon, and what you can do to help keep your family healthy and safe. To find out more about radon test kits, visit Radon Hotlines and Information Resourcesexternal icon or refer to the EPAexternal iconweb site on how to use a test kit. I have worked in the radon field for 15 years, most recently as the radon coordinator for the Department of Environmental Quality.
Every house has what’s called a “unique pressurization signature.” This is the result of the heating, ventilation, plumbing and drainage systems working together. Always test radon levels again after you’ve made any of these changes. Periodically check on the equipment to ensure it is operating correctly. Contact your contractor if there are any issues or malfunctions. Also, fans need replaced about every 5 years, and filters, like for a heat recovery ventilator, may need changed as often as every 6 months.
Radon is responsible for about 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year in the United States, though it usually takes 5 to 25 years to develop. Testing your home or officeTesting is inexpensive and easy — it should only take a few minutes of your time. It requires opening a package and placing a small measuring device in a room and leaving it there for the desired period. The longer the test, the more relevant the results are to your home and lifestyle. Your ongoing costs will be relatively minimal after installation.
A short-term radon test kit can give you quick information about whether radon gas is present in your home. Depending on the test you choose, you’ll need to leave it out in your house for between 2 and 90 days. After the required amount of time has passed, the test can be sent back to a lab for processing. If the radon levels in your home are at or above 4 pCi/L , contact a radon mitigation company.
Radon is a colourless, odourless radioactive gas that naturally occurs in the soil due to the breakdown of uranium. It is a leading cause of lung cancer, so it’s important to contact your state radon office to obtain a test kit or find a professional to test the radon levels for you. While using a certified company to both test for and mitigate the radon in your home, there are some simple DIY tips to reduce radon levels that don't require a third party. Radon is a dangerous gas that is present nearly everywhere, and almost any home can have elevated levels.
Professionals can assess your home’s structure and foundation to decide the ideal type of radon mitigation system for your property. Radon is a colorless and odorless radioactive gas that is naturally found in trace amounts within the atmosphere. These trace amounts aren’t anything to be concerned about, as the gas disperses quickly outdoors. However, as the United States Environmental Protection Agency explains, radon gas can pose a serious health concern indoors. Radon is a radioactive product of the radioactive decay of uranium in the soil. It gets sucked into structures by the natural vacuum structures create on the soil .
Ventilate the lowest level of the house, whether that be a crawlspace, basement, or if you have a slab foundation, the living area. If you have a basement you are ventilating, when it comes to how to lower radon levelsit may be more cost-effective and comfortable to close it off and limit its use. Open all of them, or as many as you can, and create a cross breeze.
While short-term radon tests deliver the fastest results, they are not always the most accurate option. Radon levels can fluctuate over time, so the reading you get over just a few days may not be reflective of the level of radon present in your home at other times during the year. Increase air flow in your house by opening windows and using fans and vents to circulate air.
Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer after cigarette smoking. If you smoke and live in a home with high radon levels, you increase your risk of developing lung cancer. Having your home tested is the only effective way to determine whether you and your family are at risk of high radon exposure.
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