Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers in the United States and the second leading cause overall, only behind smoking. It is estimated that radon gas is responsible for as much as 14% of all lung cancer cases worldwide with even higher rates among those who smoke. Below are 8 simple things you need to know about radon.
1. Radon Exposure is Dangerous
The Surgeon General and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommend testing for radon gas and mitigating when high levels are present. According to EPA recommendations, radon levels exceeding 4.0 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) pose a health risk and should be mitigated.
The EPA also notes levels below 4.0 pCi/L can still pose a health risk as does the World Health Organization, which recommends mitigation if radon levels exceed 2.7 pCi/L. Even a reading of 1.0 pCi/L is equivalent to smoking 2.5 cigarettes daily. Technically, no amount of radon gas levels are considered to be safe. Any presence of radon gas increases your risk of getting cancer.
2. What is Radon?
Similar to carbon monoxide, radon is a harmful gas that could be in your home. Unlike carbon monoxide, it is colorless, odorless, and tasteless and cannot be detected without a radon test. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that results from the decay of uranium in rocks and soil. As it rises to the surface, it can seep into any home or building. When radon is breathed, it can damage cells in the lungs and can result in lung cancer.
Dangerous levels of radon gas are more common than you might think. The EPA estimates that one out of every 15 homes in the U.S. have elevated radon levels. The only way to detect radon is through testing.
3. How Do You Test For Radon?
Does your home, school or business have dangerous levels of radon gas? The first step is to test.
Testing is a fairly straightforward process. You may choose to test your home yourself with an charcoal test kit or to call radon professional with a more detailed CRM testing device.
4. How Often Do I Need To Test for Radon Gas?
Many properties may be required to test for radon including multi-unit buildings, home daycare centers, retirement homes, and more depending on their specific regulatory or funding requirements.
For homeowners, radon testing should be part of home maintenance, like cleaning your gutters to prevent leaks or checking your foundation for cracks to avoid moisture from seeping in. Experts recommend testing for radon at least once every 2-3 years to be safe.
Real Estate Transactions: Before buying a home, it should be standard practice to conduct a radon test. Many states require that homes be tested as part of a real estate transaction. This test typically occurs around the same time as the home inspection. Learn more about radon mitigation in real estate transaction.
Post-Mitigation: The EPA recommends that homes with mitigation systems be tested for radon again every two years. Since testing is the only way to know the radon levels in a home or building, follow up testing helps ensure the mitigation system continues to function properly.
After Remodels: If you have remodeled your home (including changing the design of your HVAC in a room) it is recommended that you test for radon. Remodeling can cause the building’s airflow to change and create new entry points for radon to come in.
5. What Happens If My Radon Level Exceeds the EPA Limits?
When you test for radon and the levels exceed the EPA limit, the next step is to have a professionally installed radon mitigation system. In short, this process reduces the radon in your home to a safe level. Talk to a certified radon mitigation specialist on the next steps.
Several variables will impact the success of your radon mitigation system. Your home’s structure and foundation are two important considerations.
The Foundation Of Your Home Or Building
Hopefully, your foundation was constructed over gravel or another porous type of sub-surface. This makes it much easier to pull the radon out of the ground. Many older homes have been built over solid ground, wet earth, or rock. Because these surfaces are less porous, it requires a more sophisticated approach. You may need a larger fan or a more extensive radon mitigation system to achieve the required airflow for successful mitigation.
Also, if you don’t have a continuous slab under your entire home (or multiple footprints or additions), it may require multiple systems to effectively reduce radon levels throughout the entire home. This is most common in homes that have an addition built on to the existing foundation.
The Structure Of Your Home Or Building
How your home was framed and built will also play a significant role in how your radon mitigation system needs to be designed. Most commonly, three to four-inch pipes are used to transport the radon gas out and above the roofline. Holes must be drilled in the floor and ceiling at each level to create the pathway. If at all possible, you want these pipes inside your walls to make them invisible.
Depending on how your home is constructed, it may not be possible to create a straight line from the foundation to the roof. This means pipe bends and joints must also be sealed properly to avoid leakage.
If you are building a new home, consider including a passive radon mitigation system as part of the plans for your new home.
6. Will Sealing Foundation Cracks Reduce Radon Levels?
The air pressure in your home is lower than what’s found underneath your foundation. This creates a vacuum effect that can suck the radon gas through cracks or openings in your foundation.
Unfortunately, reducing radon levels is not as simple as sealing and patching cracks or openings. While the EPA says that sealing cracks and openings is a basic part of radon mitigation, radon can still enter your home in other ways, such as through sump pumps or water supplies. As your foundation ages, new cracks can occur. Caulking and other methods of sealing have a limited life span. Block wall foundations can be difficult to seal properly because of their construction. On top of all of that, hairline cracks are easy to miss and can turn into significant entry points for radon gas.
These are just some reasons the EPA does not recommend sealing as a stand-alone solution. Tests show sealing alone does not significantly or consistently lower radon levels. Normal settling, the EPA says, can continuously open new routes or re-open old ones.
Sealing cracks and openings should be part of the process of reducing radon levels, it only works in conjunction with an effective radon mitigation system.
7. How Much Does It Cost To Lower Radon Levels?
The cost of radon mitigation will vary depending on all the factors we’ve already mentioned. The size of your home, the design, and the mitigation system that is required will also need to be factored in.
Radon mitigation will have a similar cost as other common repairs you might do around your home.
After installation, you should only see a slight increase in your utility bill for powering your fan. Most people don’t even notice a difference in their energy usage.
8. How to Find A Qualified Radon Contractor
Most states require radon professionals to be licensed, certified, or registered, so a good place to start is with the state agency that oversees air quality. You can find a list of state agencies on the EPA’s website.
The EPA also recommends using a professional radon contractor that meets these set of requirements:
- Implements radon testing before designing or installing a mitigation system.
- Installation of a warning device to warn you if the system fails.
- Post-installation testing for verification that radon levels have been reduced.
- State certification, professional proficiency, or other acceptable certification.
- Bonded and insured.
- State and/or local licensing if required
- These items should be included in any proposal or contract along with a guarantee that the mitigation system will reduce radon levels to below 4.0 pCi/L.
Take the First Step to Address Radon
Radon exposure is cumulative. The longer you are exposed to radon gas, the more impact it can have on your health and the development of lung cancer. Symptoms can go undetected for a long time. If you aren’t conducting regular tests, you could be exposing yourself to danger before any symptoms present themselves.
The first step is to conduct a test for radon gas levels. Since you can’t see or smell this deadly gas, testing is the only way to know if it’s in a home or building. If tests show there’s a problem, radon mitigation can significantly reduce the danger.
Test My Home!
Professional radon testing is the first step to making your home a safe place to breathe.
