Understanding Radon

Radon might not be on everyone’s daily radar, but it’s an important issue to consider, especially regarding home safety and health. In this guide, we'll explain what radon is, why it's a concern, and the recommendations from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on how to address it.

What is Radon?

Radon is an invisible, odorless, and tasteless gas that could be present in dangerous amounts in your home. It originates from the natural decay of uranium found in soil and rock. While radon is a naturally occurring substance, its presence indoors can pose significant risks.

Radon is a notably hazardous gas — it is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States after smoking. Because radon is radioactive, it can damage lung tissue over time, increasing cancer risk. Therefore, it's crucial to monitor radon levels in your home, as there is no safe level of radon exposure.

How Does Radon Enter Homes?

Curious about how radon infiltrates your living space? It moves through the ground and can enter homes through various entry points where the building structure is compromised. Radon accumulates indoors because homes can trap it inside. Common entry points include:

• Cracks in floors and walls

• Construction joints

• Gaps in suspended floors

• Gaps around service pipes

• Wall cavities

• The water supply

Each home is unique in its design, materials, and location, all of which can influence radon levels. Whether a home is new or old, well-sealed or drafty, with or without a basement, any home can have a radon issue. Even neighboring homes may have varying radon levels.

Understanding radon is the first step in protecting your home and health. We’ll cover the EPA’s action level for radon and the steps to take if elevated levels are detected. Remember, knowledge is key to maintaining health and safety, especially when it comes to radon.

Health Effects of Radon Exposure

Understanding the health risks associated with radon exposure is crucial for safeguarding your well-being. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas produced from the decay of uranium in soil and rock. While it is found outdoors, it becomes a health concern when it accumulates indoors, such as in homes and workplaces.

Since radon is colorless, odorless, and tasteless, it can remain undetected in your living space without proper testing. Long-term exposure to elevated radon levels significantly increases the risk of lung cancer, making radon the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, just after smoking.

Inhaling radon decay products can damage the cells lining your lungs. Over time, this damage can result in lung cancer, especially in smokers and former smokers, who are at a higher risk.

Unlike many airborne pollutants, radon does not cause immediate symptoms like coughing or headaches. Its effects are gradual and long-term, accumulating silently over years of exposure.

Established Guidelines and Recommendations

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established an action level for radon at 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) of air. If radon levels in your home reach or exceed this threshold, the EPA strongly recommends taking steps to reduce them. Here’s what you should know about the EPA’s guidelines:

• Action Level: This is the level at which the EPA advises taking action to lower radon concentrations in your home. It’s important to note that levels below 4 pCi/L are not considered safe, as there is no known safe level of radon exposure. The risk of lung cancer decreases as radon levels drop.

• Testing Recommendations: The EPA suggests testing all homes below the third floor for radon. You can use do-it-yourself test kits or hire a certified radon professional for testing.

• Radon Mitigation: If radon levels meet or exceed the action level, consulting a qualified radon mitigator is recommended. Methods such as soil suction can effectively reduce radon levels by preventing it from entering the home.

• Follow-up Testing: Even after successful mitigation, regular testing is essential to ensure radon levels stay low. Since radon levels can vary significantly from one home to another, individual testing is the only way to accurately assess your risk. Adhering to the EPA’s radon control guidelines helps maintain low radon levels and ensures your home’s health and safety.

Testing for Radon

Since radon cannot be detected by human senses, testing is the only reliable method to determine radon levels in a building. The EPA advises testing all homes below the third floor, as well as schools and workplaces, for radon.

Regular testing is recommended because radon levels can vary due to environmental changes and building conditions. Performing tests at different times of the year can provide a more accurate picture of radon exposure.

Short-term tests, which last from 2 to 90 days, offer a quick assessment of radon levels. Long-term tests, lasting more than 90 days, provide a better estimate of average radon concentration over the year.

Types of Radon Testing Methods

Radon testing methods fall into two main categories:

Short-Term Testing:

• Charcoal Canisters: These devices are widely used for short-term radon testing. They absorb radon gas over a period of 2 to 7 days and are then analyzed in a laboratory.

• Electret Ion Chambers: These measure radon levels over a short period using an electret charged with static electricity.

• Continuous Radon Monitors: These devices provide ongoing measurements over a 48-hour period and can detect sudden spikes in radon levels.

Long-Term Testing:

• Alpha Track Detectors: These measure radon levels over extended periods by recording tracks left by alpha particles on a plastic sheet inside the detector.

• Electret Ion Chambers: Similar to the short-term method but designed for long-term use.

Choosing the appropriate test depends on whether you need immediate results or a more comprehensive understanding of long-term radon exposure.