Radon is Real:

Radon is a radioactive gas that you cannot taste, see or smell. Radon is formed from the radioactive decay of radium, which in turn is formed from the natural break down of uranium in the soil (as rocks weather, especially those of granitic composition, they release radium and uranium -radioactive elements- into the soil/water). With a half-life of only 3.8 days, most gas decays harmlessly in the soil, but when it migrates through the soil and enters your home, it becomes a health hazard.

Radon 's Threat:

In 1998, the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) released the BEIR VI Report (Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation) on the health effects of exposure to indoor radon. The NAS estimated that radon caused between 15,000 to 20,000 lung cancer deaths each year (12% of all lung cancer deaths are asscociated with radon), making radon the second leading cause of lung cancer. Smoking is still the number one cause of lung cancer. If you smoke and your home has high levels of radon, your risk is significantly higher than a non-smoker. EPA's Radon Risk Chart

Radon at Large:

 

The Surgeon General of the United States has declared radon to be a national health problem and urges that all homes be tested.  Radon enters the home through cracks, crevices or other openings in the foundation, such as sump pumps and utility access openings. Any home can have a radon problem, it doesn't matter if its old or new, with a basement or on a slab. If there is a source, permeable soil, and a place to enter...that is all it needs.  Did you know that one in every 15 homes in the United States is estimated to have a radon level above 4.0 pCi/L, which is the action level established by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)?  Elevated levels have been found in all 50 states. Certain areas are more susceptible than others, but no location is immune. EPA Zone Map

 

Radon in Maryland:

Maryland is situated along the Piedmont Plateau containing large quantiites of granite and quartz-rich igneous rock , which show higher concentrations of radioactive material.  Certain areas such as Montgomery County, Howard County, Frederick and Carroll County are more likely to exhibit higher than average radon levels because they lie in the high phyllite (a slaty type rock) zone.

 

   high potential

      4.0 pCi/L or greater

   moderate potential

      2.0 pCi/L to 4.0 pCi/L

   low potential less than 2.0 pCi/L

 

 

Testing for Radon:

Radon levels tend to vary , and a  long-term test can capture the year round average of  radon levels in your home.  However, few people have the time for long-term testing (especially, when it is a real estate transaction).

Short-term testing is the most common and fastest way to determine if you have a radon problem that needs to be corrected.  There are two general forms for conducting short-term tests.

Active devices... (continuous monitors) constantly measure the levels of radon in a portion of the home and display those results.  Hourly reports to the printer  help to reveal unusual swings in radon levels during the test and detect test interference   

Passive devices...(electret ion chambers, charcoal canisters, alpha-track detectors) collect samples over a period of time and then are taken away and analyzed by a qualified lab.

You could conduct the test on your own, but a qualified radon testing professional is recommended.  They know the proper duration for testing and conditions under which to test, along with supplying reliable equipment.   Most importantly, using a qualified tester assures more accurate results and interpretation of those results.

The Results are in:

While the EPA thinks that any exposure to radon carries some risk, and that no level of radon is "safe", you can reduce your risk by lowering your levels. They have established the following criteria regarding radon test results:

Results are reported two ways, working levels (WL) and picocuries per liter of air (pCi/L).  The EPA recommends that you fix your home if your results are 0.02 WL or higher and 4.0 pCi/L or higher.

(NOTE: The average indoor level is approximately 1.3 pCi/L, and the average outdoor level is normally 0.4 pCi/L.  The U.S. Congress has set a long-term goal to reduce indoor levels to those found outside. However, this goal is not yet technically acheivable in most homes.)

Correcting Elevated Levels:

The average cost for a contractor to lower radon levels in a home can range from $800 to $2,500, depending on the home's layout, construction and size. There are a variety of ways to reduce radon levels.  Sealing cracks and other openings in the foundation is the first step (keep in mind, that the EPA does not recommend that corrective action be limited to sealing alone). The most common type of mitigation is to install a "sub-slab depressurization" system, consisting of vent pipe(s) and fan(s), which prevent radon from entering the home by venting it from beneath the home to the exterior.

Choose a qualified radon mitigation contractor to fix your problem. It is always best to get several estimates/opinions, just as you would with any type of home repair. After repairs have been made it is always recommended that the home be tested again to ensure that the levels are acceptable. Keep in mind that a conflict of interest could exist if the contractor and the tester are one in the same. ****

In the End:

So, wheather you have an old home or a new one, live in an old mining town or in the middle of the Great Plains, radon is a reality.  However, it is a reality that we can live with. Proper testing and mitigation can eliminate radon's health risk. Educate yourself about it. Visit these sites for more infomation on radon.