What You Should Know about Radon in Your Home

Radon gas brought

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas.  Radon comes from the radioactive decay of radium that is present in the earth’s crust. It is ubiquitous and it is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers.  It is present, in varying amounts, everywhere. The levels inside your home change every day.

RADON LEVELS CHANGE EVERY DAY.

It is not the radon level that is the greatest concern, it is your EXPOSURE to it that is the problem. There is no “safe” level. There are diurnal variations (changes twice a day) as well as seasonal variations. During the winter months your home is buttoned up and with combustion appliances, like a running furnace, the negative pressure in the house acts to suck in radon from the surrounding soil. (Whether you have a basement or not) It also enters during the summer months.

PHOTO: Charcoal canister screening test kit.

Typically, the radon levels on the 1st floor are about half what you’d find in the basement. The 2nd floor would have about half what is found on the 1st floor. This changes slightly with high efficiency homes. But overall. your EXPOSURE is the average radon level over a period of time. So if you work in the basement for 8 hours a day, a third of your exposure would be at the annual average level in the basement. A third of your life in your bedroom, and maybe a third of your time on the 1st floor.

PHOTO:  Alpha track detector used for long-term measurement of radon – up to one year.

The actionable remediation level is 4 picocuries of radon per liter of air (pCi/L). Meaning, if you are exposed to levels above 4 pCi/l on an ANNUAL basis, you should take steps to reduce the levels because it is reasonably cost effective to do so. Depending on the circumstances, there are a variety of remediation techniques, from covering up your sump pump or sealing drains with special fittings, to sub-slab depressurization systems or air-to-air heat exchanges.

The average cost for a remediation system is about $1200-$1500.

Radon gas comes from the metal, radium. Radium is found throughout the Earth’s crust in different concentrations and ends up in some building materials (or use to). It is also in the water. Look at your annual Water Report. It shows the radium content.