Frequently Asked Questions
- What is radon?
- What are health effects of radon?
- Where is radon found?
- How does radon get into my home?
- How is radon measured?
- What is mitigation?
- How much does a radon mitigation system cost?
- Dispelling some common radon myths.
What is radon?
Radon is a naturally occurring, invisible, odorless gas that comes from deposits of uranium in soil, rock, and water. It is harmlessly dispersed in outdoor air, but can threaten human health when it accumulates in buildings. Radon is a radioactive decay product of radium, which in turn is a decay product of uranium. Uranium and radium are naturally occurring common elements in soil. [Top]
What are health effects of radon?
Exposure to radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that radon causes 15,000 to 22,000 lung cancer deaths in the country each year. Radon can be inhaled into the lungs, where it undergoes radioactive decay. As it decays, radon releases tiny bursts of energy called alpha particles, which can harm sensitive lung tissue by damaging the DNA. This damaged DNA can lead to lung cancer.
Radon does not cause any short term effects such as shortness of breath, coughing, headaches or fever. [Top]
Where is radon found?
The primary source of high levels of radon in homes is the surrounding soil. Hot spots include basements, first-floor rooms, and garages. Radon has been found in elevated levels in homes in every state, and EPA estimates that as many as one in 15 homes across the U.S. have elevated radon levels. No area of the country is free from risk. [Top]
How does radon get into my home?
Radon gas enters the same way air and other soil gases enter the home; through cracks in the foudnation floor or walls, hollow block walls, and openings around floor drains, pipes and sump pumps. The process begins when warm air in the home rises. When this happens in your home, it creates a vacuum in the lower areas of the house. Nature hates a vacuum, so something must rush in to fill it. In the case of your home, air seeps in from the soil around and under the house, and some air is sucked in through openings (cracks, doors, windows) on the lower levels. [Top]
How is radon measured?
Radon is measured in picocuries per liter of air (pCi/L), a measurement of radioactivity. The EPA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that homes with radon levels 4 pCi/L, or greater, be fixed. [Top]
What is mitigation?
Radon mitigation is the term for the technique of reducing radon levels in a home or building. The most common mitigation technique involves removal of "soil gas" (containing radon) from beneath the foundation floor before it can seep into the home and accumulate to dangerous levels.
The most common mitigation system is "sub-slab depressurization". This involves penetrating the concrete floor and using piping and a small fan to vent soil gas from under the basement floor to the outside. [Top]
How much does a radon mitigation system cost?
A typical mitigation system installation costs between $850 and $1000. Call today for an estimate, 724.445.4543, or contact us online now. [Top]
Disspelling some common radon myths...
"I don't have a basement, so I probably don't have a radon problem."
Radon can seep in from soil anywhere around or under a home, regardless of whether your home has a basement, a crawl space, or is built slab-on-grade. The EPA and the Surgeon General recommend radon testing for all types of homes. In multi-level homes testing should be done on a level below the third floor. [Top]
"I don't live in an area designated as a high radon zone, so my home won't have a problem."
The EPA and the U.S. Geologic Survey conducted surveys of radon potential across the United States. They broke the country down into three zones according to their potential for high indoor radon levels, with Zone 1 having the highest radon potential. It is true that homes in Zones 1 and 2 have a statistically higher chance of having elevated levels of radon. However, the fact is that elevated levels of radon have been found in homes in all fifty states. The radon level in your home depends on the geology under and near your home. The only way to know for sure, and to protect your family from radon, is to test your home. [Top]
"Two of my neighbors have tested their homes for radon and they don't have high levels, so I probably don't either."
Radon levels can vary considerably from house to house, even on the same street. It is nearly impossible to predict the exact nature of geologic soil deposits and the extent to which soil gasses will seep into and be retained by a specific home. The only way to know whether radon exists in elevated levels in your home, and to protect your family from radon, is to test. [Top]
"There doesn't seem to be much proof that radon is a serious health problem."
Never before have we had such overwhelming scientific consensus that exposure to elevated levels of radon causes lung cancer in humans. In February of 1998, the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) presented the findings of their Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation (BEIR) VI Report: "The Health Effects of Exposure to Indoor Radon." This report by the NAS is the most definitive accumulation of scientific data on indoor radon. The report confirms that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. and that it is a serious public health problem. The study fully supports EPA estimates stating that radon causes between 15,000 and 22,000 lung cancer deaths per year. [Top]
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