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What
is Radon?
Radon
is a naturally occurring radioactive gas formed from the radioactive decay of
Uranium found in rocks and soil. Radon gas rises freely through loose gravel,
cracks, and underground fissures finding its way into homes and buildings. When
the air pressure inside a building is lower than the air pressure outside the
building, a vacuum is created that can pull radon through concrete pores, cracks
and openings in the foundation and around pipes and joints. Elevated Radon
levels and long term exposure in a home or building are considered health
hazards.
What
can I do to protect myself and my family from radon?
The
first step is to test your home for radon, and have it fixed if it is at or
above EPA's Action Level of 4 picocuries per liter. That's equivalent to 200
chest X-rays each year! .Because the level of radioactivity is directly related
to the number and type of radioactive atoms present, radon and all other
radioactive atoms are measured in picoCuries. For instance, a house having 4
picoCuries of radon per liter of air (4 pCi/L) has about 8 or 9 atoms of radon
decaying every minute in every liter of air inside the house. A
1,000-square-foot house with 4 pCi/L of radon has nearly 2 million radon atoms
decaying in it every minute. Generally, levels can be brought below 2 pCi/l
fairly simply.
The
best method for reducing radon in your home will depend on how radon enters your
home and the design of your home. For example, sealing cracks in floors and
walls may help to reduce radon. There are also systems that remove radon from
the crawl space or from beneath the concrete floor or basement slab that are
effective at keeping radon from entering your home. These systems are simple and
don't require major changes to your home. Other methods may be necessary.
People
who have private wells should test their well water to ensure that radon levels
meet EPA's newly proposed standard.
How
much does it cost?
We
offer Radon testing using the Continuous Radon Monitor for $125 for the initial
test. We offer a $25 discount if the radon test is scheduled as any part of your
home inspection.
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