Radon Reduction
in Residences
by Ruth Stephens, Graduate
Assistant
Ann Ziebarth, Extension Housing Specialist.
What is Radon? Radon is a
colorless, odorless, tasteless gas created when uranium in soil and rock breaks
down. The radon rises up through the soil and then dissipates into the air.
Radon becomes a concern when it gets into homes through cracks and openings in
and around the foundation. Inside a home the radon can accumulate. When levels
are high enough radon is inhaled and may increase the risk of lung cancer. It is
estimated that radon may be linked to any where from 5,000 to 20,000 lung cancer
deaths per year in the United States.
How Do You Find Out The
Radon Level In Your Home?
You can easily test your
own home for radon. Radon tests are simple and relatively inexpensive. Beware
of door-to-door or phone salespeople who try to pressure or frighten you .
Stick with EPA-approved devices purchased from an independent source who will
not profit from telling you your home has high levels of radon. The Nebraska
State Health Department has a list of registered testing firms who sell
reliable and reasonably priced radon test kits.
Through the testing
procedure you will expose the test kit to the air in your home (usually in the
lowest living level of the house). The length of the test can range from a few
days to a year and will depend on the type of detector used. Upon completion
of the test it is mailed to the laboratory for analyses. The results will be
sent back to you. The level of radon in one home may vary considerably from
neighbor to neighbor so it is important for you to take readings for your
home.
Reducing Radon In Your Home
-- Radon Mitigation
Removing radon from a home
and preventing new radon from entering a home is called radon mitigation. When
and what you need to do to reduce the radon in your home will depend on the
level of radon detected. Radon mitigation should only be done after long term
testing has been done to confirm high radon levels present in the home.
Radon levels are measured
in picocuries per liter (pCi). If annual average radon levels in your home are
low (less than 4 pCi/l) you might only need to air out the basement to improve
air quality. If the readings are in a medium range (4-20 pCi/l) you have up to
a few years to make the changes before the effects of radon become a severe
risk. If your readings are high (20-200 pCi/l) you should reduce the radon
levels in your home as soon as possible.
Most home owners should not
try to make major adjustments by themselves. Radon problems should be taken
care of by reputable contractors properly trained and approved by the EPA. The
contractor should not be involved with the first testing process. Find a
certified radon contractor. As with any large home improvement project get at
least two estimates for the work to be done.
You can find out more by
obtaining two EPA booklets from the Nebraska State Health Department. A
Citizen's Guide to Radon and Radon Reduction Methods - A Homeowner's Guide are
free of charge.
There are a few general
areas to consider in radon mitigation. First seal entry routes into the house.
These routes usually include areas in the basement where the foundation comes
in contact with the soil. Cracks in the walls and floor and openings around
utility pipes and wires should be sealed with polyurethane caulk. Sump pits
should be covered and sealed, and exposed dirt should be covered with
concrete.
A second area of concern is
the air pressure of the home. If the air pressure within the house is below
the soil pressure you may actually be drawing radon into your home. Increasing
outside air can help replace the air pulled out of the home by exhaust fans
and clothes dryers.
Changing the air pressure
may be as simple as opening windows on all sides of the house if the weather
permits. Crawl spaces below the house can also be ventilated if the weather is
not a factor. In Nebraska it is important to protect any plumbing pipes that
could freeze if exposed to cold temperatures. Cold weather makes this type of
ventilation a temporary measure and not a permanent solution.
If radon is still coming in
from below the house after cracks and openings have been sealed, you may need
to have a sub-slab ventilation system installed. Even for serious problems, a
sub-slab system can draw radon away from the house using a pipe and fan system
which exhausts the gas to the outside air where it is safely diluted.
Radon mitigation should not
be too expensive for most home owners. The cost of making repairs to reduce
radon depends on how the home was built and the extent of the radon problem.
Every home will be different, but most homes can be fixed for approximately
$500 - $2000 which is similar to other home repairs and improvements.
| Radon
Risk Evaluation Chart |
| pCi/l |
Comparable exposure level |
Comparable risk |
| 200 |
1000 times average outdoor
level |
4 pack-a-day smoker |
| 100 |
100 times average indoor level |
20,000 chest x-rays per year |
| 20 |
100 times average outdoor level |
2 pack-a-day smoker |
| 4-2 |
10 times average outdoor level |
200 chest x-rays per year |
| Source:
EPA's A Citizen's Guide To Radon |
Information Sources
A CITIZEN'S GUIDE TO RADON -
What it is and what to do about it. United States Environmental Protection
Agency, August 1986
Radon Reduction Methods--A Homeowner's Guide. United States Environmental
Protection Agency, August 1986
US News and World Report, September 26, 1988 p.62-63.
ACHP Appendix J
University of Nebraska
Cooperative Extension
Acknowledgement
Joe Milone, Nebraska
Department of Health Division of Radiological Health and Extension Agents Betty
Jo Leapley, Carol Larvick, and Sandra Hatter served as reviewers for the
material. Their assistance is greatly appreciated.
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