Radon
In September 1988, the Office of the U.S. Surgeon General issued a Health Advisory urging all Americans to test their homes for radon, and to fix them when elevated levels were found. In October that same year, Congress said that the national long-term goal ... with respect to radon ... is that (indoor air) should be as free of radon as the ambient air outside ....
Ten years after the Surgeon General's warning, on February 19, 1998, the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), reported that 12% of lung cancer deaths are linked to radon. The NAS is an independent, non-governmental scientific organization. NAS' best estimate is that radon causes between 15,000 and 22,000 lung cancer deaths each year in the United States. Further, the NAS found that even very small exposures to radon can result in lung cancer.
Neither the NAS nor EPA knows yet at what level radon might be safe, or not cause lung cancer. So, lowering your indoor radon level as much as possible is a very good idea.
How Does Radon Get Into Your Home?
Radon is a radioactive gas. It comes from the natural decay of uranium that is found in nearly all soils. It typically moves up through the ground to the air above and into your home through cracks and other openings in the foundation. Your home traps radon inside, where it can build up. Any home may have a radon problem. This means new and old homes, well-sealed and drafty homes, and homes with or without basements. Radon from soil gas is the main cause of radon problems. Sometimes radon enters the home through well water. In a small number of homes, the building materials can give off radon, too. However, building materials rarely cause radon problems by themselves. Radon gets in through:
Nearly 1 out of every 15 homes in the U.S. is estimated to have elevated radon levels. Elevated levels of radon gas have been found in homes in Maryland. While radon problems may be more common in some areas, any home may have a problem. The only way to know about your home is to test.
Testing Your Home
You can't see radon, but it's not hard to find out if you have a radon problem in your home. All you need to do is test for it. The amount of radon in the air is measured in "picoCuries per liter of air," or "pCi/L." Sometimes test results are expressed in Working Levels (WL) rather than picoCuries per liter (pCi/L) (4 pCi/L equals to 0.016 WL). There are many kinds of "do-it-yourself" radon test kits you can get through the mail and in hardware stores and other retail outlets. As an alternative, you can hire a qualified tester to do the testing for you. Metro Capitol Home Inspection Services has certified radon testers who can help you.
What Your Test Results Mean
The average indoor radon level is estimated to be about 1.3 pCi/L, and about 0.4 pCi/L of radon is normally found in the outside air. The U.S. Congress has set a long-term goal that indoor radon levels be no more than outdoor levels. While this goal is not yet technologically achievable in all cases, most homes today can be reduced to 2 pCi/L or below. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Surgeon General strongly recommend taking further action when the house's radon test result is 4.0 pCi/L or greater. The EPA believes that any radon exposure carries some risk — no level of radon is safe. Even radon levels below 4 pCi/L pose some risk, and you can reduce your risk of lung cancer by lowering your radon level. Even if your test result is below 4 pCi/L,The EPA suggests that you may want to retest sometime in the future.
The Risk of Living With Radon
Radon gas decays into radioactive particles that can get trapped in your lungs when you breathe. As they break down further, these particles release small bursts of energy. This can damage lung tissue and lead to lung cancer over the course of your lifetime. Not everyone exposed to elevated levels of radon will develop lung cancer. And the amount of time between exposure and the onset of the disease may be many years. Like other environmental pollutants, there is some uncertainty about the magnitude of radon health risks. However, we know more about radon risks than risks from most other cancer-causing substances. This is because estimates of radon risks are based on studies of cancer in humans (underground miners). Smoking combined with radon is an especially serious health risk. Stop smoking and lower your radon level to reduce your lung cancer risk. Scientists are more certain about radon risks than from most other cancer-causing substances. Children have been reported to have greater risk than adults of certain types of cancer from radiation, but there are currently no conclusive data on whether children are at greater risk than adults from radon. Your chances of getting lung cancer from radon depend mostly on:
Further Information and Acknowledgements
Further in-depth radon information and publications are available at http://www.epa.gov/radon/index.html or by calling 1 (800) 23-RADON for a free information packet.
Or call us today to schedule a radon test. 301.785.6808
Ten years after the Surgeon General's warning, on February 19, 1998, the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), reported that 12% of lung cancer deaths are linked to radon. The NAS is an independent, non-governmental scientific organization. NAS' best estimate is that radon causes between 15,000 and 22,000 lung cancer deaths each year in the United States. Further, the NAS found that even very small exposures to radon can result in lung cancer.
Neither the NAS nor EPA knows yet at what level radon might be safe, or not cause lung cancer. So, lowering your indoor radon level as much as possible is a very good idea.
How Does Radon Get Into Your Home?
Radon is a radioactive gas. It comes from the natural decay of uranium that is found in nearly all soils. It typically moves up through the ground to the air above and into your home through cracks and other openings in the foundation. Your home traps radon inside, where it can build up. Any home may have a radon problem. This means new and old homes, well-sealed and drafty homes, and homes with or without basements. Radon from soil gas is the main cause of radon problems. Sometimes radon enters the home through well water. In a small number of homes, the building materials can give off radon, too. However, building materials rarely cause radon problems by themselves. Radon gets in through:
- Cracks in solid floors
- Constructions joints
- Cracks in walls
- Gaps in suspended floors
- Gaps around service pipes
- Cavities in walls
- The water supply
Nearly 1 out of every 15 homes in the U.S. is estimated to have elevated radon levels. Elevated levels of radon gas have been found in homes in Maryland. While radon problems may be more common in some areas, any home may have a problem. The only way to know about your home is to test.
Testing Your Home
You can't see radon, but it's not hard to find out if you have a radon problem in your home. All you need to do is test for it. The amount of radon in the air is measured in "picoCuries per liter of air," or "pCi/L." Sometimes test results are expressed in Working Levels (WL) rather than picoCuries per liter (pCi/L) (4 pCi/L equals to 0.016 WL). There are many kinds of "do-it-yourself" radon test kits you can get through the mail and in hardware stores and other retail outlets. As an alternative, you can hire a qualified tester to do the testing for you. Metro Capitol Home Inspection Services has certified radon testers who can help you.
What Your Test Results Mean
The average indoor radon level is estimated to be about 1.3 pCi/L, and about 0.4 pCi/L of radon is normally found in the outside air. The U.S. Congress has set a long-term goal that indoor radon levels be no more than outdoor levels. While this goal is not yet technologically achievable in all cases, most homes today can be reduced to 2 pCi/L or below. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Surgeon General strongly recommend taking further action when the house's radon test result is 4.0 pCi/L or greater. The EPA believes that any radon exposure carries some risk — no level of radon is safe. Even radon levels below 4 pCi/L pose some risk, and you can reduce your risk of lung cancer by lowering your radon level. Even if your test result is below 4 pCi/L,The EPA suggests that you may want to retest sometime in the future.
The Risk of Living With Radon
Radon gas decays into radioactive particles that can get trapped in your lungs when you breathe. As they break down further, these particles release small bursts of energy. This can damage lung tissue and lead to lung cancer over the course of your lifetime. Not everyone exposed to elevated levels of radon will develop lung cancer. And the amount of time between exposure and the onset of the disease may be many years. Like other environmental pollutants, there is some uncertainty about the magnitude of radon health risks. However, we know more about radon risks than risks from most other cancer-causing substances. This is because estimates of radon risks are based on studies of cancer in humans (underground miners). Smoking combined with radon is an especially serious health risk. Stop smoking and lower your radon level to reduce your lung cancer risk. Scientists are more certain about radon risks than from most other cancer-causing substances. Children have been reported to have greater risk than adults of certain types of cancer from radiation, but there are currently no conclusive data on whether children are at greater risk than adults from radon. Your chances of getting lung cancer from radon depend mostly on:
- How much radon is in your home
- The amount of time you spend in your home
- Whether you are a smoker or have ever smoked
Further Information and Acknowledgements
Further in-depth radon information and publications are available at http://www.epa.gov/radon/index.html or by calling 1 (800) 23-RADON for a free information packet.
Or call us today to schedule a radon test. 301.785.6808
