What is Radon

Radon is a radioactive gas produced by the natural decay of uranium in the soil. It is colorless, odorless, tasteless, and chemically inert. The only way to know how much radon is present in your home is to test for it.

What are the health risks

Radon gas decays into radioactive particles that can get trapped in your lungs as you breath. 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.

According to the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency)…

• Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S.
• It is the number one cause of lung cancer in non-smokers
• About 21,000 people die each year from lung cancer due to radon

How much Radon is too much

• The concentration of radon is measured in picocuries per liter (pCi/L) of air
• Outdoor air contains an average of 0.4 pCi/L
• The EPA recommends that action be taken to reduce radon levels if the annual average is 4 pCi/L or higher

Where is Radon found in a home

Since radon comes from the soil, it is more concentrated in the lower levels of the home (i.e. basements, ground floors, and first floors). It can enter a building through dirt floors, hollow-block walls, cracks in the foundation floor and walls, as well as openings around floor drains, pipes, and sump pumps.

How common is Radon in Southwest Ohio

The Ohio Department of Health estimates that almost half of Ohio homes have radon levels over the EPA action level of 4 pCi/L. Nationally, about one in fifteen homes exceed the 4 pCi/L level.

The table below lists the average radon concentrations by county as well as the percentage of tests that fell within each range.

This data is from the Ohio Radon Information System web site

How do you test for Radon

Radon levels vary over time, even during the course of a single day. The goal of radon testing is to determine the annual average level of radon. This can be done with a single long-term test or with a series of short-term tests.

Professionals test radon levels using a continuous radon monitor. This is an electronic meter that takes hourly measurements of the radon levels over a 48-hour period. These readings are then averaged to obtain the final test result.

Homeowners can purchase short-term test kits from their local home improvement store. These kits are placed on the lowest level of the house for a several days and then sent to a lab for analysis. If you do your own testing, it is very important to read and follow all directions to get an accurate result. For best results, you should use two test kits at the same time and average the results.

Long-term test kits can also be ordered from various sources such as the National Safety Council.

How do you reduce Radon levels

Reducing the amount of radon in your home, also referred to as radon mitigation, centers on two basic methods. The first is preventing the gas from entering your home. This is done by sealing all cracks and openings in the floor and foundation walls. The second method is reducing the concentrations of radon indoors by ventilation with outdoor air. The good news is that high levels of radon can be reduced in any home by one or both or these methods.

If your home has elevated radon levels (4 pCi/L or higher), you can contact the National Safety Council by calling (800) 644-6999. They are a non-profit organization that operates the Radon Fix-It Program free of charge.

The Fix-It Program provides information on reducing elevated radon levels. They also provide lists of contractors certified by the National Environmental Health Association and/or the National Radon Safety Board who are qualified to offer advice and perform radon mitigation.

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