Of the several isotopes of radon, radon-222 has the most important impact on human health (see the box entitled ”Isotopes of Radon”).

Radon 222

radon-222

Radon-222 atom is a radon atom. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that is odorless and tasteless. It is formed from the radioactive decay of uranium. Uranium is found in small amounts in most rocks and soil….4.3Related Element.

Steps you can take to measure and reduce radon levels include:

• Purchasing a radon test kit. Find a Radon Test Kit or Measurement and Mitigation Professional.
• Testing your home or office.
• Sending the kit to appropriate sources to determine radon level.
• Fixing your home if radon levels are high.

Radon gas can damage cells in your lungs, which can lead to cancer. Radon is responsible for about 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year in the United States, though it usually takes 5 to 25 years to develop.

Opening windows improves air circulation and ventilation, helping move radon out of the house and mixing radon-free outside air with indoor air. Opening basement windows helps reduce negative air pressure, diluting radon with clean outdoor air.

While radon is harmless in the low levels found outdoors, when it seeps into a home it can become concentrated in levels high enough to put residents at risk. Radon gas is measured in picocuries per liter (pCi/L), and the EPA recommends radon mitigation for all homes with radon gas levels of 4 pCi/L or higher.

Air Purifiers are great for mold, dust, allergies, bacteria and viruses, and odors, but many people do not know that they can also help with toxins, gases and chemicals such as radon. The most important type of air filter to reduce radon levels is an activated carbon filter.

Radon levels must be reduced even if you are not finishing your basement. Radon is a colorless gas and known carcinogen that can seep into a home from the soil and rock below. Because it comes from the ground, radon levels are usually highest in basements.

Possible symptoms include shortness of breath (difficulty breathing), a new or worsening cough, pain or tightness in the chest, hoarseness, or trouble swallowing. If you smoke and you know you’ve been exposed to high levels of radon, it’s very important to quit smoking.

Additional, long-term symptoms of radon gas exposure include loss of appetite, weight loss, and fatigue. It’s important to be aware of the symptoms above because not only do they indicate symptoms of radon exposure, but consistent exposure to radon can also lead to lung cancer.

If we breath in high levels of radon over long periods of time this exposure can lead to damage to the sensitive cells of our lungs which increases the risk of lung cancer. Radon causes about 1,000 lung cancer deaths in the UK every year.

This data shows how low-dose radiation actually has a protective heath effect, similar to the immune response caused by vaccines. The radon scare was set off because of lung cancer in early uranium miners. EPA rules ignore science, biology, and observed low-level radiation health effects.

The EPA even recommends checking radon levels at least every two years as radon flow can increase over a timescale longer than one calendar year. This is to say, just as radon levels fluctuate within a calendar year, they also fluctuate as years pass.

The test should be conducted in a room to be used regularly (such as a family room, living room, playroom, den, or bedroom); do not test in a kitchen, bathroom, laundry room or hallway. Usually the buyer decides where to locate the radon test, based on their expected use of the home.

Levels of 4 pCi/L or higher are considered hazardous. Radon levels less than 4 pCi/L still pose a risk and in many cases can be reduced, although it is difficult to reduce levels below 2 pCi/L.

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If a person has been exposed to radon, 75% of the radon progeny in the lungs will become harmless lead particles after 44 years. When a particle damages a cell to make it cancerous, the onset of lung cancer takes at least five years, but often takes 15 to 25 years and even longer.

Radon Risk If You Have Never Smoked

In high radon areas, if the average level is higher than 4-8 pCi/liter (NCRP recommended level is 8 pCi/liter; EPA recommended level is 4 pCi/liter), appropriate action is advised. However, no compelling evidence for increased cancer risks has yet been demonstrated from “acceptable” levels (< 4-8 pCi/liter).

If a potential buyer conducts a radon test and those levels come back high, the buyer has the right to walk away from the sale (nearly all do) and you’ll be obligated to disclose the radon to future buyers, reducing your appeal.

Active subslab suction — also called subslab depressurization — is the most common and usually the most reliable radon reduction method. One or more suction pipes are inserted through the floor slab into the crushed rock or soil underneath. They also may be inserted below the concrete slab from outside the home.

No, buying a dehumidifier will not make radon go away. Radon must be removed by a remediation method like active soil depressurization (ASD), which ironically has been shown to be even more effective at removing humidity from a home than a dehumidifier in the same EPA study.

If you are leaving for an extended period of time, like a “snowbird” you can turn off our system to conserve energy but know that it takes about 12-24 hours for the radon fan to clear out any built-up levels of radon once you return home and turn it back on.

The cost of a mitigation system may vary according to the home’s design, size, foundation, construction materials and the local climate. Radon reduction systems average costs nationally are $1,200 with a range from $800 to $1500 common depending on house and market conditions.

In most cases, pros charge about $1,500 to install a radon mitigation system, but you can do it yourself for only about $500 in materials. When you need to replace your radon mitigation fan it is advisable to replace it with one having at least the same flow and static pressure capability. Radon Protection Systems Inc.

Key point: All homes can be fixed. Radon mitigation systems and the professionals who install them can fix radon problems. There is not a radon clean-up solution because radon gas continuously seeps into homes from the soil below. You have to stop the flow.

Here are the 10 states with the highest Radon levels:

• Alaska (10.7)
• South Dakota (9.6)
• Pennsylvania (8.6)
• Ohio (7.8)
• Washington (7.5)
• Kentucky (7.4)
• Montana (7.4)
• Idaho (7.3)