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What are the symptoms of radon in your home?
A persistent cough could be a sign that you have radon poisoning. Persistent cough. Hoarseness. Wheezing. Shortness of breath. Coughing up blood. Chest pain. Frequent infections like bronchitis and pneumonia. Loss of appetite.
How is a radon gas test done?
Radon tests detect either radon gas directly or the daughter products of radon’s radioactive decay. In the laboratory, the radioactive particles emitted from the charcoal are counted directly by a sodium iodide counter or converted to light in a liquid scintillation medium and counted in a scintillation detector.
How do you test for radon in your home?
You can hire a professional tester or do it yourself with a kit you buy at a hardware store or online. Follow the instructions for leaving the kit in your house for the required number of days. Then mail it to a lab and wait for the results. If radon levels in your home are high, you can take steps to lower them.
How do you prepare for a radon test?
Begin by keeping the home’s doors and windows closed for up to 12 hours prior to the radon test.How to prepare for a radon test Have windows open. Have ceiling fans operating. Have attic fans operating. Have humidifiers or dehumidifiers operating. Have fireplaces operating (chimney dampers should be closed).
Where is radon most commonly found?
Radon levels are usually higher in basements, cellars and living spaces in contact with the ground. However, considerable radon concentration can also be found above the ground floor. Radon concentrations vary considerably between adjacent buildings, as well as within a building from day to day and from hour to hour.
How long does radon take to affect you?
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. Early signs and symptoms of lung cancer may include: persistent cough.
Are home radon test kits accurate?
“Short-term radon test kits are not effective in measuring radon gas exposure: Findings show radon tests of less than 90 days are imprecise up to 99 percent of the time.” ScienceDaily.
Should you walk away from a house with radon?
Should you walk away from the deal? Consumer Reports says you don’t have to. Radon-related deaths are due to exposure over the course of a lifetime. “You should definitely take it seriously but you really don’t need to walk away from the home.
What does radon smell like?
Radon gas does not have a smell. It is odorless, colorless, tasteless, and invisible to the human eye. If you have high levels of radon in your home, you won’t notice any immediate adverse effects.
Where does radon come from in a house?
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 holes in the foundation. Your home traps radon inside, where it can build up.
Does radon gas cause headaches?
The only known health effect of radon is an increased risk of lung cancer. Radon does not cause any warning symptoms like headaches, nausea, fatigue, or skin rashes. If you are suffering from those symptoms or other physical ailments, you should consult your physician.
What are radon test kits for?
Product Description. The First Alert RD1 Radon Gas Test Kit detects dangerous radon gas in your home, work, or institution. Radon is a naturally occurring gas that can cause lung cancer, and can be found in basements, drains, crawl spaces, and other areas below ground.
What time of year is radon highest?
The reason that radon levels in the home can be higher in the summer and winter is two-fold. During the winter, the air in your home tends to be much warmer than the outside air, and this temperature difference creates a vacuum within your home.
Where do you place a radon detector?
Place a radon detector in the breathing zone, 2-6 feet above the floor, and away from drafts, exterior walls, sumps, drains, windows or doors. Radon may enter a building through cracks in the foundation or through sumps or drains and will usually be higher near these entry points.
Will a ceiling fan affect a radon test?
Running a ceiling fan will affect radon test results. The wind from the fan can move the radon away from the test kit, depending on where it is placed. This will give inaccurate test results.
What are 5 facts about radon?
Here are a few facts about radon, and what you can do to help keep your family healthy and safe. Radon is radioactive. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas. Radon causes cancer. No immediate symptoms. You must test for radon. Radon is present indoors and outdoors. Radon can build up in any building.
What type of soil is radon found in?
The U.S. Geological Survey explains that radon moves easily and quickly through porous soils, like sand and gravel, and slower through more solid soils, clay being one such example. Moisture has a lot to do with this.
Can air filters remove radon?
Yes, air purifiers help with radon gas reduction to some extent. The air purifiers with activated carbon filter technology are highly effective in trapping radon gas.
Can radon make you feel tired?
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.
Can radon cause dizziness?
Long-term radon exposure produces symptoms akin to those of lung cancer. Unlike carbon monoxide poisoning or exposure to other dangerous gases, you won’t notice symptoms like fatigue, headache, confusion or dizziness. That’s because radon gas decays rapidly, damaging the cells in your lungs as it breaks down.
Is radon gas worse in summer or winter?
To answer that question, yes, radon levels in a home tend to be higher during the winter. And those higher levels of radon gas can lead to an increased chance of lung cancer. While indoor radon gas levels are generally higher during winter, sometimes the summer can have higher indoor radon levels.
