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Interpreting Your Radon Test Results Greater than or Equal to 4.0 pCi/L. Above 4.0 pCi/L, you are putting yourself at unusually high risk for lung damage and cancer. Between 2.7 and 4.0 pCi/L. Less than 2.7 pCi/L.
What is a normal radon reading?
According to the EPA, the maximum “acceptable” level of radon is 4.0 pCi/L, but even that level is not “safe”, per se. The EPA strongly recommends you consider radon mitigation between levels 2.0 and 4.0. For perspective, the average outdoor air level of radon is 0.4 pCi/L.
What is a high number for a radon test?
Radon levels are measured in picocuries per liter, or pCi/L. 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.
Is a radon level of 2.4 safe?
EPA recommends homes be fixed if the radon level is 4 pCi/L (picocurries per liter) or more. Because there is no known safe level of exposure to radon, EPA also recommends that Americans consider fixing their home for radon levels between 2 pCi/L and 4 pCi/L.
Is a radon level of 2.7 safe?
A “safe” level of radon listed by the WHO is anything under 2.7 pCi/L while the EPA lists anything under 4.0 pCi/L. At these levels or higher, a mitigation system is strongly suggested. In fact, radon is the primary cause of lung cancer in non-smokers and the second leading cause of all lung cancer diagnosis’.
What does radon Zone 1 mean?
What do the colors mean? Zone 1 (red zones) Highest potential; average indoor radon levels may be. greater than 4 pCi/L (picocuries per liter).
What is a safe level of radon UK?
There is no known “safe” level of radon, but the lower the concentration you are exposed to, the lower the risk to your health. Current advice from Public Health England is that “for levels below 100 Bq/m3, your individual risk remains relatively low and not a cause for concern.
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.
Is it OK to live in a house with radon?
If you smoke and live in a home with high radon levels, you increase your risk of developing lung cancer. Over time, these radioactive particles increase the risk of lung cancer. It may take years before health problems appear. People who smoke and are exposed to radon are at a greater risk of developing lung cancer.
Does opening windows reduce radon?
Opening windows improves air circulation and ventilation, helping move radon out of the house and mixing radon-free outside air with indoor air. Make sure all your basement windows are open. Homes tend to have lower air pressure than their surroundings, which draws radon into the basement.
Are short term radon tests 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.
WHO recommended radon levels?
Based on recently completed research, the World Health Organization is recommending that homeowners take action to remediate the radon level in their home if it exceeds 100 becquerels (Bq), which corresponds to 2.7 picocuries per liter (pCi/L).
How often should you test for radon?
If you’re wondering how often you should test for radon, here are the facts. To provide peace of mind, 2the EPA recommends testing your home after any lifestyle changes, renovations and every two years as part of routine home maintenance.
How do you fix radon in a basement?
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.
Why do radon levels spike?
Radon gas is a naturally-occurring radioactive gas found in the soil. Some weather events, like storms, typically cause radon levels in a home to rise. Other events, like heavy winds, can cause radon levels to either rise or fall. Essentially, weather events can cause your radon levels levels to either rise or fall.
Where should 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.
What is Zone 2 for radon gas potential?
Zone 2 is colored orange for moderate potential, with average radon levels between 2 and 4 picocuries per liter. Zone 3, with the lowest risk of exposure, is yellow and has less than 2 picocuries per liter.
Is radon worse in some areas?
The natural radioactive decay of uranium forms it in rock, soil, and water. Radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer, costing the United States over $2 billion per year in both direct and indirect health care costs.Radon Levels by State 2021. State Average Radon Level (pCi/L) Alaska 10.7 South Dakota 9.6 Pennsylvania 8.6 Ohio 7.8.
Where is radon most often 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.
