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Radon is a radioactive gas that has been found in homes all over the United States. It comes from the natural breakdown of uranium in soil, rock, and water and gets into the air you breathe. Radon typically moves up through the ground to the air above and into your home through cracks and other holes in the foundation.
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 do you know if you have radon in your home?
The only way you can tell that you might have radon in your house is looking for the entryways. Finding cracks in your floor or walls might mean radon has made its way into your home, but there’s still no way to know for sure.
What houses usually have radon?
Answer: All types of houses can have radon problems-old homes, new homes, drafty homes, insulated homes, homes with basements and homes without basements.
Where is radon most likely to accumulate in a home?
About one in every 15 homes is thought to have high levels of radon. The highest concentration of radon tends to be found in the basement or on the first floor.
Where does radon gas come from in 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 holes in the foundation. Your home traps radon inside, where it can build up.
How common is radon in homes?
It’s common: About 1 in every 15 homes has what’s considered an elevated radon level. The gas is odorless and invisible, says the EPA, and it causes no immediate symptoms, so the only way to know if your home is affected is by testing your individual residence.
What are the first signs of radon poisoning?
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.
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.
Can you smell radon in your house?
Because radon gas can’t be seen or smelled, the only way to know whether you’re being exposed to it is to test for it. A Citizen’s Guide to Radon, produced by the EPA, explains how to test your home for radon easily and inexpensively, and what to do if your levels are too high.
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.
How do you eliminate radon?
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.
Should I 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.
Is radon in the ground everywhere?
Because radon is produced in the ground, it is present nearly everywhere. Soil is porous, so radon and other soil gases are able to move up through the dirt and rocks and into the air we breathe. Radon can enter your home through the following pathways: Cracks in concrete slabs.
What type of soil has the most radon?
Granitic type soils present higher levels of radon gas. Non-granitic soils have traditionally been considered to have very low radon levels.
Do Ceiling fans reduce radon?
Ceiling fans can reduce radon levels by 50%. If used along with positive ion generators, ceiling fans are capable of reducing radon levels by 90%. This is achieved by a phenomenon called plate-out, which neutralizes radio-active particles.
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 rocks cause radon gas?
The results showed that, on average, homes on limestone, dolostone, and some shales have higher indoor radon concentrations than homes on siltstones, sandstones, and surficial deposits.
What increases radon?
In most cases, high winds increase radon levels in homes. Cold winter weather – snow, ice, colder temperatures, etc. Each of these types of weather causes the ground to be more compact and creating pressure for radon to escape elsewhere.
Are radon detectors accurate?
The National Radon Safety Board evaluates radon measurement devices in cooperation with the US Environmental Protection Agency. It requires that the individual relative error of each device be less than or equal to 20.0% and that the precision error of all devices be less than or equal to 20.0%.
What causes high radon levels in house?
CAUSES OF RADON IN YOUR HOME: CRACKS AND GAPS Coupled with any cracks in the foundation and gaps in your flooring and around pipes, and radon has easy access to your home. A DIY solution is filling in every crack and gap with caulk to limit radon’s access to your living space.
