Have you wondered if radon is a problem in your home or wanted to get more information on radon? Radon is found in nearly all soils. It is a colorless, odorless radioactive gas that comes up through the soil. Levels in outdoor air are usually much lower than indoor air.
It is a problem in houses because radon levels can accumulate indoors. Houses can suck air from the soil and that draws radon gas in through the foundation. The soil around your home is porous so the radon gas is able to move through the dirt and rocks and into the basement through pathways, like cracks in the concrete slab, and accumulate in the house.
Radon is a health concern because studies have shown that over time breathing in radon gas can increase your risk of lung cancer. When breathed in, the radioactive particles from radon gas can damage the cells that line the lung. Long-term exposure to radon can lead to lung cancer. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer, and the leading cause in non-smokers. In the United States, it is estimated that radon exposure causes 21,000 lung cancer deaths a year. This lung cancer risk increases for those who smoke.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends taking action to reduce radon in homes that have a radon level at or above 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L).
There are elevated levels in all counties, making radon a widespread concern. It is very difficult to tell whether any specific home will have a high radon level. Homes that are next door to each other can have different indoor radon levels, making a neighbor’s test result a poor predictor of radon risk. So, it’s a good idea to test your home for radon.
Testing is the only way to know if your home has elevated radon levels. There are generally two tests that are used to detect radon: a short-term test and a longterm test. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) recommends conducting a short-term test first. This is usually completed in only 3 to 7 days. If your short-term test result is greater than 8 pCi/L, then you conduct one more short-term test. On the other hand, if that first short-term test result is between 2 to 8 pCi/L, consider conducting a longterm test. If the second test result is at or above 4.0 pCi/L, then you should take action to reduce your household radon levels. Mitigation could be considered at levels between 2 and 4 pCi/L.
You can obtain test kits from the Cook County Environmental Health Office while supplies last, at the Cook County Courthouse, Land Services Department.
It’s recommended that you test a home that you are buying, for example, as part of a home inspection. While there is no testing requirement in home sales, state law requires radon disclosure and notification. Testing and, if necessary, installing a reduction system can be negotiated between buyers and sellers, just as home inspections and other repairs are dealt with during home sales.
If your home’s radon level is at or above 4.0 pCi/L then you should hire a certified radon mitigator to install a system to reduce radon concentrations. A list of certified mitigators is available at the MDH website at MDH Radon [http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/indoorair/radon/mitigation.html]. The goal of a radon mitigation system is to reduce the indoor radon levels to below the EPA action level of 4.0 pCi/L, but many systems reduce concentrations below 2.0 pCi/L. After a mitigation system is installed, the home should be re-tested to verify radon reduction.
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