January is National Radon Action Month
Did you know that January is National Radon Action Month?
What is Radon?
Radon is an element, occuring as a colorless, odorless and tasteless gas that occurs mostly through decaying uranium found in soils. Radon does not cause short term effects, but has been predicted to cause lung cancer in the long term.
Here is a good source of information on Radon and lung cancer:
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/radon
Essentially, radon alongside smoking is supposed to cause 15,000 – 22,000 deaths every year, and is the second leading cause of death from lung cancer.
Why and how should we be concerned with radon?
Apparently, Radon can get into our homes by several mechanisms – mainly leaks.
Look here for details on the mechanisms through which Radon gets into your house:
http://www.epa.gov/radon/pubs/citguide.html#howdoes
Coping with radon in your house
Given that radon is a consequence of radioactive decay, it is measured in picocuries/liter of air or pCi/L.
If the level is more than 4 pCi/L you are beyond the safely acceptable levels of Radon, and you will have to take corrective action.
The first thing to do, is make sure that the measurement is correct, and if necessary, make a second set of measurements, and/or observe things long term.
If measurements and/or long term observations still indicate higher levels of radon in your home, here is what you can do, according to the EPA:
http://www.epa.gov/radon/pubs/citguide.html#lower
The efforts do not cost much, and will keep you safe in the long run. They include:
Soil Suction Radon Reduction System
This is an interesting solution involving setting up fans to blow air from under the house using a vent pipe system and a fan. It helps if any cracks in the flooring are sealed as well. You should check out any ingress through your water system as well.
In effect, fixing the radon problem can be comparable in cost to other common household repairs. It would also be very effective if you fix radon leaks while doing major house renovations and repairs.
If you want to contribute more, you can participate in the “Radon Leaders” community:
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January 17, 2010
Tags: EPA and Radon Awareness, Radon awareness month, Radon Leaders Posted in: Causes
2 Responses
Kylie BattName - April 12, 2010
Прошу прощения, что я вмешиваюсь, но я предлагаю пойти другим путём….
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Kylie Batt - May 4, 2010
Я считаю, что Вы не правы. Давайте обсудим. Пишите мне в PM….
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