RADON FACTS
Contact Arlington Radon for certified radon testing and mitigation.
571.331.2876
What is Radon?
Radon is a naturally occurring electrically charged radioactive gas found everywhere in the atmosphere. It results from the radioactive decay of Uranium found in soil, bedrock, water and some building materials. You can not see, smell or taste radon, it can only be detected by testing. The EPA recommends mitigation at readings above 4.0 pCi/L. A Pico Currie (pCi/L) is one-trillionth of a Curie or one-trillionth the amount of radioactivity emitted by one gram (1 g) of radium-226. Radon can be found in all homes at varying levels and at higher concentrations can cause lung cancer. It is important to have accurate testing as variants in radon level readings can result in life threatening differences in the quality of indoor air.
Radon health hazards:
Radon is the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers, according to EPA. There are as many as 22,000 radon induced lung cancer deaths per year in the United States. Below is a list of comparable risks with exposure levels of radon.
|
Radon Level |
If 1,000 people who never smoked were exposed to this level over a lifetime*... |
The risk of cancer from radon exposure compares to**... |
WHAT TO DO: |
|---|---|---|---|
|
20 pCi/L |
About 36 people could get lung cancer
|
35 times the risk of drowning |
Fix your home |
|
10 pCi/L |
About 18 people could get lung cancer
|
20 times the risk of dying in a home fire |
Fix your home |
|
8 pCi/L |
About 15 people could get lung cancer
|
4 times the risk of dying in a fall |
Fix your home |
|
4 pCi/L |
About 7 people could get lung cancer
|
The risk of dying in a car crash |
Fix your home |
|
2 pCi/L |
About 4 person could get lung cancer
|
The risk of dying from poison |
Consider fixing between 2 and 4 pCi/L |
|
1.3 pCi/L |
About 2 people could get lung cancer
|
(Average indoor radon level) |
(Reducing radon levels below |
|
0.4 pCi/L |
(Average outdoor radon level) |
* Lifetime risk of lung cancer deaths from EPA Assessment of Risks from Radon in Homes (EPA 402-R-03-003).
** Comparison data calculated using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 1999-2001 National Center for Injury Prevention and Control Reports.
How does radon get into the home?
Radon does not mysteriously appear in buildings, it is produced by radium. Radium is found in soil, bedrock, aquifers and some building materials. All these can contribute to indoor radon levels. The illustration outlines the most common entry points into a home. Radon can seep in from exposed dirt such as crawl spaces, plumbing cut-outs or cracks in the floors, walls and foundation. The highest levels of radon are typically found in the lowest livable areas of the home, such as the basement or other rooms in direct contact with the ground. With radon mitigation most of these entry points can be addressed to bring the buildings radon level within what the EPA considers safe for indoor radon air concentrations.