Radon
is a radioactive gas that cannot be seen, smelled or tasted. Radon
gas is a natural substance that can be found in the dirt and rocks
beneath houses, in well water and in some building materials. It
can enter homes through soil, crawlspaces, foundation cracks, floors
and walls. Once inside, it can sometimes become trapped in your
home. All homes have some radon gas. Breathing high levels of radon
can put you at risk for lung cancer. To see if your house has dangerous
levels of radon, you should test it.
Radon
is measured in picoCuries per liter of air (pCi/L). Radon levels
inside houses below 4 pCi/L are considered acceptable. If your home
has radon levels above 4 pCi/L, you should take action.
What
can you do?
Test your home:
- Use
a 2-day test kit or 90-day test kit (90-day test kits take longer
but the results are more accurate).
- Follow
test kit instructions closely.
- You
may also hire a professional to test for radon for you (Contact
your state's radon office for a list of qualified testers).
Fix your home if you have unacceptable levels of radon: Hire
a professional contractor.
- Contact
your state's radon office for guidance and assistance if you are
thinking about fixing your radon problem yourself.
- Re-test
your home after repairs to make sure the problem was fixed.
Follow these additional tips:
- Do not smoke in your house. Smoking increases the risk of lung
cancer from radon.
- Keep your home ventilated by opening windows and using fans
and vents to circulate air. (This will only temporarily reduce
radon levels.)
- Seal cracks in floors and wall with plaster, caulk or other
crack sealants.
- You can cover the earth floor in crawl spaces with a high-density
plastic sheet. A vent pipe and fan can be used to blow the radon
from under the sheet and vent it to the outdoors
Whom can you call?
Indoor Air Quality Information Clearinghouse (to find a state radon
contact) 1-800-438-4318
National Radon Hotline (to order a radon test kit) 1-800-767-7236
National Safety Council/EPA Radon Hotline (for questions about radon)
1-800-557-2366
Radon Fix-It Hotline 1-800-644-6999
Spanish Language Radon Hotline 1-800-725-8312
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