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Show Page The Ogden Valley news Volume XVII Issue XXII May 1, 2010 Radon: What You Can’t Taste, Smell or See Can Hurt You By Jolene Weinstein Surgeon General Health Advisory: “Indoor radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the United States and breathing it over prolonged periods can present a significant health risk to families all over the country. It’s important to know that this threat is completely preventable. Radon can be detected with a simple test and fixed through well-established venting techniques.” January 2005 What is radon? Radon is a radioactive gas that has no smell, taste, or color. It comes from the natural decay of uranium that is found in nearly all rock and soil. Where geologic conditions are favorable, the potential increases for high indoor levels of radon. This soil is derived from metamorphic rock on the northwest Ogden Valley margin. The only way to tell if you have a radon problem is to test for it. It is recommended that all homes on or below the second story should be tested—regardless of geographic location. Radon can seep into all types of buildings: homes, offices, and schools, resulting in high indoor radon levels. But you and your family are most likely to get your greatest exposure at home where you spend most of your time. Radon is estimated to cause thousands of lung cancer deaths in the U.S. each year. Radon is estimated to cause many thousands of deaths each year. That’s because when you breathe air containing radon, you can get lung cancer. In fact, the Surgeon General has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States today. Only smoking causes more lung cancer deaths. If you smoke and your home has high radon levels, your risk of lung cancer is especially high. Radon is estimated to cause about 21,000 lung cancer deaths per year according to EPA’s 2003 Assessment of Risks from Radon in Homes (EPA 402-R-03-003). The numbers of deaths from other causes are taken from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 19992001 National Center for Injury Prevention and Control Report and 2002 National Safety Council Reports. The Risk of Living with Radon Radon gas decays into radioactive particles that can get trapped in your lungs when you breathe. As they break down further, these particles release small bursts of energy. This can damage lung tissue and lead to lung cancer over the course of your lifetime. Not everyone exposed to elevated levels of radon will develop lung cancer, and the amount of time between exposure and the onset of the disease may be many years. Like other environmental pollutants, there is some uncertainty about the magnitude of radon health risks. However, we know more about radon risks than risks from most other cancer-causing substances. This is because estimates of radon risks are based on studies of cancer in humans (underground miners). Smoking combined with radon is an espe- cially serious health risk. Stop smoking and lower your radon level to reduce your lung cancer risk. Children have been reported to have greater risk than adults of certain types of cancer from radiation, but there are currently no conclusive data on whether children are at greater risk than adults from radon. Your chances of getting lung cancer from radon depend mostly on: • How much radon is in your home, • The amount of time you spend in your home, • Whether you are a smoker or have ever smoked. Testing for Radon There are two general ways to test for radon: (1) short-term testing takes from two to 90 days, depending on the device; (2) long-term testing takes more than 90 days. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends a shortterm test. Low-cost, “do-it-yourself” kits are available both through the mail and in retail outlets; or you can hire a trained contractor. Make sure the test kit has passed EPA’s testing program or the contractor is EPA qualified. Two Ways to Order a Radon Test 1. Go to <www.utahsafetycouncil.org/Home/ Radon/radorder.html> The Utah Safety Council offers EPA approved highly accurate, short term radon test kits for only $10.00. It states online if you mention their website when ordering, that you can receive free shipping. You can print the form from this website and either fax it to 801-478-0884 or mail the form to Utah Safety Council, 1574 W. 1700 S., Suite 201, SLC, Utah 84104. 2. Contact a local Residential Measurement Provider—individuals holding a Residential Measurement Provider for Standard and Analytical Services certificate have a demonstrated knowledge of U.S. EPA radon measurement protocols for the placement and retrieval of radon measurement devices. They have also demonstrated knowledge of the proper interpretation of results obtained in residential settings. Following is a small list of a few Residential Measurement Providers found in Northern Utah. Keith Davis, House Master (801) 399-9797 Robert D. Hoaglin, Hoaglin Signature Home Inspection (801) 737-4040 Lou Jerome, Pillar to Post (435) 723-3682 EPA Recommends the Following Testing Steps: Step 1. Take a short-term test. If your result is 4 pCi/L or higher take a follow-up test (Step 2) to be sure. Step 2. Follow up with either a long-term test or a second short-term test: For a better understanding of your yearround average radon level, take a long-term test. If you need results quickly, take a second short-term test. Step 3. If you followed up with a long-term test, fix your home if your long-term test result is 4 pCi/L or more. If you followed up with a second short-term test, the higher your short-term results, the more certain you can be that you should fix your home. Consider fixing your home if the average of your first and second test is 4 pCi/L or higher. The higher your initial short-term test result, the more certain you can be that you should take a short-term rather than a long-term follow up test. If your first short-term test result is more than twice EPA’s 4 pCi/L action level, you should take a second short-term test immediately. What Your Test Results Mean The average indoor radon level is estimated to be about 1.3 pCi/L. The normal radon level found in the outside air is about 0.4 pCi/L. The U.S. Congress has set a long-term goal that indoor radon levels be no more than outdoor levels. While this goal is not yet technologically achievable in all cases, most homes today can be reduced to 2 pCi/L or below. Sometimes short-term tests are less definitive about whether or not your home is above 4 pCi/L. This can happen when your results are close to 4 pCi/L. For example, if the average of your two short-term test results is 4.1 pCi/L, there is about a 50% chance that your year-round average is somewhat below 4 pCi/L. However, EPA believes that any radon exposure carries some risk—no level of radon is safe. Even radon levels below 4 pCi/L pose some risk, and you can reduce your risk of lung cancer by lowering your radon level. If your living patterns change and you begin occupying a lower level of your home (such as a basement), you should retest your home on that level. Even if your test result is below 4 pCi/L, you may want to test again sometime in the future. How to Lower the Radon Level in Your Home Since there is no known safe level of radon, there can always be some risk. But the risk can be reduced by lowering the radon level in your home. There are several proven methods to reduce radon in your home, but the one primarily used is a vent pipe system and fan that pulls radon from beneath the house and vents it to the outside. This system, known as a soil suction radon reduction system, does not require major changes to your home. Sealing foundation cracks and other openings makes this kind of system more effective and cost-efficient. Similar systems can also be installed in houses with crawl spaces. Radon contractors can use other methods that may also work in your home. The right system depends on the design of your home and other factors. The cost of reducing radon in your home depends on how your home was built and the extent of the radon problem. Most homes can be fixed for about the same cost as other common home repairs. The average house costs about $1,200 for a contractor to fix, although this can range from about $800 to about $2,500. The cost is much less if a passive system was installed during construction. Lowering high radon levels requires technical knowledge and special skills. You should use a contractor who is trained to fix radon problems. A qualified contractor can study the radon problem in your home and help you pick =523< 1:7<71 the right treatment method. Selecting someone to fix your radon problem is much like choosing a contractor for other home repairs—you may want to get references and more than one estimate. If you are considering fixing your home’s radon problem yourself, you should first contact your state radon office for guidance and assistance. You should also test your home again after it is fixed to be sure that radon levels have been reduced. Most soil suction radon reduction systems include a monitor that will indicate whether the system is operating properly. In addition, it’s a good idea to retest your home every two years to be sure radon levels remain low. Radon Myths MYTH: Scientists are not sure that radon really is a problem. FACT: Although some scientists dispute the precise number of deaths due to radon, all the major health organizations (like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Lung Association and the American Medical Association) agree with estimates that radon causes thousands of preventable lung cancer deaths every year. This is especially true among smokers, since the risk to smokers is much greater than to non-smokers. MYTH: Radon testing is difficult, time-consuming, and expensive. FACT: Radon testing is easy. You can test your home yourself or hire a qualified radon test company. Either approach takes only a small amount of time and effort. MYTH: Radon testing devices are not reliable and are difficult to find. FACT: Reliable testing devices are available from qualified radon testers and companies. Reliable testing devices are also available by phone or mail-order, and can be purchased in hardware stores and other retail outlets. Call your state radon office for help in identifying radon testing companies. MYTH: Homes with radon problems can’t be fixed. FACT: There are simple solutions to radon problems in homes. Hundreds of thousands of homeowners have already fixed radon problems in their homes. Radon levels can be readily lowered for $800 to $2,500 (with an average cost of $1,200). Call your state radon office for help in identifying qualified mitigation contractors. MYTH: Radon affects only certain kinds of homes. FACT: House construction can affect radon levels. However, radon can be a problem in homes of all types: old homes, new homes, drafty homes, insulated homes, homes with basements, homes with walk-out basements, and homes without basements. Local geology, construction materials, and how the home was built are among the factors that can affect radon levels in homes. MYTH: Radon is only a problem in certain parts of the country. FACT: High radon levels have been found in every state. Radon problems do vary from area to RADON cont. on page 10 |