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Radon
Radon is one of the most insidious health hazards because it's naturally elusive, asymptomatic and requires constant vigilance. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer, nearly one in 15 homes in the U.S. has a high level of radon. The greatest threat from radon is complacency and ignorance. Unlike apparent emergencies that can occur at home such as fires and robberies, radon is undetectable and when a severe problem is recognized it is often too late to combat health effects that may take years to come to the surface.
Radon and Lung Cancer
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas without color, taste, or texture. The gas emits the radiation to several radioactive isotopes known as radioactive decay products. The gas spreads into homes from the soil under buildings and inhaling large amounts of radon for an extended period time exponentially increase the chances of cancer.
Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States and is associated with 15,000 to 22,000 lung cancer deaths each year.
Also according the NAS there is no threshold level where radon is considered completely harmless, although it is difficult to rid a home all presence of radon and lower levels do not pose as grave a health threat. Importantly, the report also notes “ many smokers will get lung cancer due to their radon exposure, who otherwise would have not gotten lung cancer, because of the synergistic relationship between radon and cigarette use in causing lung cancer”.
The prevalence of radon in the home varies depending upon the severity of the exposure. In a recent EPA report the government noted that the general public is becoming better informed regarding the risk of radon exposure. According to the survey, 66% of Americans are generally aware of radon and of those three quarters understand that radon is a health hazard”. Since radon detection began in the mid 1980's 18 million homes have been tested and 800,000 homes with elevated radon levels have been reduced. Current and future construction is required to take into account the effects of radon and plan accordingly, “approximately 1.2 million homes have been built with radon resistance features since 1990”. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that approximately 650 lung cancer deaths will be prevented each year through increased regulation and mitigation efforts.
Radon Removal
The remedies to ensure complete and prompt removal of radon from the home are varied and easily accessible. Radoninformation.com estimates that “ the cost of bringing a home within safe levels of radon exposure can range from $500 to $2500”. Hiring a reputable contractor is very important; radon reduction systems are generally reliable and can reduce exposure to 99% coverage. Immediate action to remove radon gas needs to be taken if levels are found to be 4pCil or 4piocuries per liter or higher. Working with an EPA approved contractor is highly recommended over doing the work alone because professionals are equipped with current knowledge that may not be available to the general public.
Several different design options are available to homeowners in regards to the construction of radon removal systems. A visual test is usually sufficient to decide which type of system works best and where vent placement should be started. If a visual assessment does not return satisfactory results, diagnostic tests are performed. The “smoke gun” test tracks the movement of smoke when placed into holes and cracks in the wall; these illustrate the pattern of radon movement. The “soil communication test” consists of using a vacuum cleaner and a “smoke gun”. The vacuum cleaner is placed in one small hole and the smoke gun in a nearby outlet. The contractor can then get an idea of radon movement depending on the suction force of the vacuum. Removal systems can be structured through vents, fans, and aeration systems. Increasing awareness about the dangers of radon is the only solution to combating its deadly health risk. Cooperation between the government and the public is helping to reduce the daily threat of radon poisoning in American homes. However, radon will never completely disappear and continued monitoring and aggressive remediation is the only way to ensure that the next generation will suffer less exposure to radon than the current one.
Radon section author: Marc Kaplan
Last updated: 05/04/2005
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