Radon in Your Home

General Radon Information:

Radon is a carcinogenic gas that is hazardous to inhale. Build-up of radon in homes is a health concern and many lung cancer cases are attributed to radon exposure each year. About 12% of lung cancers > more than 22,000 Americans die of radon-related lung cancer each year. The Surgeon General of the United States has issued a Health Advisory warning Americans about the health risk from exposure to radon in indoor air.  The Surgeon General urged Americans to test their homes to find out how much radon they might be breathing.  He also stressed the need for them to remedy the  problem as soon as possible.

You cannot see, smell or taste radon, but it still may be a problem in your home.  When you breathe air containing radon, you increase your risk of getting lung cancer.  In fact, the Surgeon General has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States today.  If you smoke and your home has high radon levels, your risk of lung cancer is especially high.  Every home has some level of radon.  Many states require radon testing for all homes being sold. Idaho does not yet require it.

Testing is the only way to find out your home's radon levels

EPA's Radon Testing Check List:

• Notify the occupants of the importance of proper testing conditions. Give the occupants written instructions or a copy of this Guide and explain the directions carefully.

• When doing a short-term test ranging from 2-4 days, it is important to maintain closed-house conditions for at least 12 hours before the beginning of the test and during the entire test period.

• When doing a short-term test ranging from 4-7 days, EPA recommends that closed-house conditions be maintained.

• If you hire someone to do the test, hire only a qualified individual.  Some states issue photo identification (ID) cards; ask to see it (Idaho does not, but I am nationally certified and I do have this ID).  The tester's ID number, if available, should be included or noted in the test report.

• The test should include method(s) to prevent or detect interference with testing conditions or with the testing device itself.

• If the house has an active radon-reduction system, make sure the vent fan is operating properly.  If the fan is not operating properly, have it (or ask to have it) repaired and then run the test.

If your home has not yet been tested for Radon, have a test taken as soon as possible. If you can, test your home before putting it on the market.  You should test in the lowest level of the home which is suitable for occupancy. This means testing in the lowest level that you currently live in or a lower level not currently used, but which a buyer could use for living space. 

The radon test result reveals important information about your home's radon level.  Some states require radon measurement testers to follow a specific testing protocol.  If you do the test yourself, you should carefully follow the testing protocol for your area or EPA's Radon Testing Checklist.  If you hire a contractor to test your residence, protect yourself by hiring a qualified individual or company.  Oxbow is one such company.  Others can be found on the National Radon Safety Board (NRSB) registry (there are no others in Idaho.  I am it).  I have completed courses in formal radon education, and I am certified by the National Radon Safety Board.  I use the very latest in portable high technology instruments available: the RAD-7 from Durridge, and I test every home for radon as part of my basic home inspection, at no additional cost.

Most states can provide you with a list of knowledgeable radon service providers doing business in the state. In states that don't regulate radon services (Idaho does not), ask the contractor if he holds a professional proficiency or certification credential. Such programs usually provide members with a photo-ID card which indicates their qualification(s) and its expiration date. If in doubt, you should check with the organization that issue the credential. Alternatively, ask the contractor if they've successfully completed formal training appropriate for testing or for mitigation, e.g., a course in radon measurement or radon mitigation. There is only one company within 200+ miles of Boise that is certified in Radon Testing and performs Radon Mitigation. They are real pros and do exceptionally fine work. They are called "Idaho Radon". They can be contacted at:

Idaho Radon

Office phone: 208.994.9655

Please visit their web site at:    www.idahoradon.com

If you are thinking of selling your home and you have already tested your home for radon, provide your test results to the potential buyer.

 

Radon Myths and Facts

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 Center 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 and inexpensive. 

MYTH: Radon testing devices are not reliable and are difficult to find.

FACT: Reliable testing devices are available from qualified radon testers and 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).  Often, radon levels can be "fixed" simply by making some simple ventilation adjustments.

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 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 area, but the only way to know your radon level is to test.

MYTH: A neighbor's test result is a good indication of whether your home has a problem.

FACT: It's not. Radon levels can vary greatly from home to home. The only way to know if your home has a radon problem is to test for it.

MYTH: It's difficult to sell a home where radon problems have been discovered.

FACT: Where radon problems have been fixed, home sales have not been blocked or frustrated. The added protection is sometimes a good selling point, making it easier to sell.

MYTH: I've lived in my home for so long, it doesn't make sense to take action now.

FACT: You will reduce your risk of lung cancer when you reduce radon levels, even if you've lived with a radon problem for a long time.

MYTH: Short-term tests can't be used for making a decision about whether to fix your home.

FACT: A short-term test, followed shortly by a second short-term test can be used to decide whether to fix your home, or whether additional testing is required. However, the closer the average of your two short-term tests is to 4 pCi/L (Pico Curies per Litre), the less certain you can be about whether your year-round average is above or below that level. Keep in mind that radon levels below 4 pCi/L still pose some risk. Radon levels can be reduced in most homes to 2 pCi/L or below.

Radon In Idaho

• All homes should test for radon, regardless of their geographic location or zone 

• There are many thousands of individual homes with elevated radon levels in Zones 2 and 3.  Elevated levels can be found in Zone 2 and Zone 3 counties.
  
   
• All users of this map should carefully review the map documentation for information on within-county variations in radon potential and supplement the map with locally available information before making any decisions.
  
   
• The map is not to be used in lieu of testing during real estate transactions.

The Map was developed (by the EPA) using 5 factors to determine radon potential: indoor radon measurements; soil permeability; geology; foundation type; and aerial radioactivity. Radon potential assessment is based upon known geologic provinces.  Geologic Provinces were adapted to county boundaries for the Map of Radon Zones.

Sections 307 and 309 of the Indoor Radon Abatement Act of 1988 (IRAA) directed the EPA to list and identify areas of the U.S. that have the potential for elevated indoor radon levels.  Thie EPA's Map of Radon Zones assigns each of the 3,141 counties in the U.S. to one of three zones based on radon their individual potential:

	Zone 1 counties have a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L (pico curies per liter) (red zones)	Highest Potential
	Zone 2 counties have a predicted average indoor radon screening level between 2 and 4 pCi/L (orange zones)	Moderate Potential
	Zone 3 counties have a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L (yellow zones)	Low Potential

Radon gas decays naturally 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 can lead to lung cancer at some time during the course of your lifetime.  Not everyone who is exposed to elevated levels of radon will develop lung cancer. And the amount of time between the actual exposure and the onset of the disease may in fact be many years.

Just like many other environmental pollutants, there is some uncertainty about the magnitude of the health risk posed by Radon. However, we do know more about the risks from Radon than we do about risks from most other cancer-causing substances. This is because our estimates of cancer risks from Radon are actually based on studies of cancer in humans (underground miners) rather than merely laboratory controls such as mice etc.

Smoking tobacco, when combined with Radon is an especially serious health risk. Stop smoking and you will immediately lower your lung cancer risk from Radon exposure.

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

Radon Risk If You Smoke:

Radon Risk If You've Never Smoked:

I am a licensed Radon Specialist,
I offer Radon surveys as a stand-alone item without a home inspection.

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See what the US Department of Health and Human Services 
has to say about the dangers of Radon:

USDHHS on Radon

   

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Oxbow Home Inspections • PO Box 2144 Eagle, ID 83616• 208.573.5300

Troy Farmer: Owner/Inspector • E-Mail: info@troyfarmer.com

 

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