Radon is a radioactive gas emitted by the disintegration of radium and uranium, present in soil, water and rocks. Radon is highly radioactive and is one of the heaviest substances on earth, that can remain in its gaseous form even during normal conditions. This gas, which lacks color, smell and taste, is considered to be a carcinogen, and can cause lung cancer. Radon gas, which is freely found in the atmosphere, gets accumulated in basements and foundations and enters buildings through cracks and holes. Sometimes, water in wells are also contaminated by this gas. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), this gas is present all over the country and high levels of radon are present in one among every 15 homes.
Every time you breath air mixed with radon gas, the radioactive particles in this gas get accumulated in the lungs. These particles break down in the lungs, emitting radiation in the process, which in turn destroys the lung tissues. Hence, long term exposure to radon gas can result in lung cancer. Earlier, it was believed that smokers were at a greater risk of developing lung cancer from radon gas exposure, but now it has been proved that even non-smokers are at the same risk. But smoking combined with long term exposure to radon can be a killer combination. In fact, now it has been acknowledged that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States.
Radon has a limited number of uses. It is, for example, used as a neutron source and has a role in predicting earthquakes. But radon's main use is in radiotherapy treatment for cancer. This is ironic, because radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer, as well as causing lung tissue damage that can progress to pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema.
How are people exposed to radon? Found in the Earth's crust worldwide, and specifically in all fifty of the United States, radon seeps into buildings, particularly those built on granite. The entrance pathways include through the water supply, through openings surrounding sump pumps and drains, through gaps and cracks in the foundation, floors, and walls, and through construction joints, among others. Developments in construction techniques help to keep radon out of newly built homes, and are easier and cheaper to employ than the alternative of mitigating radon after it's entered a home.
Estimates say that almost 1 in 15 homes in the United States have higher radon levels than the Environmental Protection Agency recommends. Unfortunately, regional and local tests, even on neighboring houses, do not reveal a building's risk, but on the other hand, radon tests for buildings are cheap and simple, and the Environmental Protection Agency recommends that everyone conduct such a test or have it conducted.
Short-term and long-term tests are available, with short-term testing lasting 2–90 days, and long-term testing taking longer than that. Tests can be done by the homeowner or a qualified tester can be hired. The Environmental Protection Agency maintains a list of qualified testers.
Doctors sometimes treat cancer by radiating it. High doses of radiation kill cells, including cancer cells. One problem with radiation therapy is that it often kills healthy tissue alongside cancerous tissue. Because of that, doctors have looked for ways to deliver doses of radiation locally to tumors to avoid radiating nearby healthy tissue. One way they do that is with radon seeds.
A radon seed is a small tube of radon gas that doctors surgically implant into the middle of a tumor. The radiation energy from the radon focuses specifically on the cancerous cells, killing them. On occasion, radon seeds have caused secondary tumors to develop.
Though it is considered a heath hazard in the United States, radon gas is frequently used as a therapeutic treatment for arthritis in many European countries. People with various forms of arthritis go to radon spas and clinics to deliberately expose themselves to radon. Those without the money to buy radon treatment often go to old mines with high concentrations of radon in the air. A 2000 study by Dr. A. Frank and colleagues from Maximillians University in Munich, Germany showed that radon spa treatments for rheumatoid arthritis yielded greater long-term pain relief than similar treatments without radon.
Radon emanation from the soil varies with soil type and with surface uranium content, so outdoor radon concentrations can be used to track air masses to a limited degree. This fact has been put to use by some atmospheric scientists. Because of radon's rapid loss to air and comparatively rapid decay, radon is used in hydrologic research that studies the interaction between ground water and streams. Any significant concentration of radon in a stream is a good indicator that there are local inputs of ground water. Radon is also used in the dating of oil-containing soils because radon has a high affinity of oil-like substances.
Radon soil-concentration has been used in an experimental way to map buried close-subsurface geological faults because concentrations are generally higher over the faults. Similarly, it has found some limited use in geothermal prospecting. Some researchers have also looked at elevated soil-gas radon concentrations, or rapid changes in soil or groundwater radon concentrations, as a predictor for earthquakes. Results have been generally unconvincing but may ultimately prove to have some limited use in specific locations.
Radon is a known pollutant emitted from geothermal power stations, though it disperses rapidly, and no radiological hazard has been demonstrated in various investigations. The trend in geothermal plants is to reinject all emissions by pumping deep underground, and this seems likely to ultimately decrease such radon hazards further.
Radon poisoning is a type of poisoning that stems from the breathing of radon gas. The poisoning is most likely to occur in homes where radon gas is present in significant amounts, though any amount of the radioactive gas can be problematic. Most homes have at least some amount of radon. If the levels are very high, and there is prolonged exposure, it can lead to cancer over time.
To determine whether a home is at risk of radon poisoning, there are a number of different things that can be done. A radon home testing kit can analyze and provide results. Some homes may even have radon detectors, which are similar to smoke detectors, and can read radon on a nearly constant basis. If the result of the test indicates a radon level of 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) or higher, a followup test should be done because radon poisoning is a possibility.
The risk of radon poisoning can be a problem nearly anywhere. The gas is naturally present as the result of decaying uranium, which is found in many different types of soils. The radon is radioactive but in the open is not much of a problem. It can leak into the home through cracks in the foundation or in a basement. It may also come in through a line for a well, but this is much less common. In most cases, the most dangerous room for radon is the basement.
If radon is a problem in your home, there are a number of things you can do to remedy the situation. First, repair any cracks in the foundation. Second, installing a venting system and fan in the basement or crawlspace of a home can prevent radon from ever entering the home. In most cases, it is best to consult a professional for such systems.
The main danger from radon exposure is lung cancer. As radon gets inhaled, it begins to break down in the lungs over time. As it does, it turns to lead. This lead in the lungs is a cause of cancer. Therefore, radon poisoning symptoms are no different than those symptoms that are experienced by anyone suffering lung cancer. A persistent cough, shortness of breath, and coughing up blood are some of the more common symptoms.
The treatment for radon poisoning is the same as the treatment would be for any type of lung cancer. It depends on the stage of the cancer, but surgery, chemotherapy, and even radiation are all possibilities. If radon is found in a home that one has lived in for a long time, then it may be a good idea to have a chest X-ray, as successful treatment is often dependent on an early diagnosis.
Radon is a radioactive gas that is produced from decaying uranium. Inhaling radon can cause lung cancer in humans. Since radon is invisible and lacks an odor and taste, it is recommended that a radon test be done to check the levels of this gas in the buildings where people live, study, and work.
Radon is typically released from the soil and rocks. It can enter a building through cracks in the foundation, spaces around pipes, and cavities in a wall. Without a radon test, people cannot be sure whether or not they are being exposed to the gas.
Radon can enter a person's home through the water supply. This is considered most likely for people whose source is well water. If an air test shows positive results for radon, a person may want to have their water tested as well. Professional assistance may be needed for this task.
Some buildings are built with radon resistant features. People are generally not advised to rely solely on this for protection. It is still recommended that radon levels be tested.
In the United States, a radon test can generally be conducted quickly and for relatively low prices. There are numerous professional radon companies. When a building is being sold, it may be required that a radon test be done by a certified professional.
A homeowner can also get a kit that allows him to conduct the test himself. There are short-term and long-term tests. There are also various types of tests, such as charcoal canisters and continuous monitors. These may be available at a building and home supply store or from companies on the Internet.
Generally, people are advised that they should place the test kit on the lowest floor of the building that is being tested. It is also normally advised that windows and doors be kept shut for long periods before a radon test is conducted. After the test has been completed, laboratory analysis is generally required to determine the results. This means that most test kits must be mailed away.
If a radon test reveals that the levels are above what is considered safe, that does not mean that the building must be deemed uninhabitable or demolished. There are radon reduction systems that can be very effective in reducing the amount of radon to a level that is considered safe. If radon is found in a water supply, this can also be corrected.
Radon is not generally limited or specific to any area. The gas can be found in one city and not in another or it can even be found on one block but not on the next. Radon levels in one building can also fluctuate. These changes are sometimes seasonal. This means that a test in one season may not accurately represent the levels of radon at a different time of year.
A radon detector is a device used to detect the presence and amount of radon gas. A radon detector can be used in a private home, institution or place of business. A radon detector is designed to test the air inside a building and provide a readout of radon levels. If radon levels are too high, an audible alarm will go off if short or long-term radon gas averages are 4 pCi/L or greater. (See "Radon Reviews" for more information about this form of detector.)
Radon is a radioactive gas that is released from the decay of uranium in rock, soil and water. It is invisible, tasteless and odorless. It is found in varying concentrations all over the world. Some places have higher levels of radon than others, which makes a radon detector a smart safety precaution for everyone.
Although no levels of radon gas are considered safe, it is a fact of life that radon is found everywhere in the environment. The outside air that we breathe contains approximately 0.4 pCi/L (picoCuries per liter of air). Because buildings are enclosed, radon gas can build up inside to dangerous levels, 4pCi/L or above. A radon detector is an inexpensive and easy way to ensure that the air in your home or business is below this level.
Detectors test indoor air quality over a period of time to determine the presence and concentration of radon. Some detectors record levels under actual living conditions (meaning, fluctuations in the air due to ventilation and/or temperature which influence radon levels will not affect detection outcome), while others can be adversely affected by such fluctuations and record false readings.
There are two classifications of radon detectors: passive and active. Passive detectors do not require an outside power source in order to function. Meaning, they do not require batteries or an electrical outlet to work. Such detectors can be purchased commercially and used by anyone. Once samples are collected, they must be sent to a laboratory for analysis.
Active devices do require an outside power source to work, and are considered to be more reliable than short-term detectors. Active devices are intended for use by licensed professionals.
Passive detectors are considered to be short-term devices. Meaning, the samples are collected over a period of time no less than three days and up to several months.
An Alpha Track device contains a small strip made of a special type of plastic that is mounted in a small, filtered container. The strip "measures" the amount of radon particles that strike it. As the "captured" particles decompose they leave tracks. These tracks are counted during the analysis process.
The electret ion chamber measures radon concentrations by analyzing a variance in static charge. A statically charged disk (electret) is enclosed in a small container. As radon passes through the filtered container, it decays and residual particles reduce the voltage of the charge on the electret. The drop in voltage is analyzed to determine radon level concentrations.
A charcoal test is another popular passive test. A container holds granulated, activated charcoal which absorbs radon particles that strike it. At the end of the test period, the container is sealed and sent for analysis.
Active detectors, considered long-term, collect samples over a period of 3 months up to one year. These detectors measure either radon levels in the air, or traces of radon's decomposition in the air. Samples can be taken from a single collection or successive collections over a period of time.
Continuous Radon Monitors (CRMs) are the most popular of long-term detectors and provide the most accurate readings. These detectors require air to be moved through detection chambers where the air quality is analyzed. Real-time measurements are taken during the collection period. Once testing is completed, the recorded data can be downloaded and submitted for analysis.
If you are going to test your home, it is recommended that you begin with a short term test to rule out immediate danger, then follow up with a long term test. Since radon levels change with the seasons, this course of action is the best way to test and ensure safe levels throughout the year.
A building found to have high levels of radon gas can be corrected. Radon reduction systems are very effective. These can be installed by professionals who are trained in radon gas reduction. It is not advisable to install them yourself. You can, however, prevent the likelihood of radon gas entering your home by ensuring that your foundation is solid and free of cracks and that any other problems with basements or first level floors are corrected.
The following reviews have been selected:
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114 of 118 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Believe it really works, November 8, 2007
By
Stud "Timing is everything" (Mother Ship)
The documentation I got with my house showed a radon reading above 50.0 before a mitigation system was installed and < 4.0 after it was installed.
The radon mitigation fan broke and I falsely thought painting / sealing the basement floor (years ago) would stop the radon.
After plugging in this unit I got a reading (after a few days) around 10.0 and it went up day by day. I replaced the mitigation fan when the reading was around 20.0. This unit then showed the level go down each day (took about 2 weeks to get to safe level).
Highly recommend this considering you can spend $15.00 a pop on those radon testers you mail in. One I used said I had a safe level.
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57 of 59 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Great product helped me and colleague reduce lifetime lung cancer risk, December 23, 2008
By
Swiss-American Boy "SAB" (Saint Paul, MN USA)
Though the interface is a bit clunky the device really works great!
I would never again bother with those mail-in radon detectors again -- save to validate the machine -- as our device's values were shown to be the same. But, unlike those mail-in cans the results are delivered within the two days (the device needs that amount of time to calculate a moving average) instead of a month.
Thanks to the device I was warned of a 4.5 pico curie level in my basement. After having a radon mitigation system installed, the device showed the level dropping to 1.6.
A friend of mine, more out of curiosity, asked to borrow the device. He put it in his basement expecting nothing much. A few days later he heard a fire-alarm like siren coming from the basement. He'd forgotten about the detector. When he finally realized it was the radon detector he was shocked to find his basement had a radon level of 13! Now, he too has a radon mitigation system and the levels have dropped to around 1.0.
We calculated that we reduced our families' lung cancer mortality rates by multiples -- especially for my son whose lungs are more sensitive.
"...Mortality rate is usually expressed as deaths/100 over a lifetime of exposure (70 years 75% of the time). Does not tell you when the deaths occurred, just an estimate of how many.
4 pci/liter: 3% average mortality (e.g. 3 out of 100 people expected to die of lung cancer)
15 pci/liter: 10% average
20 pci/liter: 15% average mortality
200 pci/liter: 50% average mortality
Houses with upwards of 2000 pci/liter have been measured! Even these can be dangerous in the short term (10 years or less). Although these mortality rates seem very high, they are similar with those for things we accept as part of our everyday lives.
10 pci/liter is roughly equivalent to the risk of smoking 1/2-1 pack of cigarettes/day or having 500 chest x-rays/year.
Can also express risk as a loss of life expectancy. Tells you, how much something shortens the average (not your) life expectancy. Doesn't say when any individual will die. 15 pci/liter lowers the average life expectancy by one year (10% mortality). Smoking a pack a day reduces it by 6 years. Being 25 pounds overweight reduces it by 2 years. Automobile accidents reduce it by 2/3 years. Home and work accidents reduce it by about 100 days...."
-- GEO113 Radon Lecture Notes
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45 of 48 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Don't waste money on 4-day test kits!, May 23, 2007
By
Ski (River Falls, WI USA)
One neighbor in my development had a high test off a 4-day test ($30 charge) and it sent the other homeowners out to buy more of the $30 test kits and test their own homes. I was one of those. I spent $30 to find out I was at 13. Then I did a bunch of online research and found out that 4-day tests are very misleading because they can spike for a variety of reasons like if the ground is frozen, or it rains. Both of those scenarios were in play during my test. Some of the neighbors went out and spent money on abatement and a few more tests, so they are at $90 (+ abatement) and I assume they'll be doing more tests periodically to see if the abatement is still working. I got the [automatic radon detector] and have had it going for a week now. My test kit for $30 said my reading was 13, but after 48 hours with the [automatic radon detector] my first reading was about half that, 7.7. Then it went down to 4.8, and now it went back up to 8.0, all within 7 days. Why not buy the [automatic radon detector] and get a more accurate reading over time?
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27 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Radon det, March 8, 2007
By
Massimo Amadio
Works great and confirmed a test I had 3 months ago by a local firm.
Update: Almost 2 years into owning this product and still working good. I have loaned it to others in our area who have had professional firms test their basements and it is confirming their results. So far so good.
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21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A very good long-term solution to monitoring for radon, December 25, 2006
By
calvinnme
Rather than pay for another 20 dollar one-time two-day radon test after my radon mitigation system was installed, I decided to get this detector instead. It was certainly worth the investment in continuous peace of mind. Just note that you'll need to do some minor installation since the detector needs to hang from a stud in your wall. You just can't plug it into an electrical outlet. I'd recommend it for anyone who has a basement or lives in an area with high concentrations of radon, even if you've had an earlier test done, since radon levels can change over time, particularly in newer houses as they "settle" and perhaps develop cracks where radon can get in. We tested in 1998 with a one-time test and got a reading of 3.7. We tested again just recently and got a reading of 7.8, which is what caused us to install the mitigation system.
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31 of 35 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Works as expected, but documentation could be better, November 14, 2008
By
A. Dulin (East Brunswick, NJ)
I bought this gizmo a few weeks ago to monitor the basement in our new house and see if it is usable as an entertainment/gym area. In the summer when we did the radon test the result came in at 2.4 . When I first turned on this device the result came in at 8.4 !!
That made me freak out a bit, but after re-reading the instruction I realized that placing the detector 2 feet away from the sump hole may not be the right thing to do. So, I moved it closer to the middle of the basement and reset it. After a couple of days the reading came in at 4.6 .
During heavy rains the device showed readings of as high as 5.9 and it went down to 4.2 during dry weather.
Before taking any drastic measures I decided to first do some common sense maintenance tasks on the basement to at least prevent radon from entering the living area upstairs. I taped up all the cracks in the HVAC ductwork that I could find. The radon reading slowly creeped up to 4.6 due to reduced ventilation of the basement, but at least none of it was going upstairs.
I called our house inspector who did the test and he pointed out that when we inspected the house there were storage cabinets over the sump hole and along the walls, covering up the [the earth]. So I placed a piece of rubber tile over the sump hole and the reading when down to 3.2 in a couple of days.
So, what's the moral of this story ? While I can't vouch for precision of this device I learned the following:
- You need to leave it on for at least a month before you get an accurate reading.
- There is no need to freak out over "mildly" high readings. First, the device is not that accurate. Professional continuous testing devices cost thousands. So, don't take what it says as an absolute measure. Trust, but verify. Second, the US EPA requires mitigation at 4.0 -- but based on my research European agencies require mitigation at 7.0 and in some parts of Canada as high as 20.0 .
- If the reading is mildly high, say between 4 and 6 like it was in my case, then common sense maintenance tasks may take care of the problem. For example, covering up the sump hole with a piece of rubber tile helped bring the reading down to under 4.0 for us.
What radon mitigation people don't tell you is that you can cut your radiation exposure in half just by circulating the air in your basement. Moving the air around encourages the plate-out (settlement) of charged daughter particles of radon decay. It doesn't reduce the radon itself, but it encourages the actual dangerous stuff to stick to the walls and furniture instead of your lungs. The decay of the daughter particles is measured in minutes, and not even days. There is a guy who patented a ceiling fan as a means of mitigating radon. So, the point is -- mild increases in radon levels can be mitigated cheaply, if not for free.
To conclude, I find this device useful in general as a tool for measuring earth gases entering the basement. Besides radon there is a lot more harmful stuff that may be seeping in that you need to worry about. Ground water carries all sorts of disgusting stuff and in some areas of the country mildly high radon levels are the least of your worries (think arsenic, mercury, MTBE, etc.) So, if the Safety Siren is telling you you have mildly high radon readings it probably means you have mildly high levels of all sorts of other disgusting crap in your basement. Common sense methods of circulating the air, covering up the exposure to dirt, etc. is enough to control the problem.
UPDATE 3/4/09: I realized that I had the device's power supply right next to it. Moving it away from the unit lowered the radon reading by at least 1.0-2.0 pCi/L . It is now consistently below 4.0 . This is a finicky little gadget. I wouldn't rely on it as the source of all truth about radon. TRUST BUT VERIFY.
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31 of 35 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Peace of Mind For Your Home & Family, July 27, 2008
By
M. Pickering (MI, USA)
Radon is not a big issue in the area I live but since my wife and I recently moved into a bedroom in our basement I decided not to take any chances. I was looking at all of the Radon test kits when I ran across the... Electronic Radon detector... The idea of purchasing a tester that will give continuous readings over time just made sense. After researching this device I found that it had received many good reviews so I ordered one up.
There is not much to installing this device. The most important thing is determining the best place to mount it. The manual says "The detector should be placed in the lowest living area of the home, in a location where it will not be disturbed." It also notes that the location of the detector should be at least 3 feet from windows, doors, or any other potential openings in the exterior walls. It should be mounted at least 1 foot from exterior walls and at least 20 inches from the floor. The detector should not be installed near heating and air conditioning vents, doors, fans, windows or any other draft producing items. You also cannot place the detector on metal, granite or slate, as these materials can produce false readings. I hung mine from a floor joist in the utility room of our basement and plugged it in. The unit only comes with a 10 ft. power cable (unit does not have the ability to run on batteries) so you need to keep this in mind when choosing a mounting location. When plugged in the detector runs a short self-test, followed by four short chirps to acknowledge that the unit is functioning properly.
After 48 hours passed, the LED display showed a reading of 1.6 pCi/L (Pico Curies per Liter), which is way below the caution level of 4 pCi/L. Short-term readings display a 7 day radon average, while long-term readings give an average since the unit was last powered up or reset. We have had our... Radon Detector installed and running for the past 3 months now and it has been working as expected. The highest levels seem to show up when humidity is the highest. Our highest reading was 2.4 pCi/L while the lowest reading was 1.2 pCi/L. Even at the highest reading I am confident that my family and I are safe in our home, as the EPA states that prolonged exposure to radon gas levels of 4pCi/L or above can cause lung cancer and other illnesses...
Although Radon is not a big threat in my area, I am very happy that I purchased this detector. It gives us the peace of mind that we needed, so we would not always wonder if my wife and I or our children were in danger. The device is extremely easy to install and use. Once plugged in you can leave it in place, to monitor your home over weeks, months or even years. The manual does recommend moving the unit to different areas of your basement, to assure that your entire basement is free from high Radon gas levels. Many people have noticed high ratings near a sump hole in their basement (which we do not have), so I certainly recommend that people test levels in this area of their home. If anyone notices elevated Radon gas levels in their home, they should look for any cracks in their foundation and basement walls and seal them immediately. If the levels are extremely high, or if the Radon gas levels remain above 4 pCi/L even after sealing cracks and holes in your basement, you should contact a Radon Technician as soon as possible. They will likely need to install a Radon evacuation system in your home.
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