1. WHERE DOES RADON COME FROM?

Radon comes from the natural radioactive decay of radium and uranium found in the soil beneath the house. The amount of radon in the soil depends on complex soil chemistry, that varies from one house to the next. Radon levels in the soil range from a few hundred to several thousands of pCi/L. The amount of radon that escapes from the soil to enter the house depends on the weather, soil porosity, soil moisture, and the suction within the house.

2. HOW DOES RADON GET INTO THE HOUSE?

Houses act like large chimneys. As the air in the house warms, it rises to leak out the attic openings and around the upper floor windows. This creates a small suction at the lowest level of the house, pulling the radon out of the soil and into the house. You can test this on a cold day by opening a top floor window an inch. You will notice warm air from the house rushing out that opening; yet, if you open a basement window an inch, you will feel the cold outside air rushing in. This suction is what pulls the radon out of the soil and into the house. You might think caulking the cracks and the openings in the basement floor will stop the radon from entering the house. However, scientific studies show, it only takes enough unsealed cracks or pin holes in the caulking to equal a hole 1/2″ in diameter to let all the radon in. It is unlikely that caulking the accessible cracks and joints will permanently seal the openings radon needs to enter the house. The radon levels will still likely remain unchanged.

Fortunately, there are other extremely effective means of keeping radon out of your home. Throughout the country, several million people have already tested for radon. Some houses tested as high as 2,000-3,000 pCi/L; yet, there hasn’t been one house that could not mitigate to an acceptable level. Mitigation usually costs between $500-$1500.

3. WHAT ABOUT RADON IN WELL WATER?

Underground well water can transport the radon from the soil into the house, when taking a shower, doing laundry, or washing dishes. The EPA says it takes about 10,000 pCi/L of radon in water to contribute 1.0 pCi/L of radon in air throughout the house. The ratio of radon in water to radon in bathroom air while showering can be much higher, typically from 100 to 1; to about 300 to 1. The average Colorado well tests about 3,000 pCi/L with one well testing more than 3,000,000 pCi/L.

4. WHAT ABOUT RADON IN CITY WATER?

If your water comes from a municipal reservoir supply, you need not worry about radon in the water. When radon in water is stored in a reservoir for more than 30 days, the radon decays away to practically nothing. Every 3.825 days half the radon disappears through natural radioactive decay.

5. WHAT IS THE RISK OF RADON EXPOSURE?

Scientists believe radon exposure is the second leading cause of lung cancer. When radon decays, it shoots off alpha particles. These are small, heavy, electrically charged, sub-atomic particles consisting of two protons and two neutrons. If an alpha particle strikes the chromosomes in a lung cell, it could alter the way that cell reproduces. Our bodies immune system should recognize and destroy these mutant cells before they can multiply over the next 10 to 20 years into a recognizable cancerous growth.

Some peoples immune system is better than others. Because of these inherent differences, radon doesn’t affect everyone the same.

6. HOW SERIOUS A RISK IS RADON?

According to the following EPA radon risk chart, radon is a serious health problem.

If 1,000 people were exposed to this level over a life time who are:

Annual
Radon Level….Smokers………….Never Smokers

20 pCi/L….14% or135 people…..0.8% or 8 people could get lung cancer

10 pCi/L…..7% or 71 people…..0.4% or 4 people could get lung cancer

4 pCi/L……3% or 29 people…..0.2% or 2 people could get lung cancer

2 pCi/L……2% or 15 people…..0.1% or 1 person could get lung cancer

7. DO SCIENTISTS AGREE THAT RADON IS DANGEROUS TO BREATHE?

There is little disagreement that breathing the hundreds of pCi/L of radon that caused thousands of uranium miners to get fatal lung cancer is definitely harmful. Many scientists disagree with the EPA about what the level of radon should be before it should be reduced.

The EPA studied the lung cancer risk of uranium miners exposed to 400 pCi/L. They assume the risk of a home owner exposed to 4 pCi/L to be one hundredth as much. Based on this assumption, the EPA guideline level of 4 pCi/L represents a much greater risk than allowed for other environmental pollutants.

Other scientists have tested more than 70,000 homes across the United States. This study shows the counties with the highest average radon levels had the lowest incidence of cancer. Perhaps, breathing the low levels of radon found in the home environment, might not be harmful. Neither study fully accounts for all the different confounding factors that can cause cancer. The truth probably lies somewhere between these two theories.

8. WHO DO I BELIEVE?

In 1988 the United States Congress passed legislation, directing the EPA to work toward a long term national goal, “The air within buildings in the United States should be as free of radon as the ambient air outside of buildings.” Real estate agents are hired and paid by the sellers, to represent the sellers economicintrests, in the sale of their house. Understandably, you might get two completely different opinions about radon, depending whether you ask the EPA, or your real estate agent. Because you have hired us to test for radon, and explain the test results. We will offer our opinion on the subject, and guidance on a prudent course of action.

9. WHAT SHOULD I DO ABOUT THE LEVELS OF RADON IN MY HOME?

The following represents our opinion, based on our understanding of the radon issue from several sources.

• A… If the house tests above 20 pCi/L most experts agree it is prudent to install a system that can permanently reduce your families exposure to radon.

•   B… If the house tests below 4 pCi/L most experts agree that there is a relatively low probability of significant health risk at this low level of exposure. However, we recommend retesting the radon levels once you move in, to verify this low reading. Industry surveys show that up to 30% of the radon tests in real estate transactions are subject to some ventilation. LET THE BUYER BEWARE. We once tested a house, that measured 168 pCi/L in a child’s bedroom. The selling agent ordered a retest by a tester known to test on the second floor with the windows open. He told my clients the house only measured 3.5 pCi/L and they didn’t have a radon problem. Although he never gave my clients a written report stating this.

• C… If the house tests between 4 and 20 pCi/L there is no need for immediate panic, but you will have to make some difficult decisions. About 50% of the houses we test fall in this gray area. The average Colorado home measures 5.9 pCi/L. The national average is 1.5 pCi/L and outside air measures about 0.35 pCi/L. The closer to 4 or 20 pCi/L the easier the decision should be. The most difficult decisions are in the 10 to 12 pCi/L range.

10. WHAT OTHER FACTORS SHOULD I LOOK AT IN DECIDING WHETHER TO MITIGATE OR NOT?

Cigarette smokers should keep their exposure to radon as low as possible. Smokers have eight times the risk from radon as non smokers. Smokers who reduce their radon exposure from 6 pCi/L to 2 pCi/L, will receive as much beneficial risk reduction as the non smoker who reduces their exposure from 34 pCi/L to 2 pCi/L.

If the house was tested in an infrequently used basement. It may have measured a radon level that is two to three times the actual level you are exposed to, spending most of your time upstairs.

You can reduce your families annual radon exposure about 40%, if you open the basement windows a few inches to allow cross ventilation from May till September. This may be appropriate for slightly elevated houses that don’t need year round reductions.

People with young children should be more concerned with the possible consequences of radon exposure 20 years from now than someone in their late sixties or seventies.

Families with a hereditary predisposition of cancer should be more concerned about radon exposure than families who don’t have any history of cancer.

If you work for a company that might transfer you in the future, our employer probably will hire a relocation company to purchase your home. Today, most relocation companies insist that the house test below 4 pCi/L before they will buy it. Some buyers have adopted this position; anything below 4 pCi/L is fine while anything above 4 pCi/L is unacceptable. This unfortunate misinterpretation of EPA guidance, could cause you to pay for a radon mitigation system when selling your home. At this time your family would not receive any benefit from the radon reductions.

The decision, What to do about radon? is a personal choice that only you can make. Some people feel it is best to reduce as many of life’s risks as they can. Other people feel the money spent installing and operating a radon mitigation system on a moderately elevated home could be put to better use, having regular family medical and dental check ups, or making other safety improvements in their home.

11. WHAT IF, I DECIDE TO REDUCE THE RADON LEVELS IN MY HOME?

If you feel the radon levels are high enough to justify installing a radon mitigation system, we recommend installing a good quality, durable, energy efficient system. All our radon reports testing above 4 pCi/L, include detailed specifications, describing the installation and materials needed to achieve this. It is best to have all mitigation contractors bid on installing the system exactly as specified in this report. All too often the sellers or their agents end up deciding, who will do the work, and how it will be done. Their main concern is that it be installed as cheaply as possible to get the radon levels down below 4 pCi/L for the retest. Often they have the contractor who installed the system, do the retesting to verify it is below 4 pCi/L, before he gets paid. This could create a possible conflict of interest.

12. WHAT SHOULD I LOOK FOR IN A PROPERLY INSTALLED SYSTEM?

• A… Install all fans outside the living area of the house, so all interior piping is under negative pressure. Many contractors find it cheaper and easier to put the fan in the basement near an existing electrical outlet. Often these fans and piping develop leaks. This could allow the system to start pulling the thousands of pCi/L of radon out of the ground and blow it into the basement or crawlspace; thus making the radon levels in the house higher than they where originally.

•   B… The high radon concentration air blowing from the fan should discharge above the roof, or at least ten feet from any doors, windows or decks. No one wants to breathe hundreds or thousands of pCi/L coming from these fans.

• C… Dig the suction pit under the floor as large as possible, or make sure it intersects the void beneath a grade-beam foundation.

• D… Seal crawlspaces with a gas membrane, made of cross-laminated polyethylene, placed between two layers of 30 lb. tar paper, to protect it from damage. Make sure the membrane is tightly fastened to the foundation walls, with plywood strips and sealed with industrial grade urethane caulking. It is cheaper to install one layer of regular polyethylene directly over the soil, and fasten it to the walls with duct tape, glue or caulking. This method will reduce the radon levels, but the single layer of regular polyethylene gets torn when someone crawls across it. Duct tape or glue usually falls off the wall within a month or so. When this happens, the system will still keep the radon levels down, but the fan will start pulling large amounts of heated air out of the house. The added cold air could subject the crawlspace plumbing to freezing and increase the cost of heating your home as much as $200.00 to $300.00 a year. This unnecessary loss of heat could add up to $20,000.00 to $30,000.00 over the hundred year life of the house. The money saved on the initial installation might not be such a bargain after all.

• E… Caulk the large cracks and joints in the concrete floor slab to prevent unnecessary heat loss.

• F… Install a manometer or warning device to alert you if anything goes wrong with the system.

• G… Permanently label all systems, with the contractors name, phone number, operation and maintenance instructions and a place to note all radon test results. The people living in the house 15 to 75 years from now will need to know what this system is, and why it is needed.

13. WHO SHOULD PAY TO GET THE RADON REDUCED?

If you are buying a house, this is strictly a matter of negotiation for which there are no hard and fast rules. Some people will choose to follow one of the GOLDEN RULES, Do unto others as you would have them do unto you, or He who has the gold makes the rules. No matter who ends up paying for the system, it is in your best interest that you be the one to select the contractor and specify how the work will be done. If you leave these decisions to others you might not end up with the type of system you want to have. Most contractors will give you a written bid of exactly how much the system will cost when you have them install it. Do not worry if the radon can be successfully reduced; this is a sure thing. In most cases, contractors will guarantee that they will reduce the levels to below 4 pCi/L. Properly installed systems usually get the radon down to below 2 pCi/L and sometimes even below 1 pCi/L. We have tested several houses that originally measured more than 100 pCi/L, that where mitigated to levels below 2 pCi/L.

14. HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO OPERATE THESE SYSTEMS?

Most systems are powered by a 90 watt fan that use less than $52.00 worth of electricity a year. These fans should last about 14.7 years and presently cost $125.00 to replace. If the system is properly installed and well sealed, there shouldn’t be any noticeable increases in the heating bills. However, if the cracks and joints in a finished basement cannot be sealed, the heating cost might increase slightly. Check this on a cold day by feeling the amount of warm air blowing from the fan.

15. HOW CAN I LEARN MORE ABOUT RADON?

The EPA’s hotline at 1 800-SOS-RADON will be happy to answer your questions and send you their pamphlets about radon. They can send you a list of radon contractors and tell you how to get their technical publications about radon and radon mitigation.

You can call the local Department of Health.
EPA’s Position on Radon
EPA’S Radon Publications

Your local library might have some of the following books.

* The Indoor Radon Problem…Douglas E. Brookins
* Radon The Invisible Threat..Michael Lafavore
* Radon a Homeowner’s Guide (Consumer Reports Books)…Bernard Cohen
* Radon and its Decay Products…William W. Nazaroff & Anthony V. Niro, Jr.
* Radiation Hormesis……T.D. Luckey CRC Press
* Health Risks of Radon and Other Internally Deposited Alpha-Emitters…National Academy Press
* Health Physics….Pergamon Press The Radiation Protection Journal
* Radon, Radium and Uranium in Drinking Water…Richard Cothern & Paul A. Rebers
* Radon in Ground Water…Barbara Graves

Radiation, Science & Health www.radscihealth.org/RSH/ was organized by independent individuals, knowledgeable of radiation health affects science, and associated public policies. They know that data is misrepresented, and public funds wasted, to support radiation protection policy, that provides no public health benefit.

Comparing Guideline Levels for Radon in Existing Homes

*assuming 50% equilibrium and converting from Working Levels to pCi/l where needed.

by G. Thomas Martin

You may be exposed to dangerous toxins. Get rid of them without getting ripped off.

3 more toxins to avoid

Carbon monoxide

To avoid exposure, get your furnace inspected, cleaned and tuned up every fall. Place a CO detector in the basement, where levels tend to be highest, and another one in the bedroom, where it would wake you if you were sleeping.

Asbestos

Until the 1970s, it was common to find asbestos used in insulation and other building products. If the insulation is in good condition, though, it’s fine to leave it — just wrap it in duct tape to keep the asbestos in place.

Cleaning products

Ditch ones with bleach or ammonia, which can cause breathing problems, and stop using aerosol spray cans. Instead, opt for cleaners based on peroxide and vinegar, and use baking soda instead of spray air freshener.

You’re sniffling and wheezing your way through another winter. A run of bad luck with germs? Sure, but it also may be the result of something more insidious: toxins.

Chemicals found in common home furnishings can cause asthma and flu-like symptoms, and your basement or bathroom may be harboring allergy-inducing mold. You could even be experiencing a reaction to a more dangerous substance that could cause kidney damage or cancer.

The problem of home toxins has increased in recent years, says Linda Kincaid, an industrial hygienist in San Jose. It’s a nasty byproduct of the well-meaning drive to become more energy-efficient. “We used to live in houses that were not well insulated and allowed a lot of air to come in,” says Kincaid. Now that homes are tightly sealed to prevent airflow from outside, chemicals can become more concentrated in your indoor space. That risk goes up in the winter, when your doors and windows generally remain shut.

Banishing toxins from your home isn’t an exciting improvement, but it’s a crucial one, since many states counsel home buyers to do environmental checks before closing on a home. Below you’ll find five of the most dangerous and common toxins to watch for, along with the most wallet-friendly ways to nip them in the bud.

TOXIN RADON DANGER LEVEL: HIGH [4]

It’s the second-leading cause of lung cancer behind smoking.

Who’s at risk: Everyone. It’s an odorless, colorless gas that comes from the soil and can leak into your home. It’s been found in every type of house and in every state.

What to do: Radon test kits are available at most hardware stores for $10 to $20. Place one in your basement and leave it for two days. If the level of radon in your home is high, you’ll need to spend about $1,200 to have a contractor who’s an expert in radon removal put in a venting system, which will direct the gas away from the house. Unfortunately, your homeowners insurance probably won’t cover the cost.

If you have recently installed granite countertops, you’ll need to buy a second test kit for your kitchen too, since some granite that includes uranium can emit radon gas. It’s not likely that your countertop will cause a high radon reading (it affects only about 5% to 10% of granite on the market), but if yours is affected, you’ll have to either revamp your kitchen ventilation or replace your granite counter.

TOXIN ARSENIC DANGER LEVEL: HIGH [4]

The poison has been linked to various kinds of cancer and a range of unpleasant side effects, from nausea to blindness.

Who’s at risk: Anyone who has a wooden deck, porch, fence, tree house or outdoor play furniture built before 2005. Arsenic is a preservative, and until four years ago, wood was treated with it to prevent rotting. The chemical can leach into surrounding soil (affecting plants growing in the ground nearby), and it’s possible to touch arsenic-treated wood and come away with it on your hands. Young children are especially vulnerable, since they tend to put their fingers in their mouths.

What to do: No need to pony up for a new deck; just treat the wood every year with an oil-based stain so that when you touch the wood, you’re touching the sealant, not the arsenic. It’s best to do it in the spring, says Gary Ginsberg, Ph.D., author of “What’s Toxic, What’s Not,” so your deck will be ready for the summer, when it’s going to be used the most. You can find various weatherproofing stains for about $25 a gallon.

TOXIN LEAD DANGER LEVEL: MODERATE [3]

Lead can damage the central nervous system, kidneys and blood cells; even low levels in the blood can impair mental and physical development.

Who’s at risk: Those living in homes that date back to the ’70s.

What to do: Don’t use home test kits for lead — they aren’t reliable. Instead, get recommendations for private labs from your state housing department. The test will cost you about $20 to $30; if it comes back positive, cover your walls with a coat of encapsulant (about $40 a gallon).

Unfortunately, the biggest problem probably isn’t the paint on your walls — it’s the paint on your windowsills. “The window grinds it down to a fine powder and the breeze can blow it in,” Ginsberg says. “It can contaminate the whole room.” Your best bet is to replace the windows, including the woodwork and tracks. If there’s a toddler in the house, consider replacing moldings and baseboards as well, since kids can chip off paint by chewing on it.

TOXIN FORMALDEHYDE DANGER LEVEL: MODERATE [3]

Formaldehyde and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can cause nausea, dizziness and allergy symptoms. Chronic exposure can damage your liver and central nervous system.

Who’s at risk: Anyone who has recently added new floors, carpets or furniture; moved into a new home; or used common brands of paints or aerosol sprays. The adhesive used in carpeting and to hold together pressed-wood products contains formaldehyde, which releases that and other chemicals into the air. (That “new carpet” smell may be your Berber emitting chemicals.) Many paints, sealants and lacquers also release compounds.

What to do: If you’ve been in your home for a few years, relax. “The building has had a chance to outgas,” says John Banta, an industrial hygienist and co-author of “Prescriptions for a Healthy House.”

If you’re refurbishing, one option is to opt for VOC-free building materials, but you’ll pay a steep price: Formaldehyde-free bamboo flooring from EcoTimber, for instance, costs $5.79 to $6.49 a square foot, compared with $3.87 to $4.57 a square foot for bamboo wood flooring from Home Depot.

Can’t afford to go totally VOC-free? Splurge on the bedroom; it’s generally where you spend the majority of your indoor time, so you’ll reap more benefit from the change. Alternatively, simply renovate and buy new furniture during warmer months, when you can leave your windows open. When you order a new carpet, ask the factory to let it air out for a couple of weeks in the warehouse before delivering it. Almost all VOC chemicals will dissipate into the air over time.

TOXIN MOLD DANGER LEVEL: LOW [2]

Mold doesn’t present a severe health risk, but it may worsen asthma. If you’re allergic to mold, it can also cause nasal congestion, irritated eyes or wheezing.

Who’s at risk: If you’ve had a water problem, such as a roof or plumbing leak, and the area was wet for more than 48 hours.

What to do: Toxic black mold has gotten a lot of press in recent years, but regular mold spores “are everywhere,” Ginsberg says, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says they rarely cause adverse health conditions.

That said, if mold is unsightly or causing your sinuses to act up, you’ll probably want to get rid of it. If it’s a small area (less than three feet by three feet), remove it yourself with detergent and water. If it’s a larger section, you’ll want to bring in a professional to prevent spreading mold spores around your house.

Expect to pay $150 to $200 for a mold inspection and $500 and up for removal, depending on how widespread the problem is. Your homeowners insurance may cover it, but be warned: After insurers were slapped with lawsuits over black mold a few years back, they began excluding mold coverage and socking homeowners who reported water damage with higher premiums and deductibles.

Regardless, it’s certainly worth spending $150 or so for a dehumidifier in your basement to draw extra water out of the air. Sometimes an ounce of prevention is the healthiest possible fix.

East TN has lots of radon. The mountains of east TN are in one of the highest radon areas of the south. Call for information.

Dear Donnie,
My teenage son is excited about living downstairs in the home we are purchasing. There is a den and two bedrooms and a utility area in the basement. I have heard a lot about radon, is this something I should be worried about.
Denise

Radon is a known carcinogen gas that comes from the natural breakdown of uranium in the soil. It can be found all over the country and can be present in any type of home.

It is measured in Pico Curries per liter “pCi/l” and according to EPA standards any test result above 4 pCi/l inside your home it is recommended that you lower the levels as much as possible.

The only way you can determine that you have elevated radon levels inside your home are to test for it. There two basic ways to test for radon, long term and short term. In a short term test you only test for approximately 48 hours using a continuous monitor, charcoal canisters or one of the many types available.

Most short term tests are performed in a Real Estate transaction where time is limited due to the sales contract. If you already live in your home you can do a long term test that usually lasts 90 days or longer, giving you a more accurate annual average of the radon levels inside your home.

Radon has many ways it gets inside your home, most common are through cracks and openings in the concrete floors or foundations, but radon can penetrate the concrete and block but having a painted surface with the cracks sealed actually helps reduce the amount of radon that can get into your home.

Common construction techniques also contribute such as sump pumps and the opening left under the bathtub for the drain and the gaps left where plumbing goes through the wall.

After you test for radon and find the levels are greater than the EPA guidelines it is up to you to make the decision to do something about it.

The most common way to lower the radon level in your home is to install a sub slab suction mitigation system. Installing a mitigation system is usually left to professionals, but there are companies that will sell the equipment and give detailed instructions on how to install it.

Many new homes are going ahead and placing a pipe in the slab and running the pipe through the roof much like a plumbing vent creating a passive radon system while the cost is very low.

After you occupy the home you can test the level of radon present and if the readings are high you can add a in line fan and create a sub-slab mitigation system in your new home.

There is a tremendous amount of information available on radon, its effects on your health and how to lower it in your home on the EPA web site: www.epa.gov.

We just installed a Radon Mitigation System in Jacksboro TN. The people were so happy with our work they told their neighbor and they called and had us install a radon mitigation system for them

This is a new web site designed to help the good people living in East TN. I am going to start posting information about installing Radon Systems. We are located in Lenoir City TN as our home office.

Lisa, Quenton, Brandon and myself installed two more systems this past week. Both systems went in well and we anticipate good results in lowering the radon inside the homes. Both homes were basement homes and had elevated radon levels near 10 pCi/L. We will be going back in a few days to check the results.

We installed two radon mitigation systems last week and have already got the results in. The results went from 8.5 Pci/L to 2.1 Pci/L in only a few days. We have two systems to install this week.

One of the systems is going to be a real challenge getting the pipe in a hidden place because the basement is completely finished and there is not a good way to hide the radon suction pipe on the inside of the home. The outside mounted fan can be hidden behind some shrubs. The other one is going in a downstairs garage and there is plenty of working space and a way to get it out.