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house background radon
radon a danger gas

How does radon get into a building?

 

    Most indoor radon comes into the building from the soil or rock beneath it. Radon and other gases rise through the soil and get trapped under the building. Air pressure inside homes is usually lower than the pressure in the soil. Therefore, the lower pressure of the building draws gases through floors and walls and into the building. Most of the gas moves through cracks and other openings. Once inside, the radon can become trapped and concentrated.

home radon

Openings which commonly allow easy flow of the gases in include the following:

  1. Cracks in solid floors

  2. Construction Joints

  3. Cracks in walls

  4. Gaps in suspended floors Cavities in walls

  5. Gaps around service pipes

  6. Cavities inside walls

  7. The water supply

             Radon may also be dissolved in water, particularly well water. After coming from a faucet, about one ten thousandth of the radon in water is typically released into the air. The more radon there is in the water, the more it can contribute to the indoor radon level.

Trace amounts of uranium are sometimes incorporated into materials used in construction. These include, but are not limited to concrete, brick, granite, and drywall. Though these materials have the potential to produce radon, they are rarely the main cause of an elevated radon level in a building.

Outdoor air that is drawn into a building can also contribute to the indoor radon level. The average outdoor air level is about 0.4 pCi/L, but it can be higher in some areas.

While radon problems may be more common in some geographic areas, any home may have an elevated radon level. New and old homes, well-sealed and drafty homes, and homes with or without basements can have a problem. Homes below the third floor of a multi-family building are particularly at risk.

Radon

        Radon and its by-products are by far the greatest single source of radiation that we receive in our lifetime. More than from medical testing, cosmic sources, and consumer products combined. Breathing air that contains radon increases the risk of lung cancer. Other than smoking, radon exposure is the leading cause of lung cancer.

    Radon comes from the natural decay of uranium present in the soil and bedrock. This uranium is present in varying concentrations around the US, and thus radon levels also vary widely even among homes within the same neighborhood. Radon is naturally present outdoors as well, but in small concentrations of around 0.4 piC/l. Higher concentrations of radon in indoor air make up the bulk of our exposure. As radon comes from the ground, concentrations are higher in the lower levels and dissipate significantly as elevation within a structure increases.

health affects of radon

      Breathing radon over time increases your risk of lung cancer. Radon is the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers, according to EPA estimates. Overall, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer. Radon is responsible for about 21,000 lung cancer deaths every year. About 2,900 of these deaths occur among people who have never smoked. 
     Over time , radon damages DNA. Naturally occurring soil gas...colorless, odorless, tasteless  Enters homes through pressure differentials
Easiest indoor air quality problem to fix

test your home

How often is indoor radon a problem?

 

      Nearly one out of every 15 homes has a radon level the EPA considers to be elevated—4 pCi/L or greater. The U.S. average radon-in-air level in single family homes is 1.3 pCi/L. The problem is significantly more severe in the Chicago-land area. Nearly 1 in every 4 homes in DuPage and Will counties screened in 2006 were found to have radon levels at 4 pCi/L or greater. Half the homes screened in DeKalb, Kendall, and Kane counties also showed dangerous levels of in-air radon.  Because most people spend as much as 90 percent of their time indoors, indoor exposure to radon is an important concern.

uranium radium radon

Radon is a radioactive gas. It comes from the natural decay of uranium that is found in nearly all soils. It typically moves up through the ground to the air above and into your home through cracks and other holes in the foundation. Your home traps radon inside, where it can build up. Any home may have a radon problem - new and old homes, well sealed and drafty homes, and homes with or without basements.

deaths per year
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