The release of radon from rocks and soil is highly variable. Rain, snow, and freezing lower the rate at which radon is release. Decreased barometric pressure and increased wind speeds cause the rate of release for radon to increase. Despite the the high concentration of radon near mines, indoor concentrations of radon can prove a much higher issue. Radon can be released from building materials and unvented natural gas and can seep in from cracks in foundations and unventilated crawl spaces. Overall geographic variations contribute more to radon concentrations than other factors, meaning that it's a bigger concern if you live in a part of the country with a higher radon concentration than if your crawl space is unventilated.
Though radon is the cause of concern, it's only a minor hazard. The principle hazard is the short lived daughter particles created when radon undergoes radioactive decay. Radon's daughter particles are retained in the respiratory system tissues when inhaled. This retention means that as the daughter particles undergo their own radioactive decay, they release radiation into the surrounding tissue. The localized deposition of radiation leads to an increased risk of lung cancer.
The expected increase in lifetime lung cancer risk varies with age at first exposure and number of years exposed. Smoking, however, increases the risk of radon induced lung cancer by a factor of ten. According to the National Academy of Sciences, the mean increase in radiogenic cancer risk for a non-smoker is 1.6% for men and 0.88% for women. For smokers, the increased risk is 16% for men and 8.1% for women. It can be postulated that this is due to the presence of radioactive particles in cigarettes which would increase of radiation deposition in the lungs.
If you're starting to worry, don't. The EPA only recommends action be taken when equilibrium concentrations for radon in a home exceed 4 pCi/L. Methods for remediation range from sealing cracks, increasing ventilation, and covering earth spaces to elaborate sub-foundation suction techniques. The recommendations of this writer are don't panic, find out whether you live in a radon rich area and consider installing radon detectors in your home like you would carbon monoxide detectors. And maybe, consider not smoking (those things are more likely to kill you than radon).
The EPA suggests that a qualified radon mitigation contractor fix
ReplyDeleteany homes with radon leves because lowering high radon levels requires specific technical knowledge and special skills. Without the proper equipment or technical
knowledge, radon levels can increase and create other potential
hazards and additional costs.
From what I have read, a good box fan and an open window are a great start to keep your basement from accumulating it. Im not sure how much a contractor to fix a radon problem is, but it cant be less than the fan. Testing kits are on the order of $10 to see if you have a problem, or to see if your home fix is working.
DeleteYea very good point, I definitely value a good saving of a few dollars. But I also recognize that this is a sometime very important and scary matter for some homeowner's. They want the peace of mind that a licensed contractor can hopefully give. Although it seems to be common sense that ventilation would help but it might be only a temporary fix. Another common severe problem with radon gas is when the problem comes up prior to reselling the home. At that point, its very important to get the problem fixed and certified.
DeleteMy mother (an appraiser) told me that for a basement to be up to code as far as radon is concerned, it just needs good ventilation to outside air. As far as she knows that's true for every state except California, which requires radon detectors in basements in certain regions where the ground is known to produce greater-than-average quantities. But the Californian government is known for being a little over-the-top, so it's probably unnecessary given that no one else does it.
DeleteThe part in the blog where smoking cigarettes may increase the chances of getting lung cancer from radon by 10% is interesting; especially the amount of radionuclides present in tobacco. I've read that even though the recommended concentration of radon to to action (seek "fixit" teams, etc.) is 4pCi/L, it would certainly be wise to give close attention to anything in the vicinity of 2pCi/L and above.
ReplyDeleteI think if people have not measured radon levels in their homes, they definitely should, there are only pros to it when it comes to your health. Especially when testing kits are so inexpensive.
ReplyDelete