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posted on:
4/18/2012 3:08:31 PM EST
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Radon & The Need for Home Tests
radon, EPA, test, American Lung Association, Consumer Product Safety Commission, American Medical As
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Radon is a colorless, odorless gas that results from the spontaneous process of radioactive decay of radium. It is quite natural an occurrence, but when it enters our homes and offices, if not dealt with or remedied with the appropriate radon reduction system, it can become deadly. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), "Radon is estimated to cause many thousands of lung cancer deaths each year. In fact, the Surgeon General has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. Only smoking causes more lung cancer deaths." (Consumer's Guide to Radon Reduction, EPA)
With organizations like the EPA estimating that there are as many as six million homes across the country with elevated levels of radon and with the talk of lowering national radon exposure limits (that is the amount of radon considered safe in buildings), it is very important that all buildings are tested for radon. "Since 1988, EPA and the Office of Surgeon General have recommended that homes below the third floor be tested for radon." (Consumer Product Safety Commission, American Medical Association, EPA, and the American Lung Association: Indoor Air Pollution: Introduction for Health Professionals)
Testing is done by measuring radioactivity in picoCuries (pCi). This is a unit of measurement named for the French physicist Marie Curie, who was a pioneer in the research on radioactive elements and their decay. "One pCi is equal to the decay of about two radioactive atoms per minute." (EPA's Consumer's Guide to Radon Reduction) To put this in perspective, let's look at an example:
A house having 4 pCi of radon per liter of air has about eight or nine atoms of radon decaying every minute in every liter of air inside the house. A 1000 square foot house with 4 pCi/L of radon has nearly two million radon atoms decaying in it every minute!
During a radon test there are several conditions that should be present to ensure an accurate test, such as:
1. The property should ideally remain under closed-home conditions during the entire time of the test.
2. The property's Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems should be operating under normal conditions during the test.
3. Do not disturb the testing device during the testing period.
4. If a radon-reduction system is in place be sure the system is working properly and will be in operation during the entire test period.
For more information on Solutions and how we can help you with a radon test, visit our website at www.solutionsiec.com or call toll-free 877-624-7185 extension 1.
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