The knowledge of radon is more important than ever as new facts emerge about the fatal consequences. U.S. Surgeon General stresses once again the nation in January 2010, the fact that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer behind smoking in the United States, and if high levels of radon in smoke house, has a very high risk for lung cancer. What can you do? A lot! It is very simple.
First, what is radon? Radon comes from naturally occurring radioactiveDistribution of uranium in soil, rock and water, and ends up in the air we breathe. Radon is a colorless, odorless and tasteless. Although radon is found in all types of buildings, you get most of our exposure if we are at home. Radon in air and is available in our water source. Although radon fluctuate in the United States, radon is found in all states. You can see the average level of radon raising the cards on the Internet by typing in radon maps.
What levels ofRadon is ok? Radon in air is measured in "picocuries per liter of air" or "PCI / L". In general, less than 4 pCi / L are considered safe, but if you can further reduce the level, is a good idea. The really good news in all this is that you can test for radon and you can put systems at home to lower radon concentrations. Systems for the reduction of the content is relatively inexpensive. If you have a reading of just over 4pCi / L, you may be able to do some simple closureLeaks around the examination room, foundation or basement of the house at lower levels in the same apartment.
How can I test my home? Who should install a mitigation system, if necessary? Good news here. Verification of the house is easy. The first way is to do it yourself by taking a hardware store and buy a test kit. Follow the instructions carefully to ensure the most accurate results. The second way to test your home called a professional radon tester. ThisIndividuals are trained and certified to administer and interpret the test and what you can do if the values are highly recommended. The price of a professional to get you back to the test is low – usually $ 125 – $ 200. We will ship to your home and take several tests in air. They give you specific instructions for the two containers are active day. You will be back and send the media dunk in a certificate, a laboratory that analyzes a recorded or gardentwo days. For the office of State for radon a list of professionals who have registered with them, or you can create a local home inspector who performs radon testing as part of routine contact Call Home Sale. If you are experiments that you need to find a radon reduction system, you must contact the professional tester for transfer or check with the state radon office. The person or company, you should have a qualified contractor approved, certified radon mitigation and preferablyYou should get more than one estimate.
The last part is good news if you need to do to reduce radon in your house, not expensive to do. A ventilation fan and is usually the first line of defense, and lower radon to an acceptable level 85% of the time. NOTE: If you arrive at some tests, not reading 4pCi / L, I would recommend calling a professional for further testing to confirm your home reading.
There is much more that weAdditional information about radon, the Environmental Protection Agency Web site (www.epa.gov) and http://www.radon.com click.