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Radon

Radon is an odorless gas that is released by the decay of uranium and is present in all homes in differing amounts. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking. The EPA and the surgeon general strongly recommend taking action if test results show a level of 4.0 pCi/l (picocuries per liter of air) or greater in a home.

The risk factor for radon at 4.0 pCi/l in non-smokers is approximately two cases of lung cancer per thousand people with a 70-year (lifetime) of exposure in the home. Risk is much higher in smokers and ex-smokers, at approximately 30 cases per thousand people. Since risk has a lineal relationship to radon level, factors will approximately double at 8.0 pCi/l and triple at 12 pCi/l. Approximately 40% of the homes I have tested in the Denver area are over 4.0 pCi/l, and I have tested homes that were over 50 pCi/l. Others have found homes in the area in the range of 100 to 200 pCi/l. Since radon cannot be predicted by the “neighborhood” or even the “home next door”, it is essential that every home be tested. Virtually every major health authority agrees with this assessment, including the EPA, Surgeon General, American Lung Association, and the World Health Organization.

Radon enters the home through the soil by entering perimeter drain systems, cracks in the basement slab, openings around pipes, spaces between walls and floors, etc. Homes along Colorado’s front range tend to have higher levels of radon than average due to higher than average amounts of uranium in our soil. The radon level in a given home will be affected by numerous factors including uranium content and porosity of the soil.

Per EPA protocol, we conduct radon testing using a constant radon monitor in the lowest level of the home that is currently suitable for occupancy (this is the first floor if the basement is unfinished). Closed house conditions (doors and windows throughout the home closed except for normal entry and exit) must be maintained for 12 hours prior to the test and during the 48 hours minimum required for the test. Whole house fans must not be operated during the closed house conditions.

If mitigation is needed, radon mitigation is not always a costly item. The national average for mitigation by a specialist is $1,250.00. Typical mitigation involves boring a 4” or 6” hole in the slab where a pipe is inserted and sealed. This pipe is routed to the exterior where a fan pulls air and radon from under the slab. In crawlspaces, a perforated pipe is used to pull the air and radon from under a special sealed vapor barrier. The EPA recommends remediation by an EPA certified mitigation contractor.

For more information about radon access the EPA radon website at www.epa.gov/radon/

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