Triple B Home Inspection, LLC

What is radon?

Radon is an odorless, tasteless and invisible gas produced by the decay of naturally occurring uranium in soil and water. Radon is a form of ionizing radiation and a proven carcinogen. Lung cancer is the only known effect on human health from exposure to radon in air. The EPA estimates that about 20,000 lung cancer deaths each year in the U.S. are radon-related. Exposure to radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking.
Radon is found in outdoor air and in the indoor air of buildings of all kinds. EPA recommends homes be fixed if the radon level is 4.0 pCi/L (pico Curies per Liter) or more. The average radon concentration in the indoor air of America's homes is about 1.3 pCi/L. It is upon this level that EPA based its estimate of 20,000 radon-related lung cancers a year upon. The average concentration of radon in outdoor air is .4 pCi/L or 1/10th of EPA's 4.0 pCi/L action level.



How Does Radon Enter My Home?

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. This means new and old homes, well-sealed and drafty homes, and homes with or without basements.
Radon from soil gas is the main cause of radon problems. Sometimes radon enters the home through well water. In a small number of homes, the building materials can give off radon, too. However, building materials rarely cause radon problems by themselves.

There are four main factors that permit radon to seep into homes. All homes have some type of radon-entry pathway:

1. Uranium is present in the soil nearly everywhere in the United States.
2. The soil is permeable enough to allow radon to migrate into a home through the slab, basement or crawlspace.
3. There are pathways for radon to enter the basement, such as small holes, cracks, plumbing penetrations and sump pumps.
4. A difference in air pressure between the basement or crawlspace and the surrounding soil draws radon into the home.

Radon enters through:

• cracks in otherwise solid floors;
• gaps in suspended floors;
• cracks in walls;
• cavities inside walls;
• gaps around service pipes;
• construction joints; and
• the water supply.

Some Facts About Radon:

• 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.
  
  
• Smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer. Smoking causes an estimated 160,000 cancer deaths in the U.S. every year (American Cancer Society, 2004). And the rate among women is rising. On January 11, 1964, Dr. Luther L. Terry, then U.S. Surgeon General, issued the first warning on the link between smoking and lung cancer. Lung cancer now surpasses breast cancer as the number one cause of death among women. A smoker who is also exposed to radon has a much higher risk of lung cancer.
  
  
• Secondhand smoke is the third leading cause of lung cancer and responsible for an estimated 3,000 lung cancer deaths every year. Smoking affects non-smokers by exposing them to secondhand smoke. Exposure to secondhand smoke can have serious consequences for children's health, including asthma attacks, affecting the respiratory tract (bronchitis, pneumonia), and may cause ear infections.
  
  
• Lung cancer kills thousands of Americans every year. Smoking, radon, and secondhand smoke are the leading causes of lung cancer. Although lung cancer can be treated, the survival rate is one of the lowest for those with cancer. From the time of diagnosis, between 11 and 15 percent of those afflicted will live beyond five years, depending upon demographic factors. In many cases lung cancer can be prevented.