Identification - 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 in the floor, construction joints, cracks in walls, gaps in suspended floors, gaps around service pipes, cavities inside walls, and also the water supply. Your home traps radon inside where it can build up. Any home may have a radon problem: This means new, old, well-sealed, and drafty homes, and homes with or without basements.
The Risk of Living with Radon - Radon gas decays into radioactive particles that can get trapped in your lungs when you breathe. As they break down further, these particles release small bursts of energy. This can damage lung tissue and lead to lung cancer over the course of your lifetime. Not everyone exposed to elevated levels of radon will develop lung cancer. And the amount of time between exposure and the onset of the disease may be many years. Radon is the second leading cause of cancer. If you smoke and your radon levels are high, your risk of cancer is especially high.
You can't see radon, but it's not hard to find out if you have a radon problem in your home. All you need to do is test for radon. Testing is easy and should only take a few minutes of your time. There are many kinds of low-cost "do it yourself" radon test kits you can get through the mail and in hardware stores and other retail outlets. Kits are also available from the Genesee County Health Department at 810-257-3603. Make sure you buy a test kit that has passed EPA's testing program or is state-certified. If you prefer, or if you are buying or selling a home, you can hire a trained contractor to do the testing for you.
Short Term Testing - The
quickest way to test is with short-term tests. Short term tests remain in
your home for two days to 90 days, depending on the device. "Charcoal
Canisters," "alpha track," "electret ion chamber,"
"continuous monitors," and "charcoal liquid scintillation"
detectors are most commonly used for short-term testing.
Long-Term Testing - Long-term tests remain in your home for more
than 90 days. "Alpha track" and "electret" detectors
are commonly used for this type of testing. A long-term test will give you
a reading that will tell you your home's year round average radon level
rather than a short-term test.
Methods - A variety of methods are used to reduce radon in your home. In some cases, sealing cracks in floors and walls may help to reduce radon. In other cases, simple systems using pipes and fans may be used to reduce radon. Such systems are called "sub-slab depressurization," and do not require major changes to your home. Radon contractors use other methods that may also work in your home.
Radon gas can enter the home through well water. Although this is typically a small source risk. It can be released into the air you breathe when water is used for showering and other household uses. Research suggests that swallowing water with high radon levels may pose risks, too, although risks from swallowing water containing radon are believed to be much lower than those from breathing air containing radon.
Fixing the Problem - Radon problems in water can be readily fixed. The most effective treatment is to remove radon from the water before it enters the home. This is called point-of-entry treatment. Treatment at your water tap is called point-of-use treatment. Unfortunately, point-of-use treatment will not reduce most of the inhalation risk from radon.
