Gerardi Engineering Home Inspections

Radon in Air Test

WHAT IS RADON?
Radon is a radioactive gas which occurs naturally from the breakdown (radioactive decay) of uranium. You cannot see it, smell it or taste it.

 Radon can be found in high concentrations in soils and rocks containing uranium, granite, shale, phosphate and pitchblende.

In outdoor air, radon is diluted to such low concentrations that it is usually nothing to worry about. However, once inside an enclosed space

(such as a home) radon can accumulate. Indoor levels depend both on a building’s construction and most importantly, the concentration of radon in the underlying soil.

Radon is estimated to cause many thousands of lung cancer deaths each year. 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. If you smoke and your home has high radon levels,

 your risk of lung cancer is especially high.

HOW DOES RADON GET INTO A HOME?
Since radon is a gas, it moves easily through small spaces in the soil and rock on which a house is built. Radon can seep into a

home through dirt floors, cracks in concrete floors and walls, floor drains, sumps, joints, and tiny cracks or pores in hollow-block

walls. Radon can also enter water in private wells and be released into the home when the water is used.

INTERPRETING YOUR TEST RESULTS
The amount of radon in the air is measured in “picocuries of radon per Liter of air” or “pCi/L”. The EPA recommends fixing your home if the results of two

short-term tests (2-90 day tests), or one long-term test (over 90 days) taken in the lowest lived-in level  of the home show radon levels of 4 pCi/L or higher.

FIXING YOUR RADON PROBLEM
  The EPA recommends that you have a qualified contractor fix your home because lowering high radon levels requires specific technical knowledge and

 special skills. The EPA publication “Consumer’s Guide To Radon Reduction” gives a detailed description of radon reduction methods, costs and

 maintenance tips along with how to hire a mitigation contractor. For copies of this publication or more information on radon, you can call

 the EPA Office of Radiation and Indoor Air at (800) SOS-RADON (800 767-7236).

HOW RADON AFFECTS YOU
Your lung cancer risk from radon is determined by the amount you are exposed to, and the length of time you are exposed to it. The higher the radon

 level the greater the risk. The chart below gives you an idea of how lifetime exposure to various radon levels compares with other risks.

RADON RISK IF YOU HAVE NEVER SMOKED

Note: If you smoke or are a former smoker, your risk may be higher.

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