While all homes need to be tested for radon, it takes on an added importance if the lowest level of your home, or the home you purchase will be used for bedrooms, home office, family room and/or fitness area. Radon is a cancer causing radioactive gas that you cannot see, smell or taste. It arises from the natural decay of uranium and its gas seeps, or is drawn into the lower level by the homes negative pressure. Radon is a naturally ocurring gas produced by the breakdown of uranium in soil, rock, and water. Air pressure inside your home is usually lower than pressure in the soil around your home's foundation. Because of this difference in pressure, our house can act like a vacuum, drawing radon into the house. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer. The Surgeon General, Environmental Protection Agency and Minnesota Department of Health recommend measuring the radon level and taking steps to reduce radon levels above 4 picoCuries per liter (pCi/L). Radon is responsible for about one out of every seven lung cancers deaths (WHO - World Health Organization - Handbook on Indoor Radon). Install a radon mitigation system if your levels are 4 pCi/L or higher - radon levels less than 4 pCi/L still pose a risk and a radon mitigation system should be considered. Radon mitigation systems work - reducing levels up to 99%. The World Health Organization (WHO) has recently recommended a threshold of action at 2.7 pCi/L ...
Types of Radon Measurement
An initial short term test will give you a quick 'snapshot' of radon levels. However, a longer term test (90 days +) with a alpha track detector is more indicative of the homes actual levels over a period of time. Short term tests can be a simple charcoal cannister or a more accurate 'continuous radon monitor' that is measured hourly over the 48hr period. For a more accurate measurement perform a long term test (over 90 days) with an AccuStar AT-100 Long Term Alpha Track Detector (Data Sheet in Radon Library).
Lawless Company Radon Measurement Report
Lawless Measurement Report
Radon Measurement using a Sun Nuclear continuous radon monitor. Measured at 1 hour intervals and detects if monitor motion has been detected. Monitor calibrated yearly by Sun Nuclear.
Environmental Protection Agency - Radon Info, Measurement Protocol and Mitigation Strategies - Click on Logo to Transfer to Website
Minnesota Deptartment of Health - Radon Information - Click on Logo to transfer to website
Lawless - Sun Nuclear (Short Term - 48 hour) Continuous Radon Monitor
