January is National Radon Action Month! It is beyond important that everyone is informed about radon, what it is, the negative effects that it can have on you and your family, and what you can do to battle it. That’s why we’re here to give you a little information that can help you a lot in the long-run.
Radon is a radioactive gas that is generated through the breakdown of uranium inside the earth. It’s invisible, odorless and tasteless, with no immediate health symptoms.
Radon gas enters buildings primarily through cracks and other holes in the foundation. Once inside a structure, radon is trapped and levels of the gas can become concentrated. The EPA has established a recommended action level for radon at 4 picoCuries per liter (pCi/L). For radon concentrations at or above 4 pCi/L, the EPA recommends that steps be taken to reduce exposure levels to below the action level.
The EPA offers examples of where radon can enter a structure:
- Cracks in solid floors
- Construction joints
- Cracks in walls
- Gaps in suspended floors
- Gaps around service pipes
- Cavities inside walls
- Water supply
While entry through the foundation is the primary concern when it comes to radon gas, it can also enter buildings through the water supply. When present in a facility’s water supply, radon poses both inhalation and ingestion risks. According to a report published by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), radon in drinking water causes 168 cancer deaths annually. Of these deaths, 89 percent were from lung cancer caused by breathing in radon released from water and 11 percent were from stomach cancer caused by drinking radon-contaminated water.
Radon problems in drinking water are much more common in groundwater supplied systems (private and public wells) rather than surface water supplied systems.
Complete Home Solutions wants to ensure everyone is aware of the dangers that radon presents and that we can help you by having a radon test completed on your home. For more information or questions please call us at (410) 867-1202!
