What is Radon?
Radon is a naturally occurring, invisible, odorless gas that comes from deposits of uranium in soil, rock, and water. It is harmlessly dispersed in outdoor air, but when trapped in buildings, can be harmful, especially at elevated levels. Radon is a radioactive decay product of radium, which is itself a decay product of uranium. Uranium and radium are both common elements in soil.
Mike Benjamin, Environmental Health Analyst with the Health and Human Services System Radon Program from Lincoln, will present a workshop on radon for Dixon County and Northeast Nebraska Residents on Monday, May 12 at the Courtroom in the Dixon County Courthouse in Ponca. The workshop will begin at 7:00 pm.
Where is Radon Found? The primary source of high levels of radon in homes is the surrounding soil. Radon has been found in elevated levels in homes in every state, and the U.S. Most Northeast Nebraska Counties are in an area that levels are high.
How Does Radon Get Into My House? Warm air rises. When this happens in your home, it creates a vacuum in the lower areas of the house. Nature hates a vacuum, so something must rush in to fill it. In the case of your home, air seeps in from the soil around and under the house, and some air is sucked in through openings (cracks, doors, windows) on the lower levels. Radon gas enters the same way air and other soil gases enter the home; through cracks in the foundation floor or walls, hollow-block walls, and openings around floor drains, pipes and sump pumps.
What are the Health Effects of Radon? Exposure to radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. Radon can be inhaled into the lungs, where it undergoes radioactive decay. As it decays, radon releases tiny bursts of energy called alpha particles, which can harm sensitive lung tissue by damaging the DNA. This damaged DNA can lead to lung cancer.
How is Radon Measured? Radon is measured in picocuries per liter of air (pCi/L), a measurement of radioactivity. The U.S. EPA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that homes with radon levels 4 pCi/L, or greater, be fixed. Radon test kits are available from the Department of Health and Human Services, and we have a number of kits available at the Extension Office in Dixon County. Testing your home for radon is as simple as opening a package, placing a radon detector in a designated area, and, after the prescribed number of days, sealing the detector back in the package and mailing it to a lab.
How Can I Fix My House if it has Elevated Levels of Radon? A variety of methods can be used to reduce radon in homes. Sealing cracks and other openings in the foundation is a basic part of most approaches to radon reduction. EPA does not recommend the use of sealing and caulking alone to reduce radon because, by itself, sealing has not been shown to lower radon levels significantly or consistently. In most cases, systems with pipes and fans are used to reduce radon. Such systems are called a subslab depressurization. These systems prevent radon gas from entering the home from below the concrete floor and the foundation. Similar systems can also be installed in homes with crawl spaces. Radon reduction contractors may use other methods that may also work in your home, depending on its design and other factors.
Dispelling Some Common Radon Myths
"I don't have a basement, so I probably don't have a radon problem." Radon can seep in from soil anywhere around or under a home, regardless of whether your home has a basement, a crawl space, or is built slab-on-grade.
"Two of my neighbors have tested their homes for radon and they don't have high levels, so I probably don't either." Radon levels can vary considerably from house to house, even on the same street. It is nearly impossible to predict the exact nature of geologic soil deposits and the extent to which soil gasses will seep into and be retained by a specific house. The only way to know whether radon exists in elevated levels in your home, and to protect your family from radon, is to test.
"I don't have time to test for radon!" Testing is as simple as opening a package, placing a radon detector in your home in a designated area, and, after the prescribed number of days (typically two days), sealing the detector back in the package and mailing it to a lab. The whole process only takes a few minutes of your time!
If you want more information, either about radon or the meeting that will be in Ponca on May 12, give us a call at the Extension Office, 402-584-2234.
