What do we Know about Radon? Is it Dangerous

Did you know after smoking; Radon is the major reason behind thousands of lung cancers. According to the records more than 20,000 people annually die in the US due to radon-related cancers. So are you still waiting? Let’s know about this Radon, what is it, what can it do, is it dangerous, if it is what can we do to avoid it. Stay with Today’s Know Your Facts. Read and Enjoy.

What is this Radon? Is it Dangerous?

Have you still remembered the lessons from high school? If it’s so, you never might miss the ‘Rn’ element sign. That’s Radon. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that has properties of inert, colorless, and odorless.

Radon is formed by the radioactive decay of uranium which has scattered around the world. Even though it’s radioactive, it can be found naturally in an atmosphere that doesn’t create a health impact.

According to EPA reports Radon gas should have an average concentration in selected areas of the outdoor atmosphere, 7.4 Bq/m3. But did you know naturally developed Radon gas easily can come into your rooms through floor cracks, construction joints, gaps foundation around pipes?

So when you are dwelling near to foundation things are getting much hazardous with Radon. That is why there is a higher risk inside basements due to lack of ventilation.

EPA recommends lessor concentration level than 148 Bq/m3 inside your rooms. If there is no proper ventilation, your lungs might get weaken by radon and lead to cancer eventually.

The problem is, Radon is an odorless, colorless gas that no one knows until you get exact symptoms of illness. The only way to figure out the situation is the usage of the Air Quality Monitor in the selected area.

So is Radon having a Cancer Risk?

When you are exposed higher concentration of Radon amount, it eventually stores inside your lungs. Due to the radio-activeness of Radon, it creates radiation inside the respiratory system and those radiations directly or indirectly damage cells in the lungs. Which eventually leads to lung cancers.

andres siimon ryBnRg4c3L0 unsplash — Radon has Cancer Risk Same as Smoking

Even though smoking and radon are the main reasons for lung cancers, frequent smokers are the ones who badly suffer from the radon gas due to their weak respiratory system.

What are the Myths about Radon?

1. One specific Myth about radon is, it’s only can be found in old homes

Actually, it’s not true. It can be an issue not depend on your home type, whether it is an old home, new one insulated or basement Radon gas can impact your health under the following factors.

Local geology
construction materials
Technology, which home was built

So you need to worry about that factor, not the history of home

2. Radon testing is Time-consuming and Hard work

Radon testing is easy and quick doable if you hire a real qualified team and good equipment. So do not depend on “radioactive factor” and hard to “be detected”.

3. Scientists not sure: Radon is a health hazard

This is not true. Statics has proven that there is a fixed number of deaths caused by Radon; mostly lung cancers.
Number of organizations like

Centers for Disease control
American Medical Association
American Lung Association

mockup graphics i1iqQRLULlg unsplash — Be Aware of Health Risk

Have given statics, there is a good capability to prevent lung cancers through smokers more than non-smoker persons.

4. Radon leaked houses cannot be sold

If you find a Radon leakage inside your home, it can be fixed with proper guidance. But after you have fixed it, it is a good selling point to sell as “Radon Free”.

5. My neighbors’ found Radon Leakage- we are all doomed

If your neighbors have found Radon leakage inside their home, we cannot say exactly nearby houses are also at a risk. As mentioned above, it depends on other kinds of factors.

If you doubt that it, do a proper examination. Do not go with just rumors.

6. Water should be checked for Radon

If you doubt there is a Radon mix in your home water supply, first, worry about the atmosphere around that water reservoir. For that contact, your water supplier, inform the situation.

When are you Buying a New Home- What about Radon-Resistance?

Before thing you need to check with Radon proof in, why should you worry about radon-resistance home apart lung cancer free background.

1. Easy Repair

When a house is recommended as radon-resistance, there is a sort of relief on the buyer for making required maintenance of the house.

greg rosenke 0OZt4hzVUAY unsplash 1 — Repair Easily

If there is a higher level of Radon gas, as a buyer all cracks in the foundation, developed materials, etc. are needed to be inspected one by one. If there is a low level of Radon in reports, you need to have updated the ventilation in the maintenance process.

2. Save the Money

If buying house atmosphere is cleaned from Radon, you do not need to spend extra money on your ventilation system especially to be radon-resistance.

3. Cost-effective with other installations

If there is a new update in the future, it’s much easy with Radon resistance atmosphere than Radon filled less maintained environment.

If there are any further updates in your house. Because some maintenance is very cost and have to worry about whether there is a requirement of radon free later (Reference).

When you are exposed to Radon?

Normally higher level of Radon has been exposed by millers or miners related to uranium mines. In day-to-day life, we are exposed to a small amount of Radon.

But there is the least number of medical tests you can manage to be performed, to find out the damage you have got.

If there are any symptoms, please contact your doctor and get suitable precautions. Most you can see

symptoms of lung cancer
shortness of breath
Bad cough,
pain or tightness in the chest
trouble swallowing

Those symptoms are also coming after long-term exposure to Radon.

As mentioned before radon is the second most reason for lung cancers apart from smoking. So if there is any exposure, try to quit smoking. That’s the best thing you can manage to do. (Reference)

What can we do to fix the High Radon Level?

There is the least number of things we can manage to control the Radon level when it is over 4 pCi/L or higher.

Use A Radon Vent Pipe

Using filtration techniques like activated carbon filters we can able to remove Radon, but scientists, authorities do not recommend that as an approved method.

One of the best ways to get rid of Radon from the ground is Radon vent pipes.

Here we use a pipe with a negative pressure development pump which can absorb all Radon gas get by the sealed foundation. You have to take professional help to decide the inner Radon level which is absorbing by the pump from the gravel beneath the slab. (Reference)

Hire a qualified radon-reduction (mitigation) contractor

The best way to fix a Radon gas leakage is to fire a professional constructor on that field. They will examine required updates to be fixed.

Also if there are any further installations, updates in the future, make sure to inform the same contractors in advance. Otherwise, those maintenances also lead to another step of Radon leakage.

conor brown TWxNr5ZpxJM unsplash — HIre a correct COntractor

When you hire a contractor deal with the following requirements also

First Contact your state radon office for more information
Make sure to Review testing guidelines and measurement results, and determine if additional measurements are needed;
Evaluate the radon problem and provide you with a detailed, written proposal on how radon levels will be lowered;
With your ideas design a radon-reduction system;
Then Install the system according to EPA recommended standard, or state and local codes
Make sure the finished system effectively reduces radon levels to acceptable levels
These are EPA recommended guidelines. To read more click here.

Check the Radon in Water

Apart from Radon is coming from soil and air, it can come into your home through water also. Except for inhalation risk, Radon mixed water gives you an ingestion risk to your body.

According to research when your water is coming with Radon, it can cause stomach cancer, quicker than lung cancer with Radon gas.

Therefore as mentioned before, water also needs to be checked for Radon negative. Contact your water supplier if you have a private reservoir check it for all sake.

Also, We can manage to do