Basic Radon Facts

The US EPA fact sheet, updated July 2016, contains basic radon facts, including:

 

radon in general

radon health risks

radon testing

fixing radon problems

 

Get the Basic Radon Fact Sheet

 

EPA Regional Office and State Indoor Air Quality Information:

 

Illinois Department of Public Health Division of Environmental Health

State IAQ Program Website

 

Illinois Environment Protection Agency

1021 North Grand Avenue East

P.O. Box 19276

Springfield, Illinois 62794-9276

Phone: 217-782-3397

 

Community Home Inspections

By Scott Giles

 

Radon Gas Inspections
What is Radon Gas? Is it dangerous?

 

Radon is a naturally-occurring radioactive gas that can cause lung cancer. Radon gas is inert, colorless and odorless. Radon is naturally in the atmosphere in trace amounts. Outdoors, radon disperses rapidly and, generally, is not a health issue. Most radon exposure occurs inside homes, schools and workplaces. Radon gas becomes trapped indoors after it enters buildings through cracks and other holes in the foundation. Indoor radon can be controlled and managed with proven, cost-effective techniques.

 

Breathing radon over time increases your risk of lung cancer. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. Nationally, the EPA estimates that about 21,000 people die each year from radon-related lung cancer. Only smoking causes more lung cancer deaths.

 

You can take steps to reduce and control the amount of radon in your home. Testing is the only way to determine radon levels. Have your home tested, either by a professional or with a do-it-yourself home test kit. If radon levels are high, contact a certified radon service professional to fix your home. EPA guidance suggests mitigating if levels are at or above 148 Bq/m3 (4 pCi/L). Usually, radon problems are fixed using an underground ventilation system or by increasing the rate of air changes in the building.

 

- Source: https://www.epa.gov/radiation/what-radon-gas-it-dangerous

 

EPA Recommends:

• Test your home for radon -- it's easy and inexpensive.
• Fix your home if your radon level is 4 picoCuries per liter (pCi/L) or higher.
• Radon levels less than 4 pCi/L still pose a risk, and in many cases may be reduced.
• Radon is estimated to cause thousands of lung cancer deaths in the U.S. each year

 

 

RADON GETS IN THROUGH:

• Cracks in solid floors
• Construction joints
• Cracks in walls
• Gaps in suspended floors
• Gaps around service pipes
• Cavities inside walls
• The water supply