Radon Gas In Your Home

The environmental protection agency (EPA) in the U.S.A. and the Environmental Radiation Hazards Division In Canada have determined that Radon Gas, is a carcinogen that is active in causing lung cancer. Radon gas occurs naturally as product of the multi-step decay of uranium into lead. The gas is not detectable except by instruments. It is tasteless, odorless and invisible and has long term affects that may not apparent for many years.

The E.P.A. has set tolerance levels in the U.S. to no more than 4 Picocuries per litre, whereas Canada's tolerance level is higher at 20 Picocuries per litre.

Uranium occurs naturally in the earth's crust and is more concentrated in some areas than others. The Radon, as it released, can migrate up through cracks and fissure in rocks and porous soils and enter a home in the basement or crawl space. In Radon prone areas basements and crawl spaces can be tested for the gas by using several different detection methods...all of which must analyzed by a laboratory.

It is estimated that over 2.5 billion curies of radon are emitted annually into the atmosphere and considering atmospheric dilution the amounts to about a typical outdoor average level of about .04 picocuries per litre of outside air. That means if you are standing outside in the fresh air you would still be getting exposed to radon gas.

If Radon is discovered, it can be controlled by ventilation of areas that have little or no air flow and also sealing cracks or hole in basement floors and ventilating crawl spaces. Lack of air flow to these areas may be especially prelevant in the winter time when the homes windows and doors are usually closed up and it is best to test in the winter. There is also a method of seling basement walls and floors with a sealer that may be effective.

All that said...many scientists disagree of what levels of Radon are dangerous and strangely after testing more than 70,000 homes, areas with the highest concentration of radon gas had the lowest occurrence of lung cancer. So, there is much disagreement about Radon Gas.

Different schools of thought about Radon control methods and measures. Many want to reduce every possible risk and others think the money might be better spent in other areas. There is no definite answer or risk definition, it all depends on what expert you listen to.