Ecology Center

According to the EPA, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. You can not see, smell or taste this radioactive gas which is created from decay of natural deposits of uranium in the soil. Radon invades all types of buildings - homes, offices and schools. However, your home is the area of greatest exposure risk because it is where the majority of time is spent. Radon typically moves up through the ground to the air above. Your home can trap the radon inside through cracks and other holes in the foundation and can then build up to toxic levels.

Surveys conducted by the Michigan Department of Public Health estimate that about 12% of homes in Michigan have high radon levels of over 4 picocuries per liter of air (pCi/L). As a comparison, the average indoor radon level is estimated to be about 1.3 pCi/L, and about 0.4 pCi/L of radon is normally found in the outside air. So even radon levels below 4pCi/L carry some risk. NO LEVEL OF RADON IS SAFE. Finding higher levels of radon has nothing to do with the age, quality or upkeep of the home. Testing is the only way to determine the radon risk to you and your family. The EPA and Surgeon General recommend testing of ALL homes. Testing is inexpensive and easy and will only take a few minutes of your time. If your home does have elevated radon concentration, there are a variety of reliable reduction and mitigation techniques that will effectively control this noxious gas.

Testing

Whether you use a short or long-term test, use a device and a testing company that is state-certified and/or listed in EPA's Radon Measurement Proficiency (RMP) program. There are low-cost "do it yourself" radon test kits available through the mail by calling the American Lung Association at (800) 543-5864 or the Michigan Consumer Federation (800) 717-2366. You can also purchase tests in hardware stores or other retail outlets. But be sure to select one that meets EPA requirements (as labeled) or is state-certified. You may also want to hire a trained contractor to do the testing for you. The Michigan Radon Office will mail you a list of these testers by calling (800) 723-6642 or, if you live in Washtenaw County, call the County Health Department at (734) 971-4542.

Radon Reduction

For most homes, radon reduction measures are no more expensive than having a new hot water heater installed or having the house painted. The cost of a contractor fixing a home generally ranges from $500 to $2500, depending on the the house and choice of reduction methods.

The foundation of your home will affect the kind of radon reduction system that will work best. For homes with basement or slab-on grade foundations, suction pipes are inserted through the floor slab into the crushed rock or soil underneath. Acting like a vacuum cleaner, a fan connected to the pipes draws theradon gas from below the house and then releases it into the outdoor air. In houses with crawlspaces, radon levels can sometimes be lowered by ventilating the crawlspace via installing additional vents or using a fan to blow through the crawlspace. Another crawlspace method is to cover the earth floor with a heavy plastic sheet and then use a vent pipe and fan to draw the radon from under the sheet into the outdoors.

Other radon reduction techniques that can be used in any type of house include sealing, house pressurization, natural ventilation, and heat recovery ventilation. However, most of these methods are considered to be either temporary measures or only partial solutions to be used in combination with other measures. Sealing cracks and other openings in the foundation is a basic part of most approaches to radon reduction. Unfortunately, the use of sealing alone has not been shown to lower radon levels significantly.

Radon in Water

Compared to radon entering the home through the soil, radon entering the home through water in most cases is a small risk, according to the EPA. Radon gas can enter the home through well water. It is released into the air when water is used for showering and other household uses. Swallowing water with high radon levels poses some risks too, although it is believed to be much lower than the risk from breathing air containing radon. Testing devices to determine the radon level in water are different than the test for indoor air levels. EPA estimates that indoor radon levels will increase by about 1 pCi/L for every 10,000 pCi/L of radon in water. Call the EPA's Drinking Water Hotline for more information at (800) 426-4791.

Take Action Now!

High levels of radon are extremely dangerous to you and your family. If your test results are high, you should take action.

Select a qualified contractor to reduce your radon levels.
Determine an appropriate radon reduction method.
Maintain your radon reduction system.

What are you waiting for?

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