Radon
Madeline Sullivan
The Dangers of Radon
In Illinois, radon has been
found in about 1 million homes. What is radon you ask? Radon is a
naturally occurring gas that is formed in soil from decaying particles.
According to the Illinois Homeowner’s Guide on Radon Reduction, It can
enter the home from the soil below the building through imperfections in
foundation, as well as unsealed service connections such as sump pumps
and floor drains. Furthermore, poor ventilation in the basement can
attribute to radon entering the home. In addition, some construction
materials, such as concrete, cement blocks, gypsum block and masonry
have been shown to have elevated levels of radon. However, it is not the
radon gas itself that causes problems for homeowners. When radon breaks
down, it forms particles called heavy metal daughters. To understand
this a little better, imagine a cookie. This cookie represents radon in
its first state before it breaks down. Now drop the cookie onto a
counter or table. The crumbs that come of the radon cookie represent the
heavy metal daughters that form when radon breaks down.
According to the Illinois
Homeowner’s Guide on Radon Reduction, when radon breaks down into the
heavy metal daughters then mix with the indoor air, and it is then
transported through the home. These heavy metal daughters can land on
floors as well as furniture. In addition, it can remain in the air, and
be inhaled by family members in the home. The inhalation of radon
particles can lead to serious health conditions, including lung cancer.
According to Illinois Homeowner’s Guide on Radon Reduction, about
5,000-10,000 deaths caused by lung cancer have been linked to radon
exposure.
According
to a new study released to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, 42%
of homes in Illinois tested positive for radon between the years 2003 to
2007. Due to the high amount of radon found in Illinois homes,
homeowners are encouraged to test their home for radon every 10-15
years. When it comes to testing your home, homeowners have two choices.
The first is to call a professional service to check your home for you.
While this can get pricey, the benefit is that the professionals would
be able to give you advice if radon was found. Also, you can be sure
that the numbers the professional gives you are accurate. Second choice
for homeowners is to buy a kit and check your home yourself. Radon test
kits can be found online, or in hardware stores, and usually run between
$15 and $20.00. Just like the option of using professionals, doing the
testing yourself has its advantages and disadvantages. While it is
cheaper than hiring professionals, there is a chance that something will
go wrong while testing, causing the numbers to not be as accurate. Weigh
your options before choosing one way or another, and decide which
testing method is right for you.
Once you detect radon in your home, there are a couple options to remove it. One method is dilution. This method entails blowing air through the home to increase air exchanged rate in the home. This can be done through natural air flow or by mechanical means, such as industrial fans with or without heat. Another important step in removing radon from your home is to find where the radon is entering your home. To do this, you can use your own test kit, or hire professionals to locate the source of the radon. When the source is located, asking professionals how to efficiently seal the area in order to prevent radon problems in the future. With a little extra hard work, you can protect your family, health and home and secure a bright future for all.