What is Radon?
Radon is a cancer-causing radioactive gas. Barney Watson, radon expert and owner of Lake Gaston Radon LLC, tells his clients “Don’t be fooled into thinking that just because you can’t see it or smell it that radon is anything to mess around with – it is lethal.”
Radon gas decays into radioactive particles that can get trapped in your lungs when you breathe. As they break down further, these particles release small bursts of energy. This can damage lung tissue and lead to lung cancer over the course of your lifetime. The Surgeon General has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the US today. Smoking is the number one cause. It is reported that more than 22,000 people die from radon-induced lung cancer each year.
Not everyone exposed to elevated levels of radon will develop lung cancer. The amount of time between exposure and the onset of the disease may be many years.
How does radon get into my home?
Radon can build up in homes, schools, offices – any type of building. It is found all over the United States.
Radon Gets Through:
- Cracks in solid floors
- Construction joints
- Cracks in walls
- Gaps in suspended floors
- Gaps around service pipes
- Cavities inside walls
- The water supply
Testing is the only way to know if you are at risk from radon. EPA and the Surgeon General recommend testing all homes below the third floor for radon.
Here is a link to the EPA ” A Citizen’s Guide to Radon – The Guide to Protecting Yourself and Your Family from Radon” A Citizens Guide To Radon (EPA)
What Happens If My Home Has High Radon Levels?
EPA recommends homes with radon levels over 4 pCi/L have a radon mitigation system installed. The typical system is a sub-slab suction system, radon gas is removed from under the structure with the help of a fan and ventilated to the outside.
Lake Gaston Radon, LLC does not install mitigation systems but can supply information for qualified contractors.
Photo / Drawings: Indoor Environments Division (6609J) EP 402/K-12/002 | May 2012 | www.epa.gov/radon “A Citizens Guide To Radon”Visit http://www.epa.gov/radon. EPA’s radon page includes links to publications, hotlines, private proficiency programs and more.
Radon Testing
Radon is measured in “picocuries per liter of air,” or “pCi/L”. The average indoor radon level is estimated to be about 1.3 pCi/L, and about 0.4pCi/L of radon is normally found in the outside air. While no level of Radon is safe the EPA recommends any home with radon gas levels higher than 4.0 pCi/L should be mitigated, this is the EPA action level. “Mitigation” is an air quality control system that reduces radon gas buildup.
Barney explains, “Radon is a gas, it comes into one’s house by seeping through cracks in the foundation and floor and around plumbing and pipes. Because it is a gas it can come up in very small spaces. All homes are susceptible to have high radon levels. It is a problem in our area. About 60 percent of the homes I’ve tested have radon levels about 4pCi/L. It is just a matter of what is under the ground of the house.”
As a preventative, residents can have their home tested for Radon. The radon test will show exactly how much radon is present at any given time. Barney Watson, Lake Gaston Radon LLC, uses an electronic meter, made by Sun Nuclear Corporation. It is called the Radon Sentinel, it is approved and certified by the National Radon Safety Board. The meter measures radon levels continuously over a 48 hour period to provide the most accurate average of radon levels. Once the unit is back at the Lake Gaston Radon LLC office the test results are downloaded into the computer. Next, a report is generated giving the homeowner hour-by-hour measurements on radon, temperature, humidity & barometric pressure inside the home. Finally, Barney delivers the report and goes over its findings with the homeowner.
Radon at Lake Gaston
Welcome to my website!
I am a National Radon Safety Board Certified Radon Measurement Specialist. I am the owner of Lake Gaston Radon LLC. Here is a little of my story:
I am also a full-time REALTOR here on Lake Gaston, owner of Lake Gaston Real Estate, LLC.