living with radon
TLDR
RADON HEALTH ADVISORY
According to the U.S. Surgeon General's health advisory, "Indoor radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the United States and breathing it over prolonged periods can present a significant health risk to families all over the country." Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that can cause lung cancer and is completely preventable. It can be detected with a simple test and fixed through well-established venting techniques.
A high number of homes in Oakland County have been found to have radon. Testing performed in several homes in Bridgewood Farms has indicated very high levels of radon in our subdivision too. Many of these residents have installed radon mitigation systems. It is recommended that every home be tested. You can purchase a radon test kit for $10 at the following locations:
North Oakland Health Center, 1200 N. Telegraph, Building 34 East, Pontiac, MI 48341 (248) 858-1312
South Oakland Health Center, 27725 Greenfield Road, Southfield, MI 48076 (248) 424-7190
For more facts about radon from the Oakland County Health Division, go to: https://www.oakgov.com/community/health/health-a-z/information-a-z/radon
Did you know?
Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States after smoking. When purchasing a new home, it’s recommended that we conduct a radon test. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that if radon levels are 4 picocuries/Liter (pCi/L) or higher, mitigation actions should be taken. But why 4 pCi/L and not three or five? And what is Radon anyway?
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas in rocks and soil that comes from the slow decay of heavier radioactive elements like uranium and thorium. The average natural outdoor background levels of radon are approximately 0.4 pCi/L. But when we build homes, this gas can, and does, make its way inside through foundation cracks, sumps, and unfinished crawl space floors (just to name a few). The gas can concentrate in different spaces and levels can increase to unhealthy levels.
The challenge we have is understanding what 4 pCi/L actually means in terms of a radiation exposure we can relate to. If you were to spend every day outside with a natural background of 0.4 pCi/L, this would be equivalent to the radiation received if you smoked one cigarette per day or the equivalent of getting approximately 25 chest x-rays per year. Wow that seems like a lot! But our bodies are well adapted to dealing with these relatively low exposures over a long period of time. The risks, however, increase as the concentration of radon goes up in our homes. If you were to live in your home with a concentration of 4 pCi/L (the EPA’s limit) this would be equivalent to smoking eight cigarettes per day or getting 200 chest x-rays per year!
So what’s normal? According to the EPA, the national average radon level inside a home is 1.3 pCi/L and homeowners with levels between 2 and 4 pCi/L should consider taking mitigation efforts. It is important to note that if the radon levels in your home are 2 pCi/L or lower, it can be challenging to reduce this further without significant cost.
What can be done if your home radon levels are high? There are many different radon reduction strategies and the correct one will depend on your home and the likely ingress paths for radon. Talk to your local radon mitigation specialist to determine what approach is best for you.
For more information on Radon, you can visit the EPA Radon Website
- Radon is an odorless, naturally occurring radioactive gas that comes from the ground
- The EPA suggests mitigation should be installed if levels reach 4 picocuries/Liter (pCi/L)
- 4 pCi/L in your home would be equivalent to smoking 8 cigarettes per day
- Radon mitigation systems can be installed to reduce radon levels
- There different radon mitigation strategies depending on your home and radon ingress
RADON HEALTH ADVISORY
According to the U.S. Surgeon General's health advisory, "Indoor radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the United States and breathing it over prolonged periods can present a significant health risk to families all over the country." Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that can cause lung cancer and is completely preventable. It can be detected with a simple test and fixed through well-established venting techniques.
A high number of homes in Oakland County have been found to have radon. Testing performed in several homes in Bridgewood Farms has indicated very high levels of radon in our subdivision too. Many of these residents have installed radon mitigation systems. It is recommended that every home be tested. You can purchase a radon test kit for $10 at the following locations:
North Oakland Health Center, 1200 N. Telegraph, Building 34 East, Pontiac, MI 48341 (248) 858-1312
South Oakland Health Center, 27725 Greenfield Road, Southfield, MI 48076 (248) 424-7190
For more facts about radon from the Oakland County Health Division, go to: https://www.oakgov.com/community/health/health-a-z/information-a-z/radon
Did you know?
Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States after smoking. When purchasing a new home, it’s recommended that we conduct a radon test. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that if radon levels are 4 picocuries/Liter (pCi/L) or higher, mitigation actions should be taken. But why 4 pCi/L and not three or five? And what is Radon anyway?
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas in rocks and soil that comes from the slow decay of heavier radioactive elements like uranium and thorium. The average natural outdoor background levels of radon are approximately 0.4 pCi/L. But when we build homes, this gas can, and does, make its way inside through foundation cracks, sumps, and unfinished crawl space floors (just to name a few). The gas can concentrate in different spaces and levels can increase to unhealthy levels.
The challenge we have is understanding what 4 pCi/L actually means in terms of a radiation exposure we can relate to. If you were to spend every day outside with a natural background of 0.4 pCi/L, this would be equivalent to the radiation received if you smoked one cigarette per day or the equivalent of getting approximately 25 chest x-rays per year. Wow that seems like a lot! But our bodies are well adapted to dealing with these relatively low exposures over a long period of time. The risks, however, increase as the concentration of radon goes up in our homes. If you were to live in your home with a concentration of 4 pCi/L (the EPA’s limit) this would be equivalent to smoking eight cigarettes per day or getting 200 chest x-rays per year!
So what’s normal? According to the EPA, the national average radon level inside a home is 1.3 pCi/L and homeowners with levels between 2 and 4 pCi/L should consider taking mitigation efforts. It is important to note that if the radon levels in your home are 2 pCi/L or lower, it can be challenging to reduce this further without significant cost.
What can be done if your home radon levels are high? There are many different radon reduction strategies and the correct one will depend on your home and the likely ingress paths for radon. Talk to your local radon mitigation specialist to determine what approach is best for you.
For more information on Radon, you can visit the EPA Radon Website
The following company has installed radon mitigation systems in our area and was recommended by a Bridgewood Farms homeowner. They are providing a discount to BFHA homeowners.
