Frequently Asked Questions

Are radon levels something I really need to be concerned with?

Yes. For most people, radon is their largest source of exposure to nuclear radiation. The US Environment Protection Agency (EPA) has identified radon as the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. Many homes, particularly homes in the upper Midwest, contain radon concentrations that are high enough to give their occupants lifetime exposure of the same size as those received by underground miners who showed the increased risk of lung cancer mortality.

What is it about radon that makes its harmful?

When radon and its decay products are inhaled into your lungs they emit energetic particles called alpha particles. These alpha particles can strike the sensitive lining of the bronchi. When this happens, the cells in your lungs are damaged, subsequently increasing your risk of developing a cancer.

What levels of radon are safe?

Unknown. Studies of the effects of radon in homes have produced mixed results. Some studies indicate a positive association, other don’t. These are very difficult studies to do well because smoking-related lung cancer is such a large component of the total lungs cancer rate and because it is very difficult to reconstruct the lifetime does from radon decay products for any individual. It is virtually impossible to avoid exposures to radon concentrations below 1 pCi/L because outdoor air generally contains radon concentrations from 0.1 to 1 pCi/L.

Can anything be done to reduce the hazard associated with radon?

Yes, definitely. Often the solution is simple and inexpensive. However, the best solution depends on the size and nature of the radon risk. For example, suppose you find that your basement bedroom has high radon. A possible simple solution might be to avoid spending long stretches of time in that room by moving your bedroom to a lower radon room upstairs, if that option exists. Other situations may require other mitigation solutions. The “standard” active mitigation system, that usually involves soil depressurization, costs about $1,400 to $2,000 installed.

Who can mitigate my radon problem?

In many areas, contractors (called mitigators) are available. The EPA and your state health department can provide you with additional information, including instruction manuals and names of CRP-listed mitigators. Whoever does the work, be sure to make periodic long-term measurements to insure that the system continues to reduce your radon to acceptable levels.

Does the age of my house affect the radon level?

Possibly. Some houses show an increase of radon with age, other houses show a decrease and still other show no change with age. Unfortunately, we haven’t found any single factor like the age of the house, energy efficiency, or basement structure that can accurately predict the radon level in any house. You really have to measure the radon in your house to know for sure.

Why are radon levels in my home “high” while my neighbors’ homes are “low”?

Many things influence the amount of radon in a home. The variation in radon levels from home to home comes from the variation in the factors that control radon entry and retention. There are so many factors like the structure of the soil, the way the house is connected to the ground, the way the house is heated and cooled, that it is extremely difficult to predict accurately the radon in neighboring homes. We’ve found that, in many neighborhoods, most of the homes are within a factor of 2 of the neighborhood average. So, for example, if three of your neighbors made measurements and they averaged 20 pCi/l, your home is likely to have radon between 10 and 40 pCi/L. It is very likely to exceed the EPA’s 4 pCi/L action level.

Are there any other health effects with radon?

Not that we know for sure. No other cancers or diseases have yet been positively associated with radon exposure. However, radon is absorbed into the body and can irradiate tissues other than the lung.

Is radon-related lung cancer fatal?

Most often, yes. Lung cancer is a disease that has a very poor survival rate. Prevention is the most effective defense. Don’t smoke and don’t breathe elevated concentrations of radon.