KNED Help Desk
File IV: Radon Testing
What Is Radon, and Why Is Radon Dangerous?
Radon is a natural radioactive gas released in rock, soil, and water from the natural decay of uranium. It is colorless, odorless, and tasteless. Fortunately, scientists have provided tools to help protect us from radon through the use of a simple test to determine the level of radon in our homes.
If elevated levels of radon are detected, a variety of mitigation strategies are available to help reduce peoples exposure. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is working hard in concert with other Federal, State, and volunteer organizations to educate Americans about the radon health threat.
Test Your Home for Radon
With every breath, your family could be exposing themselves to radon. And it could be accumulating to unsafe levels in your home right now. Radon is found at high levels in every state in America. It seeps into your home from the surrounding soil, and sometimes contaminates well water. It’s the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U. S. - only cigarette smoking causes more lung cancer deaths. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Surgeon General have strongly recommended that all residences (except those above the second floor in a multi-level buildings) be tested for radon.
Your family's risk of developing lung cancer from radon depends on the average annual level of radon in your home and the amount of time you spend there. The longer your exposure to radon, the greater the risk. And the risk is much greater for smokers.
Luckily, radon is easy and inexpensive to detect. And homes with high levels can be fixed. But it is up to you to find out whether radon is a problem in your home.
What to Expect
Radon testing takes 7 days. A KNED staff member will arrive and place the radon testing canister in the lowest floor of your home. If your house has a basement, we will place the canister anywhere in the basement, except in a garage, root cellar, or crawl space.
Within the selected room, the canister should not be in a location frequently exposed to noticeable drafts of an open door, window, fireplace, etc. The canister should be exposed to air people breathe. It will be placed on a table or shelf at least 2 feet above the floor and should be in open air, not a closet, drawer, cupboard, etc.
The canister will be opened and exposed to the air for 7 full days (168) hours and then returned immediately for processing.
Important Note:
Please make sure that for 12 hours before and during the 7-day measurement period:
- Windows and external doors are kept closed, except for normal entry and exit.
- Fans or ventilation systems that use outside air, such as attic fans, are not operated.
Information for this article was obtained from the following online sources:
1. Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) - Radon From www.epa.gov
