radon in your home presenter information here 4/2014
TRANSCRIPT
Radonin Your Home
Presenter information here
4/2014
Learning Objectives
Knowledge: Origin of Radon &
Health Risk.Comprehension: Influences of radon entry into homes.
Application: Options for testing and mitigation.
A Citizen's Guide to Radon: The Guide to Protecting Yourself and Your Family from Radon
Naturally occurring Radioactive gasColorlessOdorless
“
Radon
What Is It?
Radon3.8 days
Radium1,620 years
Uranium4.47 million
years
Lead
Polonium
Bismuth
Radon – radioactive gas
Radon
Measurement
Radon is measured in picoCuries per liter of air (pCi/L). While no level of radon exposure is considered safe, EPA has set an action level at 4 pCi/L
1 picoCurie is equal to 0.037 radioactive disintegrations per second
According to EPA, if levels are at or above 4 pCi/L, the home should be mitigated
take precautionary actions between 2-4 pCi/L
Radon is the leading cause
of lung cancer
among non-smokers
claiming approximatel
y 21,000 lives
annually.
Radon Health Concern
Inhalation of Inhalation of Radon Decay Radon Decay ProductsProducts
AlphaAlphaParticleParticle
Radiation DamageRadiation Damageto DNAto DNA
Radon Causes Lung CancerRadon Causes Lung Cancer
Radon - A Physician's Guide: The Health Threat With A Simple Solution
Radon and Children
Children have smaller lungs and therefore higher breathing rates.
Children spend up to 70% more time indoors than adults on average.
According to the U.S. EPA, 1 in 5 schools has at least one schoolroom with a radon level that exceeds the recommended level of 4 picoCuries per liter (pCi/L) or higher.
Children are more susceptible to effects of radon.
•Radon in soil and rocks under
and adjacent to buildings, migrates
through foundations, cracks and small openings and concentrates inside buildings.
• Well Water
• Building Materials
Radon &Granite Countertops ?
Not an Issue.
What are the radon levels in your community?
Testing is the only way to know the Testing is the only way to know the radon level of a building. radon level of a building.
Residential Construction Team
short-term/charcoal short-term/charcoal 3-7 day test3-7 day test
long-term/alpha tracklong-term/alpha track3 months to a year test3 months to a year test
DIY Radon Test Kits
DIY Testing - FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS
Kit Instructions Vary – follow instructions!
12-hour closed-house for 2-7 day test Place in Lowest “lived-in” area Place midlevel from floor & ceiling Out of air flow (ductwork and fans) Out of kitchen and bathroom
Radon Testing and MitigationProfessionals
Professional Continuous MonitorCost $600+$315.00 printer
• - de-pressurization - wind- - thermal by-passes- - stack-effect- - vented appliances
- without dedicated - outside air source
- - frozen/wet soils
Factors thatIncrease Radon Levels
RadonMitigation for Existing Homes
Consumer's Guide to Radon Reduction: How to Fix Your Home
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Radon MitigationSub-slab Depressurization
Most common type of radon mitigation system
Suction created by fan draws radon from beneath the concrete slab and safely vents radon outdoors
FanAttic
DepressurizationPiping System
Discharge
RadonMitigation
Sub-SlabDepressurization
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CrawlspaceMitigation …Sub-Membrane DepressurizationSystem
FanAttic
DepressurizationPiping System
Discharge
Building Radon Out: A Step-by-Step Guide on How to Build Radon-Resistant Homes
Building Radon
Resistant Homes
Pre-construction testing is costly and is not 100% - not recommend
Homes can be built to prevent radon entry.Radon-resistant construction includes common building practices and a few added steps.
Radon-resistant features into your new home adds $350-$500 vs. $1,500-$3,000 for existing home.
Homes with radon-resistant features should be tested for radon after occupancy.
Radon Resistant Construction Minimum Rough-In Features
4” layer of gas-permeable material (1/4”-2” aggregate) under all concrete slabs and other floor systems in contact with ground;
Soil gas retarder (6 mil poly) under slab or on ground if crawl space
Minimizing entry routes (sumps, floor openings, etc.)
Passive sub-membrane/slab depressurization system
3-inch diameter PVC pipe embedded vertically in the sub-membrane/slab extending up through the house and terminating about the roof surface
Provisions for a vent pipe power source
Radonin Water
Radon gas contribution from water – 5%
- always focus on radon in air first!10,000 pCi/L in water adds 1 pCi/L to airPrivate wells are greatest problemWater outgases radon – more from hot H2O
Home Buyer's and Seller's Guide to Radon
"Healthy Indoor Environment Protocols for Home Energy Upgrades"
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Thank you!Questions? Comments?
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Radonin Your Home