RADON. Basic Facts, Risks, Health Effects, and Testing

Transcription

1 RADON Basic Facts, Risks, Health Effects, and Testing

2 Basic Facts What is radon and how does it get into your home

3 What is Radon? A naturally occurring radioactive gas that is released in rock, soil, and water Odorless, invisible, and tasteless Can t detect it without testing Source: Basic Radon Facts, EPA Image:

4 Formation Formed through the natural decay of radioactive metals to a radioactive gas in soil, rock, and water Uranium Radium Radon Image:

5 How Radon Enters Your Home Air pressure in houses is usually lower than that of the surrounding soil so houses act like a vacuum drawing air (radon) into them Points of entry Cracks in foundation Loose pipe fittings Improperly sealed floor drains Sump pumps Well water Image:

6 Radon Doesn t Discriminate Radon can be present at dangerous levels in your home regardless of its style or age Basement, slab, or crawl space New or old house Well sealed or drafty

7 Radon in Well Water Radon can be found in groundwater Studies have found that the levels contained in the drinking water are not at high enough levels to cause cancer like that found in the air Biggest concern with radon in groundwater is when you are using the water for activities like showering where it can be dispersed into the air you breath Can get well water tested Contact Delaware County Water and Sanitation- Dennis Lyons (563) or Iowa State Hygienic Lab

8 Radon Risks Radon risks and levels based upon geography

9 Units of Radon Measurements Radon is measured in picocuries per liter of air (pci/l) A measurement of radioactivity within a defined space Curie is a unit of radioactivity equivalent to 1 gram of radium Pico means a trillionth

10 National Radon Levels Average radon levels Outdoors: 0.4 pci/l Indoors: 1.3 pci/l U.S. Surgeon general & EPA recommended action level: 4.0 pci/l 1 out of 15 homes has radon above the EPA recommended action level Source: Iowa AIR Coalition, IDPH

11 National Radon Zones

12 State Radon Levels Iowa has the highest percentage of homes above the EPA recommended action level Approximately 5 out of every 7 homes Average indoor radon level: 8 pci/l

13 Local Radon Levels Results under 2 pci/l Results between 2 and 3.9 pci/l Results 4 pci/l and above

14 Extreme Variability Levels can very regionally based upon geology, but also can vary from house to house Just because your neighbors house is safe, doesn t mean that yours is

15 Health Effects Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer

16 Effects of Radon on Your Lungs No immediate symptoms Causes cellular damage in the lungs that can lead to lung cancer

17 Deaths Per Year U.S. Deaths Comparison 25,000 20,000 15,000 10,000 5, ,000 17,400 8,000 3,900 2,800 Sources: EPA s 2003 Assessment of Risks from Radon in Homes, CDC s National Center for Injury Prevention and control Report, 2002 National Safety Council Reports

18 Sources: EPA Assessment of Risks from Radon in Homes, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control Reports Radon Risk Radon Level (pci/l) People that could get lung cancer if 1,000 people were exposed to radon at this level over a lifetime Never Smoked The risk of cancer from radon exposure compares to 35 times the risk of drowning 20 times the risk of dying in a home fire 4 times the risk of dying in a fall The risk of dying in a car crash The risk of dying from poison (Average indoor radon level) People that could get lung cancer if 1,000 people were exposed to radon at this level over a lifetime Smokers The risk of cancer from radon exposure compares to 250 times the risk of drowning 200 times the risk of dying in a home fire 30 times the risk of dying in a fall 5 times the risk of dying in a car crash 6 times the risk of dying from poison (Average indoor radon level) 0.4 (Average outdoor radon level) (Average outdoor radon level)

19 Radon Fatalities in Iowa Approximately 400 deaths annually in Iowa as the result of exposure to radon 25 % more deaths from radon than traffic fatalities in Iowa Traffic Fatalities in 2016: 404 Source: Iowa AIR Coalition, Iowa DOT

20 Testing Simple and inexpensive tests make it easy to determine radon levels

21 Types of Tests Do-It-Yourself Test Kits Short Term (2-90 days) Quick results Great for winter testing Long term (3-12 months) Better picture of long-term radon levels Professional Measurement Specialist Certified by the State of Iowa More precise results with capability to see daily fluctuations

22 Do-It-Yourself Test Kits Place in the lowest lived-in level of the home Put in room used regularly, but not kitchen or bathroom Family room, den, and bedrooms are ideal test locations Place 2-6 feet off of the floor where it will not be disturbed Away from drafts, fans, heat sources, high humidity, and exterior walls Keep windows and doors shut while testing except for normal entry/exit of the home Don t do in unusually severe storms or periods of unusually high winds

23 Air-Chek, Inc. Radon Test Kits Available from the ISU Extension and Outreach Delaware County Office.

24 Fill it out Name Address of Test City, State, Zip Code or Fax Number Room

25 Squeeze & push cardboard down

26 Hang it up

27 Remove cardboard and seal it Seal immediately upon completion of test and prior to removing test from the area being tested

28 Complete data Name Address of Test City, State, Zip Code or Fax Number

29 Mail it in

30 Test Results Will results to you within a week if you provide an address Will still mail you a letter with your test results within two weeks

31 What to Do Next 0-4 pci/l Retest at least every two years or if building structure is modified Consider mitigating if radon levels between 2-4 pci/l 4-8 pci/l Retest again using a long-term detector If above 4 pci/l, mitigate 8-80 pci/l Retest again using a short-term detector Average the test results If above 4, pci/l, mitigate > 80 pci/l Immediately contact the Iowa Department of Public Health at (515) Source: The 10 Step Radon Action Plan, IDPH

32 Buying and Selling Homes What home-buyers need to know before purchasing a house

33 What to do If buying a home, have it tested If high, request that it be mitigated If selling a home, test prior to listing it and keep paperwork If high, mitigate it If building a new home, request radon-resistant construction

34 Disclosure Law Iowa has a disclosure law for the seller to indicate the known presence of radon Relators have to give home buyers and sellers a radon fact sheet to make them aware of the potential presence and danger of radon in the home they re considering purchasing

35 Radon Resistant Construction How to build radon resistant homes

36 Questions Charity Loecke Delaware County Public Health P: (563) West Main St. PO Box 359 Manchester, IA Matt Griswold Radon Mitigation Specialist since 1999 EPA License #M00036 and Insured Midwest Systems P: (563) Jade Hargrafen Program Director, Delaware County Iowa State University Extension and Outreach P: (563) N. Franklin St. PO Box 336 Manchester, IA