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Healthy Home Solutions Lesson 2: Radon in your home. < presenter name here>. Knowledge: Origin of radon and health risk Comprehension: Influences of radon entry into homes Application: Options for testing and mitigation. Learning objectives.
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Healthy Home SolutionsLesson 2: Radon in your home < presenter name here>
Knowledge: Origin of radon and health risk • Comprehension: Influences of radon entry into homes • Application: Options for testing and mitigation Learning objectives
A citizen's guide to radon: The guide to protecting yourself and your family from radon
Naturally occurring • Radioactive gas • Colorless • Odorless Radon:What is it?
Bismuth Lead Radon 3.8 days Polonium Radium 1,620 years Uranium 4.47 million years Radon – radioactive gas
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 measurement
Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers, claiming approximately 21,000 lives annually.
Radon causes lung cancer Inhalation of radon decay products Alpha Particle Radiation damage to DNA
Radon - A physician's guide: The health threat with asimple solution
Children are more susceptible to effects of radon. • 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. Radon and children
Radon in soil and rocks under and adjacent to buildings, migrates through foundations, cracks and small openings and concentrates inside buildings.
Testing is the only way to know the radon level of a building. Residential Construction Team
DIY radon test kits long-term/alpha track 3 months to a year test short-term/charcoal 3-7 day test
Kit instructions vary – follow instructions! • 12-hour closed-house for 2-7 day test • Place in lowest “lived-in” area • Place mid-level from floor and ceiling • Out of air flow (ductwork and fans) • Out of kitchen and bathroom DIY testing: follow instructions
Professional continuous monitor Cost $600+$315.00 printer
Factors thatincrease radon levels De-pressurization Thermal by-passes Stack-effect Vented appliances without dedicated outside air source Frozen/wet soils
Radon mitigation sub-slab depressurization Discharge • Most common type of radon mitigation system • Suction created by fan draws radon from beneath the concrete slab and safely vents radon outdoors Fan Attic Depressurization Piping System
Crawlspacemitigation …sub-membrane depressurizationSystem Discharge Fan Attic Depressurization Piping System
Building radon out: A step-by-step guide on how to build 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 Building radon resistant homes
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 Radon resistant construction minimum rough-in features
Radon gas contribution from water – 5%; always focus on radon in air first! • 10,000 pCi/L in water adds 1 pCi/L to air • Private wells are greatest problem • Water outgases radon – more from hot H2O Radonin water
Healthy indoor environment protocols for home energy upgrades
Healthy Home SolutionsLesson 2: Radon in your home Thank you! Questions? Comments?