How To Minimize Radon Exposure At Your Home or Business

 

Your small business is your precious baby. Don’t let radon exposure from your business or home office remove you from your business permanently.

Here are some quick tips to help you minimize any radon exposure that can be found at your home or business.

Radon exposure is a serious issue, mainly because radon is a cancer-causing, radioactive gas.

After smoking, radon is the top cause of lung cancer in this country–it’s responsible for about 21,000 deaths a year, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

“If you smoke and your home has high radon levels, your risk of lung cancer is especially high.”  -Surgeon General

Overexposure is symptom-free, and you can’t see, smell, or taste radon. But it may be a problem in your home.  Unfortunately, once you’re exposed, there’s no treatment. Detecting radon and fixing the problem is far easier and less expensive than dealing with lead.

Radon can be found all over the U.S.

Radon comes from the natural (radioactive) breakdown of uranium in soil, rock, and water and gets into the air you breathe. While levels in the outdoor air pose a relatively low threat to human health, radon can accumulate to dangerous levels inside buildings.

Radon can be found all over the U.S. It can get into any type of building—homes, offices, and schools—and result in a high indoor radon level. But you and your family are most likely to get your greatest exposure at home, where you spend most of your time.

No area of the country is free from risk. Indeed, two homes right next to each other can have vastly different radon levels. Just because your neighbor’s house does not have an elevated level of radon does not mean that your house will have a low radon level.

High levels of radon in homes usually come from the surrounding soil.  Radon gas enters through cracks and openings such as sump pump lids and plumbing features—on the lower levels of your home. Hot spots include basements, first-floor rooms, and garages, but radon can be found anywhere in your house.

Radon is measured in picoCuries per liter (pCi/L); 1.3 is considered the national average indoor level. Although 4 pCi/L is the recommended EPA action level, the agency also suggests that you consider remediation at a level between 2 and 4 pCi/L.

How to Know if You’re at Risk

The answer is simple…

You must test for radon.

Testing is the only way to know if you and your family are at risk from radon. Both the EPA and the Surgeon General recommend testing all homes below the third floor for radon.

It’s better to be safe than sorry.

How to Obtain Radon Test Kits

To obtain an easy-to-use radon test kit, you can:

Purchase either a short-term (2 to 7 day) radon kit or long-term (90-day) kits for do-it-yourselfers. Check out the below-recommended kits. Many kits are priced under $25.00.

Long-term radon kits are more accurate.

It’s easy as opening a package, placing a radon detector in a designator area, and, after a set number of days, sending the detector back to a lab for analysis.  The lab will them inform you of your radon results.

Long Term Radon Kits

Here are 3 long-term radon kits that I recommend.  (Note: The below are affiliate links, so purchasing any of the products helps support our mission and community here at Safeguarding Your Business.  Thank you for your support!)

• Accustar Alpha Track Test Kit AT 100 / Radon Gas Testing
• Long Term Alpha Track Radon Detector Kit
• Pro-Lab RL116 Long-Term Radon Gas Test Kit

 Short Term Radon Kits

As of right now, there is only one short-term radon kit that I recommend.

• RTCA 4 Pass Charcoal Canister

Digital Readout Meter

• Safety Siren Pro Series3 Radon Gas Detector

Hire A Qualified Tester

Radon-removal systems can cut the level to 2 pCi/L or lower, the EPA says. They cost $800 to $2,500, or about $1,200 for an average house.

And if that still doesn’t work, you can find a trained pro at epa.gov/radon or by contacting your state radon office.

Also, information about testing your home for radon is also available by calling 1-800-SOS-RADON.

Radon presents a serious health risk, but it can be controlled easily and cost-effectively.  Take action today for your home and home-based business.

And don’t forget to encourage your friends and family members to do the same!