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Follow the instructions for leaving the kit in your house for the required number of days. Because radon gas can’t be seen or smelled, the only way to know whether you're being exposed to it is to test for it. A Citizen’s Guide to Radon, produced by the EPA, explains how to test your home for radon easily and inexpensively, and what to do if your levels are too high. Radon levels CAN be higher in winter months due to houses being closed up. The only way to know if your home has high levels of radon is to test.
Radon gas trapped inside of your home can build up to unsafe levels. After years of exposure to it, you can develop severe health issues like lung cancer. Place your testing kit in a room on the first livable floor of your home. For example, if you have a family room in your basement, the kit should be placed in this room. If your basement is simply used for storage and nobody spends any significant time there, you should place it in a room on the first floor of your house. Try to avoid placing it in rooms where there may be significant moisture such as a kitchen, bathroom or laundry room.
What is Radon and Should I Test My Home for it?
Similar systems can also be installed in houses with crawl spaces. The right system depends on the design of your home and other factors like whether your home has a basement. If your house has high radon levels, it’s important to act, but don’t overreact. Risks from radon are cumulative, which means serious effects result from exposure to high levels over a long period of time. It is prudent to test radon levels and decide on a course of action. But you don’t have to move out of your house or hire the first contractor who can fix the problem.
Learn more about each testing option to determine which is best for your property. Expert advice from Bob Vila, the most trusted name in home improvement, home remodeling, home repair, and DIY. Test your home again if you start living on a lower level . Once the test is completed, follow the directions on the test kit packaging to find out where to send the device to get the results. At the American Cancer Society, we’re on a mission to free the world from cancer.
STEP 1: Set up a short-term radon test.
Environmental Protection Agency that every home should be tested in order to know that home's radon level. In zip codes with few radon results, there is low confidence that the reported average is representative of radon levels in that area. All test results are from do-it-yourself tests done by home owners or tests done by radon measurement professionals. If your test results come back as 4pCi/L or higher, you need to take quick action to mitigate the radon in your home.
Most kits are very affordable and can be found for under $20. Some kits include the lab fee and others charge a separate fee. The most important thing to consider when choosing a kit is to make sure that the kit meets EPA standards.
Is radon testing necessary?
It offers compensation for lung cancer and some other lung diseases to people who qualify. The American Cancer Society offers programs and services to help you during and after cancer treatment. We can also help you find other free or low-cost resources available. You can help reduce your risk of cancer by making healthy choices like eating right, staying active and not smoking. It’s also important to follow recommended screening guidelines, which can help detect certain cancers early.
The cost of reducing radon in your home depends on how your home was built and the extent of the radon problem, so the cost to fix it can vary widely. However, most homes can be fixed for about the same cost as other common home repairs. Contact your state radon officeexternal iconfor more information, or get one or more estimates from qualified contractorsexternal icon. If you smoke, quitting is still the best way to reduce your risk of lung cancer. To find out more about radon test kits, please see the EPA Radon Hotlines and Information Resources. You can hire a professional tester or do it yourself with a kit you buy at a hardware store or online.
Radon poisoning is just one of the ways your house may be making you sick. While short-term radon tests deliver the fastest results, they are not always the most accurate option. Radon levels can fluctuate over time, so the reading you get over just a few days may not be reflective of the level of radon present in your home at other times during the year.
Increase air flow in your house by opening windows and using fans and vents to circulate air.Natural ventilation in any type of house is only a temporary strategy to reduce radon. Stop smoking and discourage smoking in your home.Smoking significantly increases the risk of lung cancer from radon. Of course, there are other methods that can be used to cheat a radon test.
Though radon testing isn’t part of the standard inspection checklist, many inspectors have additional training in radon testing to meet all of their client’s needs. This provides one-stop shopping for real estate agents and clients looking for a complete picture of a property’s pros and cons. Though a hardware store kit is convenient, it’s not the most accurate or complete measure of radon in your home. These kits tend to be small, and their placement can determine what type of reading you get. Hiring a professional will help ensure that you get accurate results.
A new study finds the only reliable way to measure exposure to radon gas is with a long-term testing kit, 90 or more days. Researchers placed two test kits, a short term (five-day) and long term (90-day) in the same homes. Licensed mitigators can be found across all states and have been trained to install mitigation systems that reduce your home’s radon levels. To find someone for mitigation work, you should get in touch with your state radon contact (/states), who will have a list of licensed mitigators who do work in your area.
A basic system can effectively reduce radon levels by 50%. Radon-resistant new construction incorporates techniques to seal soil gas entry points, prevent radon gas intrusion, and vent the radon outdoors. The techniques and materials needed to install a system are commonly used in construction.
The EPA estimates that as many as 20,000 lung cancer deaths every year can be attributed to radon exposure. The Wold Health Organization believes that up to 15% of lung cancer deaths worldwide are caused by radon. While the exact number is debated, all major health organizations agree that radon can be linked to thousands of deaths – most of which are preventable. Whether or not one has allergies, it is vital to understand that what is contained in indoor air affects one’s health – even if you can’t smell, see, or taste it.
If you smoke and you know you’ve been exposed to high levels of radon, it’s very important to quit smoking. The combination of cigarette smoking and radon exposure raises the risk of lung cancer more than either smoking or radon exposure alone. The additional cost at the time of construction is minimal. When installed properly, the basic radon-resistant new construction techniques greatly reducethe lung cancer riskthat may occur from radon in the home.
People who smoke and are exposed to radon are at a greater risk of developing lung cancer. According to the Centers for Disease Control , long term radon testing is more likely to provide you with accurate results. The gas can move though foundation cracks and other holes within a home or building, causing it to become trapped inside. If the radon levels become too high within a structure, it can pose serious health concerns.
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