January is National Radon Action Month, What Do You Know About Radon?
by San Jose Silicon Valley REALTOR Michelle Carr Crowe
Did you know that January is National Radon Action Month? Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas formed when uranium decays in the soil. Uranium is indigenous in geological formations in San Jose and Silicon Valley. While rarely tested for here, radon is called the "silent killer" because you can't see it, smell it, feel it, etc.
After smoking, radon is one of the major causes of lung cancer, causing over 21,000 deaths each year.
Here are a few ways to quickly learn more about radon, followed by the Radon IQ Test.
2. FAQ's or Frequently Asked Questions about Radon
4. EPA California Listing of Radon, Brownfields & SuperFund sites
5. List of California Radon Potential Maps
6. EPA Brochure-A Citizen's Guide to Radon
Seven Sneaky Ways Radon Invades a Home:
1. Cracks in solid floors
2. Construction joists
3. Cracks in walls
4. Gaps in suspended floors
5. Gaps around service pipes
6. Cavities inside walls
7. Water supply
Image courtesy of: ncradon.org
What Do You Know About Radon? Test Your Radon IQ
Radon Quiz provided by http://homeradontest.com/radon_iq.php.
There are Radon Home Test Kits available for purchase. Short term test kits run about $20 and long term test kits run about $46. Testing a home for radon is as simple as opening a package, placing a radon detector in a designated area, and waiting the prescribed number of days (e.g. short term is 2-7 days), then sealing the detector back in the package and mailing it to a lab for evaluation.
Radon is measured in picocuries per liter of air (pCi/L), which is a standard measurement of radioactivity. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that homes with radon levels at or above 4 pCi/L be repaired to reduce the amount of radon entering the indoor air.
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