The Surgeon General has warned that radon is a leading cause of lung cancer, second only to smoking. Meaning that if you smoke and are exposed to excessive radon levels, your risk is especially high.
Testing for radon is the only way to know if you are at risk. Many methods are available to detect radon, but the two most popular with homeowners are the carbon canister and the track etch. These devices are placed in either your basement or your living area for a specific amount of time before being returned to wherever they were purchased for analysis.
Measurements can also vary with both the location in your house as well as the season, so to get the best assessment, multiple readings should be taken at different times. Readings taken in the basement during the winter are often found to be the highest.
No level of radon exposure is safe. However, if your long-term exposure will average 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) or higher, the EPA recommends taking action to reduce it. The level of pCi/L measures the rate of radon's radioactive decay, where 1 pCi/L is one trillionth of a curie, 0.037 disintegrations per second, or 2.22 disintegrations per minute.
Therefore, at 4 pCi/L (the EPA's recommended action level), there will be approximately 12,672 radioactive disintegrations in one liter of air during a 24 hour period.
There are many ways to reduce the levels of radon in your home. To find the one that is right for you, you can contact us by e-mail, phone us toll-free, or fill out our online form for a FREE estimate.
We Can Help Keep Your Property Safe From Radon
Call us for more information.
(410) 284-8899
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