What if you have radon in your water?
Some radon stays in the water; drinking water containing radon also presents a risk of developing internal organ cancers, primarily stomach cancer. However this risk is smaller than the risk of developing lung cancer from radon released to air from tap water.
How much does it cost to fix radon in water?
Radon can be removed from household water with charcoal filtration or aeration. An aeration system will remove about 99% of the radon. The typical aeration cost is around $4500. A single charcoal system can remove up to 75% of the radon in water and costs about a $1000.
Can radon be in your drinking water?
Radon is a naturally-occurring radioactive gas that may cause cancer, and may be found in drinking water and indoor air. Some people who are exposed to radon in drinking water may have increased risk of getting cancer over the course of their lifetime, especially lung cancer.
How do I get rid of radon naturally?
Some natural ventilation occurs in all homes. By opening windows, doors and vents on the lower floors, you increase the ventilation in your home. This increase in ventilation mixes outdoor air with the indoor air containing radon, and can result in reduced radon levels.
Does opening a window reduce radon?
Opening windows improves air circulation and ventilation, helping move radon out of the house and mixing radon-free outside air with indoor air. Opening basement windows helps reduce negative air pressure, diluting radon with clean outdoor air.
Do all homes have some radon?
Any home can have a radon problem. This means new and old homes, well- sealed and drafty homes, and homes with or without basements. Nearly one out of every 15 homes in the United States is estimated to have an elevated radon level (4 pCi/L or more). Elevated levels of radon gas have been found in homes in your state.
What are the symptoms of radon in your home?
Possible symptoms include shortness of breath (difficulty breathing), a new or worsening cough, pain or tightness in the chest, hoarseness, or trouble swallowing. If you smoke and you know you’ve been exposed to high levels of radon, it’s very important to quit smoking.
Is it safe to live in a house with radon?
Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer after cigarette smoking. If you smoke and live in a home with high radon levels, you increase your risk of developing lung cancer.
How long do you have to be exposed to radon for it to be harmful?
If a person has been exposed to radon, 75% of the radon progeny in the lungs will become harmless lead particles after 44 years. When a particle damages a cell to make it cancerous, the onset of lung cancer takes at least five years, but often takes 15 to 25 years and even longer.
What are the signs and symptoms of radon exposure?
A persistent cough could be a sign that you have radon poisoning.
- Persistent cough.
- Hoarseness.
- Wheezing.
- Shortness of breath.
- Coughing up blood.
- Chest pain.
- Frequent infections like bronchitis and pneumonia.
- Loss of appetite.
How long does radon stay in your body?
The decay products of radon (radon progeny) that are deposited in the lung have relatively short half-lives ranging from less than a millisecond (0.000164 seconds) to about 27 minutes; therefore, they emit radiation for only a short period of time, about three to four hours.
Does finishing basement reduce radon levels?
Radon levels must be reduced even if you are not finishing your basement. Radon is a colorless gas and known carcinogen that can seep into a home from the soil and rock below. Because it comes from the ground, radon levels are usually highest in basements.
Is radon worse in summer or winter?
To answer that question, yes, radon levels in a home tend to be higher during the winter. And those higher levels of radon gas can lead to an increased chance of lung cancer. While indoor radon gas levels are generally higher during winter, sometimes the summer can have higher indoor radon levels.
Do air purifiers reduce radon?
Air Purifiers are great for mold, dust, allergies, bacteria and viruses, and odors, but many people do not know that they can also help with toxins, gases and chemicals such as radon. The most important type of air filter to reduce radon levels is an activated carbon filter.
What is the average radon level in a home?
about 1.3 pCi/L
Is a radon level of 7 safe?
While any amount of exposure to radon gas constitutes a health risk, your risks of contracting lung cancer decrease significantly as radon levels decrease. For example, a person living in a house with a radon level of 4.0 pCi/L or lower has an approximately 7 in 1000 chance of getting sick.
Should I worry about radon gas?
If we breath in high levels of radon over long periods of time this exposure can lead to damage to the sensitive cells of our lungs which increases the risk of lung cancer. Radon causes about 1,000 lung cancer deaths in the UK every year.
What causes radon to spike?
The radon levels of your home can become higher during rainstorms, and this is due to barometric pressure changes as well as changes in the soil beneath and around your home. Winter cold – radon levels tend to increase in the colder months due to the difference in temperature inside and outside of your home.
Does rain make radon worse?
Changes in barometric pressure and other forces can cause indoor radon levels to rise during a rain storm and skew the test results higher than found under otherwise normal conditions.
Why do basements have radon?
Radon comes from decaying Uranium that is contained in the rock and soil beneath the basement (under the foundation) of every home. This process actually draws air more forcefully between the high and low-pressure areas and can pull more air from the rock and soil beneath your home impacting your radon levels.