Radon Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is radon?
A.
Radon is a radioactive gas that is colourless, odourless and tasteless. It is formed by the natural breakdown of uranium in soils and rocks. Radon also breaks down further to form additional radioactive particles called radon daughters, or "progeny".
Q. Is radon dangerous?
A.
When radon escapes from the ground into the outdoor air, it is diluted to low concentrations and is not a concern. However, radon that enters an enclosed space, such as a home, can sometimes accumulate to high levels.
Radon gas and radon progeny in the air can be breathed into the lungs where they breakdown further and emit "alpha particles". Alpha particles release small bursts of energy which are absorbed by nearby lung tissue. This results in lung cell death or damage. When lung cells are damaged, they have the potential to result in cancer when they reproduce.
Q. What else do we know about radon?
A.
Radon is heavier than air and so tends to accumulate in the lower areas of a building, such as a basement or crawl space. Also, radon levels are generally higher in these areas because they are nearest to the source and are usually poorly ventilated.
Radon concentrations fluctuate seasonally, but are usually higher in winter than in summer, and are usually higher at night than during the day. This is because the sealing of buildings (to conserve energy) and the closing of doors and windows (at bedtime), reduce the intake of outdoor air and allow the build-up of radon.
Q. What about drinking water that contains radon?
A.
Research has shown that drinking water that contains radon is far less harmful than breathing radon. However, when that water is agitated (e.g. showering, washing clothes or cooking), radon is released into the indoor air. The health risk is not one of radon ingestion but of radon inhalation.
Q. Other than lung cancer, are there any other known health effects from exposure to radon?
A.
No. There is no evidence that radon exposure causes any other form of cancer, or other respiratory diseases such as asthma, or symptoms such as persistent coughing or headaches.
Q. How many lung cancer deaths are attributable to radon exposure?
A.
On average, 10% of lung cancers are attributable to radon exposure worldwide. In 2006, an estimated 1900 lung cancer deaths in Canada were due to radon exposure.
Q. I am a smoker. Does radon affect me more than a non-smoker?
A.
Yes. The radon risk for a smoker is much greater than for a non-smoker. For example, if you are a lifelong smoker but are not exposed to radon, your risk of getting lung cancer is one in eight. If you add exposure to a high level of radon, your risk becomes one in three. On the other hand, if you are a non-smoker, your lifetime lung cancer risk at the same high radon level is only one in twenty.
Q. Where in Canada are radon levels the highest?
A.
Radon concentrations differ greatly throughout Canada but are usually higher in areas where there is a high concentration of uranium in underlying rock and soil. Radon is found in almost every home, but concentration levels will vary from one house to another, even if they are similar and next door to each other.
Q. How can radon get into my home?
A.
The air pressure inside your home is usually lower than in the soil surrounding the foundation. This difference in pressure draws air and other gases, including radon, from the soil into your home.
Radon can enter a home any place it finds an opening where the house contacts the soil: cracks in foundation walls and in floor slabs, construction joints, gaps around service pipes and support posts, floor drains and sumps, cavities inside walls, and the water supply.
The only way to find out if your home has a radon problem is to measure the radon concentration inside it.
Q. How can I test my home for radon?
A.
There are radon detectors on the market that measure radon levels for short periods of time, and others that can gather data over many months. Since the radon concentration inside a home varies over time, measurements gathered over a longer period of time are generally considered to give a more accurate picture of the radon exposure. We recommend that homes be tested during the winter months as the radon concentrations are usually representative at this time. Tests should be performed by a qualified radon testing company.
Q. How can I reduce the amount of radon in my home?
A.
If your radon test is above the guideline action limit of 200 Bq/m3, you can take the following steps to reduce your risk:
- Increase the ventilation in the basement to allow an exchange of air.
- Seal all cracks and openings in foundation walls and floors, and around pipes and drains.
- Paint basement floors and foundation walls with two coats of paint and a sealant.
- Ventilate the basement sub-flooring by installing a small pump to draw the radon from below the concrete slab to the outside before it can enter your home.
- Renovate existing basement floors, particularly earth floors.
Q. How much will it cost to mitigate my home?
A.
The cost of reducing radon in your home depends on how your home was built and the extent of the radon problem. Most homes can be fixed for about the same cost as other common home repairs. The average home costs about $1,200 for a contractor to fix, although this can range from about $800 to about $2,500. The cost is much less if a passive system was installed during construction.
Q. Will radon affect the sale of my home?
A.
More and more, home buyers and renters are asking about radon levels before they buy or rent a home. Because real estate sales happen quickly, there is often little time to deal with radon and other issues. The best thing to do is to test for radon NOW and save the results in case the buyer is interested in them. Fix a problem if it exists so it won't complicate your home sale. The added protection can be a good selling feature.
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