Photo by Robert Stern (Flickr)
After what was found to be “record high” levels of radon gas in the Center Valley, Pennsylvania area the state Department of Environmental Protection is requesting that residents have their home tested for the silent killer. The agency has disclosed some of the test results of homes in the area, several of which had over 1,000 pCi/L (picocuries per liter) of radon. One home was even found to have radon levels at 2,750 pCi/L, which happens to be the highest recorded value in the state.
It goes without saying these are thousands of times higher than the recommended action limit of 4 pCi/L as set by the U.S. EPA. Exposure to every additional 15 pCi/L per day is the equivalent of smoking a full pack of cigarettes. That said, the radon levels discovered in Pennsylvania are extremely hazardous to one’s health.
The acting DEP Secretary Dana Aunkst says that this is just proof that everyone needs to be made aware of the dangers of radon.
“This community serves as an important reminder to all Pennsylvania residents to test their homes for radon. Protect yourself and your family from this invisible, cancer-causing, radioactive gas.”
Testing is encouraged indeed, for everyone. It doesn’t matter whether you live in Pennsylvania or elsewhere in the country. Radon is the second leading cause of cancer, responsible for the deaths of more than 20,000 Americans each year. It’s a serious issue, that most people aren’t even aware of.
Radon is an odorless, colorless and tasteless gas that can seep into homes through cracks in the foundation, walls and flooring. New homes are built using radon resistant construction and yet they are still susceptible to radon. This is because it’s naturally released as a decay product of elements like Uranium, which commonly reside in the soil and rock under the surface. Since the elements are common, and found in soil, radon can be a problem anywhere regardless of geographical location.
Center Valley Homes Found to Have Extremely High Radon Levels
Colleen Connnolly, a spokeswoman for the DEP says that state law prohibits the agency from revealing the addresses of the tested homes. Apparently, they were clued in as to the high risk of radon once several homes were tested and results were collected. After a test is conducted, they are generally mailed in to a lab where the results are identified and documented.
“We’re probably dealing with homes that are in a 5 to 7-mile square mile area.”
To take action, the agency has sent out more than 500 letters to homes in the area urging residents to test for elevated radon levels. In addition, they’ve also reached out to the Southern Lehigh School District to find out if the schools in the area have also been tested.
Have Your Home Tested for Elevated Radon Levels
It just so happens that winter is one of the two seasons ideal for testing, the other is summer. This is because the doors and windows stay closed most often during the winter, and cold weather can directly influence the radon levels in a home. This is generally when radon levels are at their highest in a home, because they remain sealed for so long. It’s also beneficial for the testing process, which requires that you leave your doors and windows closed during the testing period anyway.
Radon tests can be purchased from hardware stores and some retailers. You can also acquire DIY testing kits online and have them shipping to your home address. If you’re not comfortable conducting the test yourself, you can hire an experience professional to do it for you. That’s the ideal solution, because they can offer advice and guidance if elevated radon levels are discovered, which will require a mitigation system be installed to ventilate the deadly gas.
The DEP agency says that radon has been found in all 67 counties in the state of Pennsylvania, which means the state is definitely “prone to elevated radon levels.” To add to that, about 40 percent of homes in the state are estimated to have radon levels above the recommended action limit. One in fifteen homes in the country are estimated to have elevated radon levels.
Keep in mind, this is not a problem isolated to Pennsylvania, or just certain high-risk states for that matter. It’s a problem anywhere and everywhere.
Via: Morning Call
