There could be many times when you have heard how dangerous radon is. But some of you may not know what radon level is considered hazardous. Although it is indeed better to make every home radon-free, some establishments with high radon levels may not be able to become radon-resistant instantly. But it is essential to target radon levels that are tolerable and safer. But what do radon levels mean? How are they measured, and which radon level is considered safe? Find out all the answers here.
What are Radon Levels?
Radon levels refer to the amount of radon present in your home, school, or office. You can determine them with a radon test. There are several ways on how to test an area for radon. Knowing radon levels is important because it is one of the vital steps to plan on how to reduce them. As mentioned, zero radon level is the safest, but suppose your home has high radon levels, the first thing to do is to lower it.
Which Radon Level is Tolerable?
Since radon is a naturally occurring gas, you’ll never know whether your area will be forever radon-free. That’s why radon testing is recommended every six months. The average global outdoor radon level may vary between 5-15 Bq/m3. This is also equal to 0.135-0.405 pCi/L. It only means that for every 99.9 Bq/m3, or every 2.7 pCI/L, you are increasing lung cancer risk to 16%. According to the World Health Organization, the generally accepted action level is 100 Bq/m3, or 2.7 pCi/L. If your home has high radon levels, it is advised to take remedial action to reduce the radon levels. WHO also suggests an upper limit that should not be exceeded at 300 Bq/m3 or eight pCi/L.
How Do You Decrease Radon Levels?
Suppose you have tested your home for radon and you found out that there are high radon levels; here are the things you can do:
- Consider sealing the cracks and other openings in the foundation. This is one of the basic approaches you can do for radon reduction. Doing so limits the flow of radon into your home. By sealing the cracks and openings, other radon reduction techniques become more effective.
- Get a Heat Recovery Ventilator (HRV). This is also called an air-to-air heat exchanger, which you can install to increase ventilation. Doing so reduces the radon levels in your home.
- Perform house or room pressurization. This radon reduction technique uses a fan to blow air into the basement. It can also be done in the living area from either upstairs or outdoors. With this technique, you are creating enough pressure at the lowest level indoors.
Measuring radon levels is one of the critical steps to prevent anyone from having cancer caused by radioactive gas. Since radon is the second leading cause of cancer, making a radon-resistant home is a must. There are different ways to lower the radon levels at home, school, or office. You may call the nearest certified radon contractor in your area if you need to apply some radon reduction techniques in your establishments. It would be better to target zero radon levels but if your home has high radon levels, what matters most is to reduce them step by step.
