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Text Box: Are all Radon detectors the same?

Text Box: What is Radon and what are the risks of exposure?

 

Text Box: Radon is a radioactive, colorless, odorless, tasteless gas. It comes from the natural decay of uranium that is present in the soil. It usually enters the home through cracks and holes in the foundation. Radon can seep through construction joints, gaps in suspended floors, around service pipes, through sump pumps and other water supplies and cavities inside walls. Your home then traps the radon.   Radon is denser than air, meaning it will sink to the lowest level in the house. Radon decay products are solids that attach themselves to walls, floors and dust particles. These particles emit alpha radiation that can be inhaled and deposited into the lungs. Scientists have concluded that long-term exposure to alpha radiation can cause lung cancer.   An estimated 15,000 to 22,000 people die each year of cancer related to radon exposure in the U.S.   Every Illinois citizen is exposed to indoor radon to some degree. Radon gas is measured in picoCuries per liter (pCi/L). According to EPA protocols, if a screening result is 4 pCi/L or greater, mitigation or fixing your home is recommended. Listed below are the most recent statistics showing the percent of tested homes, in Illinois, that have elevated radon levels (over 4 pCi/L), by county:   Cook=19%, DeKalb=45%, DuPage=31%, Grundy=20%, Kane=49%, Lake=13%, McHenry=29%, and Will=28%.   No level of radon is safe. Even radon levels below 4 pCi/L carry some risk. You can lower your risk of lung cancer by lowering your indoor radon level. In addition, Radon has been identified as a serious public health problem by a number of U.S. health organizations such as:    The World Health Organization, The Centers for Disease Control, The American Lung Association, The American Medical Association, and The American Public Health Association.   In 1988 the U.S. Surgeon General issued the following health advisory to the public: “Indoor Radon gas is a national health problem. Radon causes thousands of deaths each year. Millions of homes have elevated levels. Most homes should be tested for Radon. When elevated levels are confirmed, the problem should be corrected”.    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Text Box: What if the Radon levels are over 4 pCi/L in the home I’m planning on buying?

 

 

Text Box: View a Sample Report Text Box: Definitely not. American Dream Home Inspection LLC. uses the Radalink Radon Telemonitor. This device has multiple tamper detection features. This is a necessity in a real estate transaction. Unlike easily tampered with, unreliable, less sophisticated, tin can test devices that can be easily tampered with, the Radalink Telemonitor has tamper resistant features. It records hourly readings of radon, temperature, humidity, and barometric pressure over a 48-hour period. It is also equipped with a motion sensor that helps the professional ensure the EPA’s Radon Measurement Protocol is properly followed. Measurements are performed on the lowest ‘live-in” areas of the home such as a basement, the rooms above a crawl space or slab. The collected test information is transmitted to a central analysis facility where a detailed report is rapidly processed and e-mailed to both the inspector and the party who contracted for the radon inspection. The report is mailed to those without e-mail access.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Text Box: First thing don’t panic Radon doesn't need to be a deal breaker. The cost of making repairs (mitigation) to reduce radon depends on how the home was constructed and other factors.  Most homes can be fixed for about the same costs as other common home repairs, like painting or having a new hot water heater installed. The average cost for a contractor to lower radon levels in a home is about $1,000 although this can range form $500 to about $2,500. Also, after mitigation is complete the homeowner will benefit from such things as: the loss of that musty damp smell in the basement & lower moisture content in your basement which could inhibit the growth of mold. For a list of licensed Radon mitigators click on the Illinois Division of Nuclear Safety website below. For the safety of you and your family GET A RADON MEASUREMENT OF YOUR HOME!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Additional information can be obtained at the following government web sites:

 

Illinois Division of Nuclear Safety

http://www.state.il.us/idns/html/radon/radon.asp

 

US Environmental Protection Agency

http://www.epa.gov/radon/

 

 

American Dream Home Inspection LLC
Helping you realize your American Dream
Phone: 847-638-6471                                                                                                                     Fax: 847-387-3036
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