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Mary Barajas

What is Radon?

Radon is a colorless gas with no smell. Radon gas is produced by the natural spontaneous process of radioactive decay of the element radium, and that gas surpasses smoking as the number one cause of lung cancer in non-smokers.


This is the map of radon levels measured in Maryland between  2005 and 2016 from the Maryland Department of Health Radon page. You cannot know the level of radon in your home without a radon test. The average indoor radon concentration is 1.3 pCi/l of air. The EPA has identified levels of 4.0 pCi/l of air as the threshold for action and recommends that home with levels between 2pCi/l and 3.9 pCi/l consider implementing a radon mitigation system.


A map identifiying the Average Radom Measurements in Mayland by zipcode
Map of the Average Radon Measurements in Mayland

Common Radon Entry Points There are four main factors that permit radon to seep into homes. All homes have some type of radon-entry pathway.


Common radon-entry pathways include

  • Uranium is present in the soil nearly everywhere in the United States

  • The soil is permeable enough to allow radon to migrate into a home through the slab, basement or crawlspace

  • The basement, such as small holes, cracks, plumbing penetrations and sump pumps

  • A difference in air pressure between the basement or crawlspace and the surrounding soil draws radon into the home

Radon enters through

  • Cracks in otherwise solid floors

  • Gaps in suspended floors

  • Cracks in walls

  • Cavities inside walls

  • Gaps around service pipes

  • Construction joints, and

  • The water supply

 

Radon levels are easily reduceable with the installation of Radon Mitigation systems.


InterNACHI® granted permission to reproduce this information

 

More information may be found here



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