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What is Radon – Is It in Your Home

Home Inspection

What is Radon –  Is It in Your Home
Radon is a gas produced by the radioactive decay of the element radium. Radioactive decay is a natural, spontaneous process in which an atom of one element decays or breaks down to form another element by losing atomic particles (protons, neutrons or electrons). When solid radium decays to form radon gas, it loses two protons and two neutrons. These two protons and two neutrons are called an alpha particle, which is a type of radiation. The elements that produce radiation are referred to as radioactive. Radon itself is radioactive because it also decays, losing an alpha particle and forming the element polonium
Elements that are naturally radioactive include uranium, thorium, carbon and potassium, as well as radon and radium. Uranium is the first element in a long chain of decay that produces radium and radon. Uranium is referred to as the “parent” element, and radium and radon are called “daughters” or “progeny.” Radium and radon also form daughter elements as they decay. The progeny of radon are called radon decay products, or RDPs.

The decay of each radioactive element occurs at a very specific rate. How fast an element decays is measured in terms of the element’s “half-life,” or the amount of time for one-half of a given amount of the element to decay. Uranium has a half-life of 4.4 billion years, so a 4.4-billion-year-old rock has only half of the uranium with which it started. The half-life of radon is only 3.8 days.

If a jar were filled with radon, only half of the radon would be left after 3.8 days. But the newly-made daughter products of radon (or RDPs) would also be in the jar, including polonium, bismuth and lead. Polonium is also radioactive. It is this element which is produced by radon in the air and in people’s lungs that can hurt lung tissue and cause lung cancer.
Radioactivity is commonly measured in picocuries (pCi).

Because the level of radioactivity is directly related to the number and type of radioactive atoms present, radon and all other radioactive atoms are measured in picocuries. For instance, a house having 4 picocuries of radon per liter of air (4 pCi/L) has about eight or nine atoms of radon decaying every minute in every liter of air inside the house. A 1,000-square-foot house with 4 pCi/L of radon has nearly 2 million radon atoms decaying inside it every minute.

Radon levels in outdoor air, indoor air, soil air and groundwater can be very different. Outdoor air ranges from less than 0.1 pCi/L to about 30 pCi/L, but it probably averages about 0.2 pCi/L. Radon in indoor air ranges from less than 1 pCi/L to about 3,000 pCi/L, but it probably averages between 1 and 2 pCi/L. Radon in soil air (the air that occupies the pores in soil) ranges from 20 or 30 pCi/L to more than 100,000 pCi/L; most soils in the United States contain between 200 and 2,000 pCi of radon per liter of soil air. The amount of radon dissolved in groundwater ranges from about 100 to nearly 3 million pCi/L. Natural Radiation Exposure

Since the beginning of time, all living creatures have been exposed to radiation. We live in a radioactive world. There are many natural sources of radiation which have been present since the Earth was formed. In the last century, we have added somewhat to this natural background radiation with artificial sources. However, the naturally occurring sources contribute about four to five times more radiation than human-made sources.

The three major sources of naturally occurring radiation are:

• cosmic radiation;
• sources in the earth’s crust, also referred to as terrestrial radiation; and
• sources in the human body, also referred to as internal sources.

Cosmic

The Earth and all living things on it are constantly bombarded by radiation from space, similar to a steady drizzle of rain. Charged particles from the Sun and stars interact with Earth’s atmosphere and magnetic field to produce a shower of radiation, typically beta and gamma radiation. The dose from cosmic radiation varies in different parts of the world due to differences in elevation and to the effects of the Earth’s magnetic field. Cosmic radiation comes from the Sun and outer space, and consists of positively charged particles, as well as gamma radiation. At sea level, the average cosmic radiation dose is about 26 millirems (mrem) per year. At higher elevations, the amount of atmosphere shielding cosmic rays decreases and, thus, the dose increases. The average dose in the United States is approximately 28 mrem per year.

Terrestrial

Radioactive material is also found throughout nature. It is in the soil, water and vegetation. Low levels of uranium, thorium and their decay products are found everywhere. This is called terrestrial radiation. Some of these materials are ingested with food and water, while others, such as radon, are inhaled. The dose from terrestrial sources also varies in different parts of the world. Locations with higher concentrations of uranium and thorium in their soil have higher dose levels.

The major isotopes of concern for terrestrial radiation are uranium and its decay products, such as thorium, radium and radon.

There are natural sources of radiation in the ground, rocks, building materials and potable water supplies. Radon gas is a current health concern. This gas results from the decay of natural uranium in soil. Radon, which emits alpha radiation, rises from the soil under houses and can build up in homes, particularly well-insulated homes. In the United States, the average effective whole-body dose of radon is about 200 mrem per year, while the lungs receive approximately 2,000 mrem per year.

Internal

In addition to cosmic and terrestrial sources, all humans are born with naturally occurring radionuclides, such as Potassium-40, Carbon-14, Lead-210, and other isotopes. The variation in dose from one person to another is not as great as the variation in dose from cosmic and terrestrial sources. The average annual “dose” from internal radioactive material is about 40 mrem.

Ionizing Radiation Exposure to the Public

This chart shows that of the total dose of about 360 millirems per year, natural sources of radiation account for about 82% of all public exposure, while man-made sources account for the remaining 18%.

Government of Canada Radon Guideline
Did you know?
The Canadian guideline for radon is 200 becquerels per cubic meter, If the radon level is found to be high, it can be fixed.
Health Canada collaborated with the Federal Provincial Territorial Radiation Protection Committee (FPTRPC) to review the health risk from exposure to radon. The risk assessment is based on new scientific information and was the subject of broad public consultation. Using the risk assessment and feedback obtained from the public consultation, the Government of Canada is updating its guideline for exposure to radon in indoor air. This updated guideline provides advice that is more broadly applicable and more protective than the previous FPTRPC guideline.
The Minister recommends that
• Remedial measures should be undertaken in a dwelling whenever the average annual radon concentration exceeds 200 Bq/m³ in the normal occupancy area.
• The higher the radon concentration, the sooner remedial measures should be undertaken.
• When remedial action is taken, the radon level should be reduced to a value as low as practicable.
• The construction of new dwellings should employ techniques that will minimize radon entry and will facilitate post-construction radon removal, should this subsequently prove necessary.
• In addition to residential homes, the term “dwelling” in this guideline also applies to public buildings with a high occupancy rate by members of the public such as schools, hospitals, long-term care residences, and correctional facilities. The following settings are excluded from this guideline:
o Uranium mines, which are regulated by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission;
o Other mines (e.g., fluorspar mines), which are regulated by provincial mining authorities; and
o Other workplaces which would be addressed by existing guidelines for naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM). Details are given in theCanadian Guidelines for Management of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) and a copy may be viewed or downloaded.
• The “normal occupancy area” refers to any part of the dwelling where a person is likely to spend several hours (greater than four) per day. This would include a finished basement with a family room, guest room, office or work shop. It would also include a basement apartment. It would exclude an unfinished basement, a crawl space, or any area that is normally closed off and accessed infrequently, e.g., a storage area, cold room, furnace room, or laundry room.
• The aim is to remediate and reduce the radon concentration to less than 200 Bq/m³. If the radon concentration is found to be greater than 600 Bq/m³, the remedial actions are recommended to be completed in less than a year; between 200 Bq/m³ and 600 Bq/m³, the remedial actions should be completed in less than two years.
• “As low as practicable” refers to what can be achieved with conventional radon reduction methods in a cost-effective manner. This is consistent with the ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achievable) principle, whereby reasonable efforts are made to maintain radiation exposures as low as possible, with social and economic factors taken into consideration. In most situations, a final level less than 200 Bq/m³ will be readily achievable. In a small number of cases, it may happen that the application of all reasonable remediation techniques will still leave a residual radon level greater than 200 Bq/m³. It is not the intention of this guideline to recommend excessive or unreasonable remediation costs in order to achieve a marginal increase in benefit. Such situations should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
• This Government of Canada guideline is based on the guidance approved by the FPTRPC. The guideline is based upon current scientific understanding. It will be reviewed and updated as appropriate. Further information on the Federal Provincial Territorial Radiation Protection Committee is available.
Brought to you by the Barrie Home Inspector – Your Radon Specialist for Barrie, Alliston, Orillia, Midland, Penetang, Bradford, Newmarket and Aurora

Radon–Characteristics

Home Inspection

Radon-222:

•    is a gas;
•    is odorless;
•    is tasteless;
•    is invisible;
•    mixes with air;
•    is chemically inert (or non-reactive);
•    is found everywhere;
•    decays by alpha-particle emission; and
•    has a half-life of 3.8 days.

Radon Decay Products, or RDPs:

•    are solids, called daughters or progeny;
•    are chemically active;
•    are electrically charged;
•    can attach to air particles and cling to surfaces;
•    have a ratio of progeny-to-radon gas ranging from 0.3 to 0.7 ER (equilibrium ratio),
averaging 0.5 ER;
•    are short-lived (from 0.2 milliseconds to 26.8 minutes);
•    include Polonium-218, 214 and 210, which are alpha-particle emitters, and
these alpha-particle emissions can cause physical cellular damage, such as lung cancer.

Risk Assessment Facts

•    The EPA’s indoor radon program promotes voluntary public actions to reduce the risks from indoor radon.   The EPA and the U.S. Surgeon General recommend that people perform a simple home test using kits which are now widely available in stores.  If high levels of radon are confirmed, it is recommended that those high levels be mitigated or reduced using straightforward techniques.
•    The EPA recently completed an updated assessment of their estimates of lung cancer risks from indoor radon, based on the NAS’s 1999 report on radon titled “The Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation (BEIR) VI.” This report is the most comprehensive review of scientific data gathered on radon, and builds on and updates their previous findings. The NAS concluded that homeowners should still test and, if necessary, mitigate their exposure to elevated radon levels in their homes.
•    Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that is colorless, odorless and tasteless.  It’s naturally produced from the radioactive decay of uranium that’s present in soil, rock and groundwater. It emits ionizing radiation during its radioactive decay, changing into several radioactive isotopes known as radon decay products or RDPs.
•    Radon gets into the indoor air primarily from soil under building structures.  Radon is a known human lung carcinogen and is the largest source of radiation exposure and risk to the general public.  Most inhaled radon is rapidly exhaled, but the inhaled decay products readily deposit in the lung tissue where they irradiate sensitive cells in the airways, increasing the risk of lung cancer.
•    The NAS BEIR VI Report confirmed the EPA’s long-held position that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer, and a serious public health problem. The NAS estimates that radon causes about 20,000 lung cancer deaths each year. The report found that even very small exposures to radon can result in lung cancer.  They concluded that no evidence exists that shows a threshold of exposure below which radon levels are harmless. The report also found that many smokers exposed to radon face a substantially greater risk of getting lung cancer compared to those who have never smoked. This is because of the synergistic relationship between radon and cigarette smoking.

Home Inspector Interview in Florida

Home Inspection

Home Inspector Interview in Florida.   The Real Truth About Home Inspections
2011-05-09 22:40:59 (GMT) (WiredPRNews.com – Business, Press Releases, Real Estate)

05/09/2011 // Fort Lauderdale, FL, US // sheiladanzig // Calvin Johnson

In this month’s TRUTH ABOUT series, I take a look at Home Inspections. Do you really need one? We called a few home inspection services and one inspector, Calvin Johnson, who’s both certified and has 30 years of home building experience, was particularly helpful and generous with his advice.

I now know that obtaining a quality home inspection before you sign on the dotted line is the mark of a savvy investor and, when done right with the right company, can ultimately save you a lot of money.
Here are some of the highlights of my conversation with Calvin Johnson.

SHEILA: First off, what exactly is a home inspection?
CALVIN JOHNSON: A home inspection is an in-depth visual evaluation of the condition of your home. The idea is to identify any problems there may be and advise what repairs should be made, both now and down the road. Think of it as viewing your house through a microscope for problems that might not be readily visible to the untrained eye.

SHEILA: I’m a buyer. Do I really need a home inspection if I’ve already seen inside the house and it’s looks in move-in condition?
CALVIN JOHNSON: A home inspection is not the same thing as simply walking through a house to decide whether or not you want to buy it. When a buyer first “inspects” a house, they are trying to decide whether or not they could be happy living there. They gauge room sizes and the overall layout, perhaps count the number of closets, and flip on a light switch or two. This is not a home inspection. A professional home inspector methodically examines every square foot, looking for red flags that might indicate a need for major repairs, such as electrical or plumbing problems, defective drywall, a roof that leaks or a basement that floods, termite damage, etc. These are all important things to know before a home purchase.

SHEILA: Aren’t I protected anyway if something goes wrong?
CALVIN JOHNSON: You may be, if you can prove the seller knew about a problem and didn’t disclose it beforehand but the burden of proof will fall on you and that can be expensive. But, what if a problem exists that the seller doesn’t know about? Maybe that leaking roof hasn’t seeped water inside any rooms yet, but it will eventually. It makes sense to be prepared and fix something while it’s still minor instead of waiting until it’s major. Mold can go undetected for years if you’re not on the look out for it. That old aluminum electrical wiring may have held up until now but do you really want to risk a fire before replacing it?

SHEILA: Okay, so it’s up to the buyer then? If I’m a seller, I don’t need a home inspection, right?
CALVIN JOHNSON: Actually, it’s a very good idea for the seller to get a home inspection, ideally before they even list their house for sale. If you know what’s good and not so good about your home before you put it on the market, not only will you be smarter at setting the price, but you can also take care of minor repairs before a buyer ever sees it. Those minor repairs will reflect your care and love for your home. Buyers will realize they are getting a quality product.

SHEILA: Are all home inspectors pretty much the same?
CALVIN JOHNSON: No, unfortunately not. As with any other type of contractor, quality varies greatly. I strongly recommend taking the time to interview several contractors before deciding. You want a home inspector who takes pride in doing a good job and wants to take care of their clients. If they’re not particularly helpful when you first interview them, are they really the one you want advising you? Ask about their certifications, how long they’ve been licensed and what other qualifications they offer. Ask if they’ll give you a reference or two from several years earlier (so you can find out if any major problems arose that the clients weren’t warned about). And ask to read a sample report to get a sense of how in-depth their inspections are. My reports cover more than 1,000 individual items that I carefully inspect and note for each client. It’s important to ensure that your inspector will do a meticulous job for you.

SHEILA: How long should the inspection take?
CALVIN JOHNSON: Well, naturally, this depends on the size of the house, but a thorough inspection of a typical home should last at least 2 hours. My inspections usually take two to three hours on an average-sized home. It’s not really possible to do a thorough job in less time than that. Beware if someone tells you that they can do it faster.

SHEILA: Should I be there for the inspection?
CALVIN JOHNSON: Yes, if you can. This is a terrific way to learn the ins and outs of a house, particularly for buyers who are unfamiliar with the property. When clients are with me, I also point out things that may not need to be included in the report but would benefit from, say, an upgrade to avoid problems down the road. It’s a terrific learning experience. I tell my clients to bring a notebook, two pens and a digital camera. Be sure to wear comfortable clothes and shoes because you may be in the trenches a bit with the inspector.

SHEILA: What exactly can I expect from a good home inspector?
CALVIN JOHNSON: A good home inspector will give your home a thorough going over, both outside and in. They’ll look for telltale wall cracks and bulges, check for straight, plumb walls and reasonably precise corners, floor level disparities due to settling and other issues, even potential drainage issues — all of these come under the umbrella of a quality home inspection. An inspector can tell you if the soil grading is acceptable, that is, if the rainwater will pool against the foundation instead of draining away as it should.
I inspect the exterior for signs of active foundation settlement, which can weaken the frame of the home, as well as other structural problems, water or insect damage and wood rot. I evaluate the condition of every door and every window, and the condition of the roof — whether it will need replacing soon or bears the marks of a slipshod replacement job, and whether any leaks exist, all of which can be very expensive issues to remedy if you’re caught unawares.
I also check for proper insulation, the condition of walls and ceilings, cracks and caulking, evidence of Chinese drywall, which has become a real problem in recent years, and for the likelihood that lead paint may have been used on the walls. I look for evidence of insect damage, mold and mildew (both present and past), asbestos, radon and other potential health hazards.

SHEILA: Are the heating and air conditioning systems checked?
CALVIN JOHNSON: Absolutely! A good inspector will always test the heating and cooling systems, verify if the condenser unit coils or fan blades are in good condition, for example, and estimate the remaining life span of the systems.

SHEILA: What about the water pipes?
CALVIN JOHNSON: All visible plumbing is examined. I even check the type of shower pan because metal shower pans only last about 10 or 15 years compared to more superior materials. I check the drain lines, water flow/pressure and how much hot water the water heater provides. I look for water leaks, noisy pipes, the presence of lead pipes, which is a health hazard, and even systems where pipes have been “married” to dissimilar materials, because of the high risk of corrosion and leakage.

SHEILA: Can you advise me about the electrical system?
CALVIN JOHNSON: Certainly. I check to see whether the house is properly wired and grounded, whether there are oversized fuses or breakers in the main panel, and look for any exposed wires or frayed cables inside and out. All of these are very real fire and health risks.

SHEILA: Can the inspector fix the problems?
CALVIN JOHNSON: I can but, unfortunately, most don’t. I have a team available to make any necessary repairs at a very low cost to the consumer. Over the years, I realized that offering quality repairs was something my clients really wanted, particularly long distance buyers who don’t know any reputable, local contractors. I used my decades of home building experience to build a top notch team.

SHEILA: What if there’s a problem? Can I still buy or sell the house?
CALVIN JOHNSON: Don’t despair if your home isn’t perfect. They rarely are. Unless there is a serious structural problem that would prevent a sale, most issues can be dealt with pretty readily. Tackling a small repair can often prevent it from becoming a larger, more expensive one down the road. And, it’s helpful to know that, for example, the roof is fine now but will need to be replaced in, say, 5 or 10 years. That’s normal, but it helps to know now so you’re not caught unawares. And never forget that knowing a home’s strengths and weaknesses helps when negotiating a contract.

By Sheila Danzig, Editor of The Truth About Series

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