HomeMy WebLinkAboutEDO-2024-000041What you don’t know
can hurt you!Radon & My Home
How To Identify, Treat & Prevent It
Utah Department of Environmental Quality Radon Program
Office: (801) 536-0091 | Radon Hotline (800) 458-0145
radon.utah.gov
Quick Facts
• Radon is a cancer-causing, radioactive gas, second only to tobacco for
number of lung cancer deaths in the U.S. each year.
• 1/3 of houses in Utah have dangerous levels.
• You can test for and fix radon problems.
• New homes can be built with radon-resistant features.
"Indoor radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer
in the United States and breathing it over prolonged
periods can present a significant health risk to families all
over the country. It’s important to know that this threat
is completely preventable. Radon can be detected with
a simple test and fixed through well-established venting
techniques."
~ Richard Carmona, US Surgeon General (2005)
Order your $11 radon test kit online at:radon.utah.gov
The average outdoor level is 0.4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L), while the average indoor level is 1.3 pCi/L. The average Utah home has 5.3 pCi/L. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) action level is 4.0 pCi/L.
Fix your home if the levels are above the 4.0 action level.
Radon is a cancer-causing, radioactive gas. The U.S. Surgeon General has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer, next to smoking. Radon is estimated to cause 20,000 deaths in the U.S. each year.
You can’t smell, taste, or see radon. The only way to know if you have high
levels of radon in your home is to test
First, RELAX! Radon levels can be fixed inside every home. You can order an easy to use radon test kit at radon.utah.gov for $11.00 or buy one from
a local hardware store. Testing is simple and effective for determining if
your house has elevated radon levels.
A hole is bored in the basement concrete slab and a suction pump
exhausts the gases to the outside.
Radon mitigation systems can be installed to lower your radon level for about the same cost as other common home repairs – usually about $1,500.
In addition to venting radon, the mitigation system reduces asthma triggers, air particles, volatile organic compounds, and mold. Improving the indoor air quality in your home and creating a value added addition
increases your home value.
Because radon is a gas, it can get in where solids can’t. Common problems allowing radon to enter homes include:
1. Cracks in solid floors
2. Construction joints3. Cracks in walls4. Gaps in suspended floors5. Gaps around service pipes
6. Cavities inside walls
7. The water supply
Radon comes from the natural (radioactive) breakdown of uranium in soil,
rock and water and gets into the air you breathe. Radon can get into any type of building – homes, offices, and schools. You and your family will most likely have your greatest exposure at home, where you spend most of your time.
What is Radon?
Does My Home Have High Levels of Radon?
I Have High Radon Levels; Now What?
How Does a Mitigation System Work?
How Much Does Mitigation Cost?
What Does a Mitigation System Do?
How Does Radon Get Into My Home?
Radon Levels Are High In 1 out of 3 of Utah Homes
To order a radon test kit or
to find a list of Utah Certified
Measurement or Mitigation
Providers, go to:
radon.utah.govWhat Do These Test Readings Mean?