Radon. Please Consider it Seriously

Radon comes from the natural breakdown of uranium in soil, rock and water. The release of this radioactive gas enters the air you breathe, causing a potential health risk to you and your family. Radon gas can be found just about anywhere. It can get into any type of building -- homes, offices, and schools -- and build up to high levels. In concentrated levels, it's dangerous to your health.

What you should know about Radon

Radon is a cancer causing radioactive gas. You cannot see radon and you cannot smell it or taste it, but it may be a problem in your home. This is because when you breathe air-containing radon, you increase your risk of getting lung cancer. In fact, the Surgeon General has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer. You should test for radon.

Testing is the only way to find out about your home's radon level. The EPA and the Surgeon General recommend testing of all homes below the third floor for radon. You can fix a radon problem. If you find that you have high radon levels, there are ways to fix a radon problem. Even very high levels can be reduced to acceptable levels.

If you are buying a home. EPA recommends that you obtain the radon level in the home you are considering buying. An EPA publication "The Home Buyer's and Seller's Guide" is available through most State Health Departments or Regional EPA offices listed in your local phone book. EPA also recommends that you use a certified or state licensed radon tester to perform the test.

If elevated levels are found it is recommended that these levels be reduced. In most cases, a professional can accomplish this at reasonable cost or homeowner installed mitigation system that adheres to the EPA's approved methods for reduction of radon in a residential structure.

What are the Risk Factors?

The EPA, Surgeon General and The Center for Disease Control, have all agreed that continued exposure to Radon gas can cause lung cancer. In fact, their position on the matter is that all homes should be tested for radon gas exposure, and all homes testing over 4 pCi/L should be fixed.

How Does Radon Enter the Home?

Typically the air pressure inside your home is lower than the pressure in the soil around your home's foundation. Due to this difference, your house acts like a vacuum, drawing radon gas in through foundation cracks and other openings of your home. Radon may also be present in well water and can be released into the air in your home when water is used for showering and other household uses.

Cavities inside walls
Cracks in solid floors
Construction joints
Cracks in walls
The water supply
Gaps in suspended floors
Gaps around service pipes

To check the likelyhood of Radon existence in your state, check below.

EPA Map of Radon Zones

The Map was developed using five factors to determine radon potential: indoor radon measurements; geology; aerial radioactivity; soil permeability; and, foundation type. Radon potential assessment is based on geologic provinces. Radon Index Matrix is the quantitative assessment of radon potential. Confidence Index Matrix shows the quantity and quality of the data used to assess radon potential. Geologic Provinces were adapted to county boundaries for the Map of Radon Zones.

Sections 307 and 309 of the Indoor Radon Abatement Act of 1988 (IRAA) directed EPA to list and identify areas of the U.S. with the potential for elevated indoor radon levels. EPA's Map of Radon Zones assigns each of the 3,141 counties in the U.S. to one of three zones based on radon potential:

Zone 1 counties have a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L (pico curies per liter) (red zones)
Zone 2 counties have a predicted average indoor radon screening level between 2 and 4 pCi/L (orange zones)
Zone 3 counties have a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L (yellow zones)

An Adobe Acrobat pdf version of the map is available (suitable for printing): color - zonemapcolor.pdf (327KB file) | black & white - b&wmap.pdf (98KB file)

You can view your State's radon potential map by clicking on your State below.

Alabama || Alaska || Arizona || Arkansas || California || Colorado || Connecticut || Delaware || Florida || Georgia || Hawaii || Idaho || Illinois || Indiana || Iowa || Kansas || Kentucky || Louisiana || Maine || Maryland || Massachusetts || Michigan || Minnesota || Mississippi || Missouri || Montana || Nebraska || Nevada || New Hampshire || New Jersey || New Mexico || New York || North Carolina || North Dakota || Ohio || Oklahoma || Oregon || Pennsylvania || Rhode Island || South Carolina || South Dakota || Tennessee || Texas || Utah || Vermont || Virginia || Washington || West Virginia || Wisconsin || Wyoming

EPA Map of Radon Zones

The purpose of this map is to assist National, State, and local organizations to target their resources and to implement radon-resistant building codes. This map is not intended to be used to determine if a home in a given zone should be tested for radon. Homes with elevated levels of radon have been found in all three zones. All homes should be tested regardless of geographic location.

IMPORTANT: Consult the EPA Map of Radon Zones document (EPA-402-R-93-071) before using this map [call your State Radon Contact for a copy of the Map and the Zones document]. This document contains information on radon potential variations within counties. EPA also recommends that this map be supplemented with any available local data in order to further understand and predict the radon potential of a specific area. If you have questions about radon in water, you should contact your State Radon Coordinator.

[ Back ]