How Do I Make My House Safe From Radon?

1. Stop smoking and discourage smoking in your home. …
2. Increase air flow in your house by opening windows and using fans and vents to circulate air. …
3. Seal cracks in floors and walls with plaster, caulk, or other materials designed for this purpose.

Does opening windows help with radon?

Opening windows

improves air circulation and ventilation

, helping move radon out of the house and mixing radon-free outside air with indoor air. … Opening basement windows helps reduce negative air pressure, diluting radon with clean outdoor air.

Is it OK to buy a house with radon?

The EPA states, “Radon is a health hazard with a simple solution.” Once radon reduction measures are in place, home buyers need not worry about the quality of the air in the home. … Since removing radon is relatively simple,

your family will be safe in a home with a radon reduction system in place

.

How much does opening windows reduce radon?

Unfortunately, no,

opening the windows does not reduce radon

. It is not a gas that will just permanently escape the home like smoke from something burning in the oven. The radon may seem to leave when the windows are open, but as soon as they are closed, it is back.

How do you reduce radon in your home?

Other radon reduction techniques that can be used in any type of home include:

sealing, house or room pressurization, heat recovery ventilation and natural ventilation

. Sealing cracks and other openings in the foundation is a basic part of most approaches to radon reduction.

What are the symptoms of radon in your home?

Possible symptoms include shortness of breath (difficulty breathing),

a new or worsening cough, pain or tightness in the chest, hoarseness, or trouble swallowing

. If you smoke and you know you’ve been exposed to high levels of radon, it’s very important to quit smoking.

How quickly can radon affect you?

Radon gas can damage cells in your lungs, which can lead to cancer. Radon is responsible for about 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year in the United States, though it usually

takes 5 to 25 years to develop

.

Does finishing a basement reduce radon?

Again, the only way to ensure you are removing radon from your home is with a mitigation system. Sealing the basement floor can help, but just

sealing the cracks is unlikely to reduce your radon levels

in the long term. Sealing all cracks and applying non-porous, thick epoxy coatings would be a better step.

Is radon a deal breaker?

You can’t see it, smell it, or taste it, but radon gas is a leading cause of lung cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute. However,

the presence of radon in your home doesn’t have to be a deal breaker

.

Does sealing a basement floor reduce radon?

Sealing the basement floor

can help reduce the amount of radon entering the home

. But just sealing the cracks would be unlikely to reduce those amounts in the long term. Sealing all cracks and applying non-porous, thick epoxy coatings (over 10 MILS dry film thickness) would be a better step.

How do I reduce radon in my basement?

An effective method to reduce radon levels in crawlspace homes involves

covering the earth floor with a high-density plastic sheet

. A vent pipe and fan are used to draw the radon from under the sheet and vent it to the outdoors.

Does a fan help with radon?

Most types of radon reduction systems cause some loss of heated or air conditioned air, which could increase your utility bills. … Systems that use

fans are more effective in reducing radon levels

; however, they will slightly increase your electric bill.

Do plants reduce radon?

Radon (

²²²

Rn) is a natural radioactive gas and the major radioactive contributor to human exposure. The present effective ways to control Rn contamination are ventilation and adsorption with activated carbon.

Plants are believed to be negligible in reducing airborne Rn.

Do all homes have some radon?

Any home can have a radon problem

. This means new and old homes, well- sealed and drafty homes, and homes with or without basements. … Nearly one out of every 15 homes in the United States is estimated to have an elevated radon level (4 pCi/L or more). Elevated levels of radon gas have been found in homes in your state.

Does radon make you tired?

Additional, long-term symptoms of radon gas exposure include loss of appetite, weight loss, and

fatigue

. It’s important to be aware of the symptoms above because not only do they indicate symptoms of radon exposure, but consistent exposure to radon can also lead to lung cancer.

Should I worry about radon gas?

But it still may be a problem in your home. When you breathe air containing radon, you increase your risk of getting lung

cancer

. In fact, the Surgeon General of the United States has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States today.