Radon is an invisible, odorless and tasteless gas, with no immediate health symptoms, but exposure to radon can independently increase your risk of developing lung cancer. The amount of radon in any building can be determined by a simple test. If you have elevated radon levels in your home, the problem can be fixed through well-established venting techniques. Radon gas is formed from the natural decay of uranium and poses a health risk to humans. If you are a smoker, your risk of developing lung cancer increases with exposure to radon. It’s important to know this risk is preventable. It is recommended that you test your home for radon every two years, and retest any time you move, make structural changes to your home, or occupy a previously unused level of your home. If you have a radon level of 4.0 pCi/L or more, take steps to remedy the problem as soon as possible.
Americans need to know about the risks associated with radon and have the information and tools they need to take action. That is why the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), is actively promoting the U.S. Surgeon General’s advice urging all Americans to get their homes tested for radon. When families find elevated levels in their home, they can take inexpensive steps that will reduce exposure to radon. An Elevated Level of Radon is defined as any radon level at or above 4.0 pCi/L. However, homes and buildings that have a radon level below 4.0 pCi/L might still pose a health hazard to the occupants. The EPA’s action level of 4.0 pCi/L is based on the technology currently available to reduce the level of radon below 4.0 PCi/L. The lower the level of radon, the less the risk of developing lung cancer due to prolonged exposure to radon. Your family's risk of developing lung cancer from radon depends on the average spend there. The longer your exposure to radon, the greater the risk, especially for smokers. The cost of a home radon mitigation system varies, depending on factors such as the type of foundation (no basement, basement, crawl space, mixed-type foundation). A radon mitigation system can be built into a new home during the construction phase of the home. This is called radon-resistant new construction (RRNC). This type of radon mitigation system is usually less expensive and is more effective than a home already built that is in need of a radon mitigation system.annual level of radon in your home and the amount of time you.

Children are more sensitive to radon because their lungs are smaller and their respiratory rates are twice as high. Doctors say that, by the age of 10, a child receives twice the lung dose of an adult who’s been exposed to radon for the same length of time.

Helping Wyoming families by reducing Radon one home at a time.

How Radon is Mitigated:
You will never find a level of ZERO in any radon test. Even outdoor air typically has 0.2 to 0.7 pCi/l of radon. However, when a home or building is found to have radon levels that can be considered hazardous, action can be taken to reduce it to acceptable levels. There are several methods that can be used to permanently correct this problem.

The most common approach is what is known as “Active Soil Depressurization” or “ASD.” This method involves drawing the soil gasses (including radon) from the soils that are directly adjacent to the structure. In order for this method to be effective, a sealed barrier between the home and the soil must be available to divert the radon out-gassing away from the home.
In a home with a basement, the concrete slab acts as a barrier between the home and the soil. In this case, a PVC pipe penetrates the slab through an existing opening (such as a sealed-off sump basin) or through a hole in the slab that is created with a coring drill. There is usually a small void between the slab and the soil which allows soil gasses (including radon) to collect, become pressurized, and eventually drawn into the home. Once the radon pipe is inserted into this void area and a suction fan is installed, the radon is drawn into the system and released outdoors. This method is known as sub-slab depressurization and is the most common type of ASD systems.

Other forms of ASD work in a similar manner. For example, homes without basements may use the hollow cavities within the block-wall(s) or drain-tile pipes(s) to collect the radon gas and draw it outside before it can enter the home. Homes with exposed dirt or gravel crawl space areas can be mitigated by the use of a plastic membrane installed over the exposed area. Then the pipe and fan system draw the air (and radon) out from under the plastic membrane and release it outdoors.

99% of all radon problems can be corrected by use of Active Soil Depressurization. This is the preferred method of radon mitigation since it primarily involves extracting air from beneath the home’s foundation (which is the air from soil, or “dirty” air.) Since these systems are designed to avoid the loss of “conditioned” (heated or cooled) air from the home, they have very little impact on the efficiency of the home. There are other advantages to having an ASD system in your home. The systems draw moisture out from under the home before it can enter (like a pre-emptive dehumidifier), and have also been shown to reduce mold spore growth, and eliminate airborne bacteria (which develops in the moist soil beneath the home.
Other methods of reducing radon usually involve exchanging the inside air with outside air. This is known as “dilution.” Although dilution can be an effective way of reducing a home’s radon level, it is not practical because of the cost involved in heating and cooling inside air. Imagine the impact on your heating bill if you left windows open in the wintertime.
The most important thing to realize is that a radon problem can be corrected in any home. A home with a radon mitigation system will consistently have radon levels well below the average American home regardless of how high the radon levels were prior to mitigation.