Iowa Radon Inspection Service

10/09/2021

10/09/2021

HOW CAN ELEVATED LEVELS OF RADON BE FIXED?
Licensed radon mitigation contractors can install a radon mitigation system that provides a permanent solution. A typical radon mitigation system includes a suction point that addresses the soil underneath the structure. A home that has been mitigated will usually have a much lower radon level than the EPA’s action level of 4 pCi/L. Addressing residential radon issues is an excellent step toward assuring good indoor air quality. A list of licensed radon mitigation contractors can be obtained at www.idph.state.ia.us/Radon/Fix.aspx. Additional information can also be obtained from the state radon program at 1-800-383-5992, and the EPA’s website @ www.epa.gov/radon and the American Lung Association @ www.lungusa.org

10/09/2021

WHEN SHOULD RADON TESTING BE COMPLETED?.
Home buyers can test the home they are considering for purchase for radon by contacting a licensed radon measurement specialist. They can find a list of licensed radon measurement specialists at www.idph.state.ia.us/Radon/Test.aspx. The EPA recommends testing your home every two years to ensure radon levels stay below EPA action level. Environmental and/or structural changes may occur, such as home settling causing foundation cracks that could change radon levels. This also includes mitigated homes, to ensure mitigation system continues to work properly. The EPA also recommends retesting if you have renovated or altered your home since you last tested.

IDPH - Radon Program - Testing

10/09/2021

WHAT ARE THE HEALTH EFFECTS OF RADON?
There is overwhelming scientific evidence that exposure to elevated levels of radon causes lung cancer in humans. Radiation emitted from radon can cause cellular damage that can lead to cancer when it strikes living tissue in the lungs. Radon is the first leading cause of cancer in nonsmokers, and the second leading cause of lung cancer overall. It is responsible for about 21,000 deaths every year in the U.S. EPA also estimates that long-term exposure to radon potentially causes approximately 400 deaths each year in Iowa.

10/09/2021

HOW DOES RADON GET INTO A HOME?
Warm air rises, creating a small vacuum in the lower areas of a house. Radon moves through and into the home as air moves from a higher pressure in the soil to a lower pressure in the home. Radon gas seeps into a house the same way air and other soil gases enter: from the soil around and under the home and through cracks in the foundation, floor or walls; hollow-block walls; and openings around floor drains, pipes and sump pumps; and through crawl spaces.

10/09/2021

WHERE IS RADON FOUND IN IOWA?
The U.S. EPA has identified Iowa as an entirely zone 1 state, which means that at least 50% of the homes are above U.S. EPA's recommended action level. Average radon levels of 4 pCi/L (picocuries per liter) are considered elevated, and remediation is recommended. The total average indoor radon level in Iowa is 8.5 pCi/L of air, and in the United States it is 1.3 pCi/L of air. The Iowa Radon Survey has indicated that Iowa has the largest percentage (or 71.6%) of homes above the US Environmental Protection Agency action level of 4pCi/L. (source www.idph.state.ia.us/Radon/Data.aspx)The primary source of high levels of radon in homes is in the soil below and soil surrounding the home. It is found in new and old homes, and in homes with and without basements. Radon levels can vary from area to area and can vary considerably from house to house, even on the same street and neighborhood. A high and low level of radon can be found in homes directly next to each other. Radon is a health hazard with a simple solution.

10/09/2021

WHAT IS RADON?
Radon gas occurs naturally in the soil, and is produced by the radioactive breakdown or decay of uranium and radium. Long ago glacial activity left behind ground-up deposits of many minerals such as uranium in the soil or upper crust in Iowa. Because radon is a gas it can seep into buildings, including homes. It is an odorless and invisible gas that is also radioactive and harmful to humans when inhaled.