What is Radon?
Radon, a colorless, odorless gas, is produced by the decay of uranium and radium, which occur naturally in most soils. It seeps into basements and can accumulate in unventilated areas. As the gas breaks down, it creates charged radioactive particles. As radon gas decays, it releases small bursts of energy that over a long period of time can damage lung tissue. The radioactive decay chain for radon begins with uranium. Uranium decays through several intermediate steps to produce radium. When a radium atom decays, radon gas is released into the surrounding air or water. Since radon has a half-life of 3.8 days, it has enough time to move from its radium source into buildings, where both the radon and its decay products can be inhaled, delivering a dose of radiation to the lung tissue.
In 1986 the EPA established 4.0 pCi/L and below as the radon level at which corrections should be done, this is better known as the “Action Level”. Two points regarding this number: The 4.0 pCi/L is based on an average reading for a year and very seldom is that reading available.
