Radon By Josh Mead

Discovery I was discovered by two people - Ernest Rutherford and Friedrich Dorn Dorn was studying radium's decaying chain Originally named Niton after a Latin word for shining nitens Since 1923, renamed to Radon

Deadly It is estimated 21,000 lung cancer cases are caused by Radon per year Radon is found in rock, soil, water, some building materials, and natural gas Exposure can occur in homes, schools, and offices It carries 1,000 times the risk of death than any other EPA carcinogen A family whose home has radon levels of 4 pCi/l is exposed to approximately 35 times of radiation that would allow if that family was standing next to the fence of a radioactive waste site

Properties It is a colorless gas It is the heaviest known gas at nine times denser than air It is an unreactive inert gas It comes from the natural breakdown of uranium in soil, rock, water, and gets into the air we breathe

Uses Not produced as a commercial product Used to influence chemical reactions Used in spas for presumed medical effects Surface label in the study of surface reactions

Reading Prong It is a physiographic subprovince (subregion of the earth) of the New England Uplands of the Appalachian Highlands Consists of mountains made up of metamorphic rock Stretches from Reading PA through NJ, Southern NY, and into CT New tests and surveys indicate that the hazard of Radon may well extend beyond the Reading Prong

Buyer Beware You can’t smell, see, or taste Radon but it can cause serious health issues Any home can have a radon problem Radon moves up through the ground and into homes through cracks and holes in the foundation Before you buy a home, you should test the Radon levels If you are building a new home, you should include radon reduction equipment in your home

Myths Homes with radon are unsalvageable Radon affects only certain homes Radon is only a problem in certain parts of the country A neighbors test is a good indication for your home Testing is difficult, time consuming, and expensive

Facts Radon problems can be fixed with common home repairs Radon can occur in all types of homes whether old or new Radon levels are found in every state Radon levels vary from home to home You can test Radon levels in your home yourself

Cost to Repair Average cost to repair Radon is between $800-$1200 Homes with a crawl space or finished basement may cost more Cost to run a radon system is about the same as leaving a 75 watt light bulb on 24/7 There are other solutions to reduce radon levels

Be Safe It is never to late to test for Radon Testing is the only way to know if you are being exposed to high levels of Radon Cost to Repair is reasonable and can save your life You can contact your state radon office for more information

Work Cited Bentor, Yinon. Chemical Element.com - Radon. Dec. 15, N.p.. Web. 15 Dec Gagnon, S.. N.p.. Web. 15 Dec