Where is radon the highest in Utah?

Radon-rich readings have come out of Park City, Orem, and other places where mine tailings are common. The action of level of radon is just 4.0 pCi/L, so 300 pCi/L is a severely hazardous amount of radon.

Does Utah have high radon levels?

Radon comes from the natural breakdown of uranium that is in the soil. In Utah, around 1 in 3 homes have high radon levels. These high levels can be found in any kind of home.

How do you know if you are in a radon area?

Testing is easy. You place a plastic detector about the size of a biscuit in your living room, another in your bedroom and leave them for three months. After that you post them off and your radon level is calculated. If the level is high you can take steps to reduce radon levels in your home.

Where are you most likely to encounter radon in a house?

It can enter buildings through cracks in floors or walls, construction joints, or gaps in foundations around pipes, wires or pumps. Radon levels are usually highest in the basement or crawl space. When someone breathes in radon gas, it goes into their lungs, exposing them to small amounts of radiation.

Is radon mostly in basements?

Because radon comes from the earth’s crust it is more commonly found in basements which are lower in the ground. Basements often also have porous walls or other access points that make it even easier for radon to slip in.

Is 4.8 a high radon level?

Levels of 4 pCi/L or higher are considered hazardous. Radon levels less than 4 pCi/L still pose a risk and in many cases can be reduced, although it is difficult to reduce levels below 2 pCi/L.

How do you eliminate radon?

Active subslab suction — also called subslab depressurization — is the most common and usually the most reliable radon reduction method. One or more suction pipes are inserted through the floor slab into the crushed rock or soil underneath. They also may be inserted below the concrete slab from outside the home.

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.

What states have radon gas?

Colorado

Is radon an issue in Utah?

For a closer look at radon issues in Utah, please read the Radon in Utah report. Smoking is by far the greatest risk factor for developing lung cancer. Harmful chemicals in tobacco smoke can damage lung cells which can lead to cancer. People over age 65. Most lung cancers are diagnosed in those aged 65 and older.

Where is radon located?

Radon is present outdoors and indoors. It is normally found at very low levels in outdoor air and in drinking water from rivers and lakes. It can be found at higher levels in the air in houses and other buildings, as well as in water from underground sources, such as well water.

What state is radon in?

Radon exists in every state and approximately 6% of all houses have elevated levels. The highest average radon concentrations in the United States are found in Iowa and in the Appalachian Mountain areas in southeastern Pennsylvania. Some of the highest readings have been recorded in Mallow, County Cork , Ireland.