Monitoring your home’s indoor radon levels is extremely important to the health and safety of you and your family. Although radon is naturally occurring and will be found in every home at some level, you need to make sure it doesn’t build up to a dangerous level. That is because radon is an invisible, scentless gas that can lead to the development of lung cancer as a result of over-exposure. To help spread awareness about the dangers of radon, January has been designated as National Radon Action Month.

The California Indoor Radon Program

The California Indoor Radon Program was established by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) to collect and maintain information about the presence of radon throughout the state. The following are a few things you should know about the program:

• The goal of the program is to reduce human exposure to radon in both residential and school structures.
  
• The program helps spread awareness to residents of the state about the risks of radon and encourages radon testing.
  
• The CDPH collects information from the California Geological Survey to identify areas with excessive indoor radon levels. Various maps and reports are prepared to identify low, moderate, and high radon potential areas.
  
• The program has been in place for more than two decades.

Testing for Radon 

It’s estimated that the average concentration of radon is around 1.3 picocuries per liter. Outside, it’s around 0.4 picocuries per liter. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) warns people to avoid long-term exposure to radon levels of over 4 picocuries per liter. Radon testing can be done using a radon level detector.

A short-term detector uses activated charcoal to absorb radon from indoor air. It takes upwards of a week to complete such a test. Long-term tests take up to three months or longer and are done using alpha-track detectors.

Test Your Home’s Radon Levels

According to the EPA, around 21,000 lung cancer deaths in the Unites States are caused by radon exposure every year. As such, be sure to check your indoor radon levels. For more health awareness information, visit us at The Benefits Store today.