InspectAPedia.com InspectAPedia®
Google
InspectAPedia
 

Free Encyclopedia of Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, Repair

Ask a Question or Search InspectAPedia

  • HOME
  • AIR CONDITIONING
  • DAMAGE ASSESSMENT
  • ELECTRICAL
  • EXTERIORS
  • HEATING
  • HOME INSPECTION
  • INTERIORS
  • PLUMBING
  • ROOFING
  • SEPTIC SYSTEMS
  • STRUCTURE
  • WATER SUPPLY
  • ENERGY SAVINGS
  • ENVIRONMENT
  • INDOOR AIR IAQ
  • INSULATION
  • MOLD INSPECT TEST REMOVE
  • NOISE
  • ODORS
  • SOLAR ENERGY
  • VENTILATION
  • EXPERTS DIRECTORY
  • CONTACT US



InspectAPedia ® Home

ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS - INSPECT, TEST, REMEDY

Aerobiology Associations
ACCURACY vs PRECISION of MEASUREMENTS
AIR CLEANER PURIFIER TYPES
AIR FILTERS for HVAC SYSTEMS
AIR FILTERS, OPTIMUM INDOOR
AIR FILTERING STRATEGIES
AIR HANDLER / BLOWER UNITS
AIR LEAK DETECTION TOOLS
AIR LEAK SEALING PROCEDURE
AIR POLLUTANTS, COMMON INDOOR
AIR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT STRATEGIES
AIR TEST FOR MOLD: ACCURACY
AIR TEST SAMPLING CASSETTE STUDY
AIRBORNE PARTICLE ANALYSIS METHODS
AIRBORNE MOLD SPORE COUNT ACCURACY
ALLERGEN TESTS for BUILDINGS
ANIMAL ALLERGENS / PET DANDER
ANIMAL ENTRY POINTS in BUILDINGS
ANIMAL ODORS IN BUILDINGS
ASBESTOS IDENTIFICATION IN BUILDINGS
ASBESTOS MATERIAL REGULATIONS
ASBESTOS REMOVAL GUIDE, FLOORING
ASBESTOS RISK ASSESSMENT
ATTORNEYS and EXPERT WITNESSES

BACKDRAFTING HEATING EQUIPMENT
BASEMENT MOLD
BATHROOM MOLD
BIBLIOGAPHY for ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, MOLD, IAQ
BIOLOGICAL POLLUTANTS
BIOGAS PRODUCTION & USE
Bisphenol-A, BPA
BLACK MOLD, HARMLESS COSMETIC
BLACK MOLD, TOXIC & ALLERGENIC
BLEACHING MOLD, Advice about
BOD WASTEWATER TEST
BOOK MOLD, Moldy Book Cleaning
BOOKSTORE - ENVIRONMENTAL
BLOWER DOORS & AIR INFILTRATION
BLOWER FAN CONTINUOUS OPERATION
BLOWER FAN OPERATION & TESTING
BLUE vs YELLOW COMBUSTION FLAMES
BUILDING SAFETY HAZARDS GUIDE

Cadmium in the home
CAR MOLD CONTAMINATION
CARBON DIOXIDE - CO2
CARBON MONOXIDE - CO
Carbon Nanotube Hazards
CACTUS FUNGI / MOLD
CARPET DUST IDENTIFICATION
CARPET MOLD CONTAMINATION
CARPET TEST PROCEDURE
CARPETING & INDOOR AIR QUALITY
CAT DANDER in BUILDINGS
Cell phone Radiation Hazards
CERAMIC TILE, ASBESTOS in?
CHIMNEY INSPECTION DIAGNOSIS REPAIR
CHEMICAL CONTAMINANTS in WATER
CHINESE DRYWALL HAZARDS
CHLORINE IN DRINKING WATER
CHLORINE IN SEPTIC WASTEWATER
COALSTOVE SAFETY
COMBUSTION GASES & PARTICLE HAZARDS
COMBUSTION PRODUCTS & IAQ
CONDENSATION or SWEATING PIPES, TANKS
CPSC Indoor Air Pollution Book Online Copy

DIRECTORY of MOLD / ENVIRONMENTAL EXPERTS
DIRT FLOOR MOLD CONTAMINATION
Disinfectants
Disinfecting Buildings with Bleach
DRYWALL MOLD
DRAFT HOODS - gas fired
DRAFT MEASUREMENT, CHIMNEYS & FLUES
DRAFT REGULATORS, DAMPERS, BOOSTERS
DRINKING WATER
Diethylstilbestrol - DES
DUCT SYSTEM & DUCT DEFECTS
DUST ANALYSIS for FIBERGLASS
DUST SAMPLING PROCEDURE

EMERGENCY RESPONSE, IAQ, GAS, MOLD
EMF ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS & HUMAN EXPOSURE
EMF Levels of Cancer Risk
EMF MEASUREMENT PROCEDURES
ENVIRO-SCARE - PUBLIC FEAR CYCLES

FEAR of MOLD - MYCOPHOBIA
Fiberboard Insulation Sheathing Mold
Fiberglass Enviro-Scare
FIBERGLASS HAZARDS
FIBERGLASS INSULATION
FIBERGLASS INSULATION MOLD
FIBERGLASS PARTICLE CONTAMINATION TEST
FIBERGLASS INSULATION MOLD
FIBERGLASS PARTICLE CONTAMINATION TEST
FIRE DAMAGE vs MOLD DAMAGE
FIREPLACE INSERTS
Fireplaces & Woodstove Contaminants
FLAME COLOR, BLUE vs YELLOW COMBUSTION
FLOOD DAMAGE ASSESSMENT, SAFETY & CLEANUP
FLOODS IN BUILDINGS-mold
FLOOR DAMAGE DIAGNOSIS
FLOOR & SUBFLOOR MOLD, HIDDEN
FLOOR TILE ASBESTOS IDENTIFICATION
FLOOR TILE HISTORY & INGREDIENTS
FORMALDEHYDE HAZARDS
FUNGICIDAL SPRAY & SEALANT USE GUIDE

GAS DETECTION INSTRUMENTS
GAS EXPOSURE EFFECTS, TOXIC
GAS EXPOSURE LIMITS & STANDARDS
GAS TEST PROCEDURES
GAS FIRED WATER HEATERS
GAS TEST PROCEDURES
GAS PIPING, VALVES, CONTROLS
GLARE, Sunlight/Lighting Control

HEAT LOSS in BUILDINGS
HEAT LOSS DETECTION TOOLS
HEATING OIL EXPOSURE HAZARDS, LIMITS
HEATING OIL PIPING TROUBLES
HEATING OIL SLUDGE
HEATING OIL TANKS
HOUSE DUST ANALYSIS
HOUSEWRAP AIR & VAPOR BARRIERS
HIDDEN MOLD, HOW TO FIND
HOME HEATING SAFETY
HUMIDITY CONTROL & TARGETS INDOORS
HVAC Systems

INDOOR AIR QUALITY & HOUSE TIGHTNESS
INDOOR AIR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT GUIDE
INDOOR AIR QUALITY METHODS COMPARED
INSULATION INSPECTION & IMPROVEMENT
INSULATION IDENTIFICATION GUIDE
INSULATION, ASBESTOS
INSULATION MOLD
INSULATION, UFFI UREA FORMALDEHYDE FOAM
ITCHY FABRICS, DIAGNOSE

LAB & FIELD IAQ EQUIPMENT SOP
LAB PROCEDURES MICROSCOPE TECHNIQUES
LEAD POISONING HAZARDS GUIDE
LEAD CONTAMINATION in WATER, HOW to TEST
LEAD EXPOSURE HAZARDS INDOORS
LEAD IN DRINKING WATER, HOW to REDUCE
LEAD PAINT REMOVAL ALTERNATIVES
LEAD PIPES in BUILDINGS
LEAD in ROOFING, EFFECTS
LEAD TEST KIT for HOME USE
LEAD in WATER, ACTION LEVEL & REMEDIES
LEED GREEN BUILDING CERTIFICATION
LEED Building Designation & IAQ
Legionella Legionnaires' Disease
Legionella BACTERIA & HVAC Equipment
LIGHT, GUIDE to FORENSIC USE
LIGHTNING PROTECTION
LP & Natural Gas Safety Hazards

METHANE GAS SOURCES
MEDIA BLASTING for MOLD REMOVAL
METHANE GAS SOURCES
MICROSCOPE DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY
MILDEW in BUILDINGS ?
MILDEW ERRORS - MOLD PHOTOS
MILDEW REMOVAL & PREVENTION
MOISTURE CONTROL in BUILDINGS
MOLD: A COMPLETE GUIDE TO MOLD
MOLD ACTION GUIDE - WHAT TO DO ABOUT MOLD
MOLD APPEARANCE - WHAT MOLD LOOKS LIKE
MOLD CLEANERS - WHAT TO USE
MOLD CLEANUP GUIDE- HOW TO GET RID OF MOLD
MOLD CLEARANCE INSPECTIONS
MOLD COUNT NUMBER GUIDE
MOLD CONSULTANTS / INSPECTORS
MOLD CULTURE TEST KIT VALIDITY
MOLD DETECTION & INSPECTION GUIDE
MOLD or INDOOR AIR EMERGENCY RESPONSE
MOLD EXPERT, WHEN TO HIRE
MOLD FAQ's
MOLD LEVEL IN AIR, VALIDITY
MOLD ODORS, MUSTY SMELLS
MOLD PREVENTION GUIDE
MOLD RELATED ILLNESS GUIDE
MOLD SAFETY WARNINGS
MOLD SPRAYS, SEALANTS, PAINTS
MOLD STANDARDS
MOLD TEST KITS
MOLD TESTING METHOD VALIDITY
MORGELLONS SYNDROME
MSDS Material Safety Data Sheets
MVOCs & MOLDY MUSTY ODORS
Museum Artifact Preservation
MYCOPHOBIA, STAINS MISTAKEN for MOLD
MYCOTOXIN EFFECTS of MOLD EXPOSURE

Nanomaterials Hazards
NOISE / SOUND DIAGNOSIS & CURE

ODORS GASES SMELLS, DIAGNOSIS & CURE
OIL, HEATING, EXPOSURE HAZARDS, LIMITS
OIL HEAT ODORS
OIL SPILL CLEANUP / PREVENTION
OIL TANK LEAK ODORS
OIL TANKS INSPECT LEAK TEST ABANDON REGS
OXYGEN - O2
OZONE HAZARDS
OZONE for MOLD OR ODORS

PAINTS & COATINGS ODORS IN BUILDINGS
PARTICLE SIZES & IAQ
Particulates & Allergens Indoors
Pesticide Exposure Hazards
PET ALLERGENS / PET DANDER
PET STAINS on FLOORS
PET STAINS on WALLS
PLASTIC CONTAINERS, TANKS, TYPES
PLASTIC HEATER VENT
PLASTIC ODORS-SCREENS, SIDING
PLUMBING SYSTEM ODORS
Pollen Photos
PVC - VINYL BUILDING PRODUCTS

RADON HAZARD TESTS & MITIGATION

SAFETY HAZARDS GUIDE
SAFETY HAZARDS & INSPECTIONS
SEPTIC SYSTEM INSPECT DIAGNOSE REPAIR
SEPTIC METHANE GAS
SEPTIC SYSTEM ODORS
SEWAGE BACKUP TEST & CLEANUP
SEWAGE & SEPTIC CONTAMINANTS
SEWAGE CONTAMINATION in BUILDINGS
SEWAGE PATHOGENS in SEPTIC SLUDGE
SEWAGE PUMPS
SEWER GAS ODORS
SICK HOUSE IAQ QUESTIONNAIRE
SIDING, ASBESTOS FIBER CEMENT
SIDING VINYL
SMELL PATCH TEST to Track Down Odors
SOUND CONTROL in BUILDINGS
STAIN DIAGNOSIS on BUILDING EXTERIORS
STAIN DIAGNOSIS on BUILDING INTERIORS
SULPHUR & SEWER GAS SMELL SOURCES

THERMAL TRACKING Indicates Heat Loss

UFFI UREA FORMALDEHYDE FOAM INSULATION
URETHANE FOAM Deterioration, Outgassing

VAPOR BARRIERS & CONDENSATION in BUILDINGS
VAPOR BARRIERS & HOUSEWRAP
VAPOR CONDENSATION & BUILDING SHEATHING
VENTILATION in BUILDINGS
VINYL CHLORIDE HEALTH INFO
VINYL Siding or PLASTIC Window ODORS
Volatile Organic Compounds VOCs

WATER ODORS, CAUSE CURE
WATER TESTS, CONTAMINANTS, TREATMENT
WATER TEST CHOICES & WATER TEST FEES
WATER TREATMENT EQUIPMENT CHOICES
Well Pollution
WIND TURBINES & LIGHTNING
World Trade Center Collapse Dust Photos

More Information

Radon test kit from RTCA (C) Daniel FriedmanRadon Measurement Guide for Homeowners & Home Inspectors
     

  • Advice for making accurate measurements of indoor radon levels in buildings
  • Where to buy radon test kits & how to use a radon test kit
  • Health effects of exposure to radon gas in homes - a consumer summary
  • Table of lung cancer risk from radon exposure in air or water
  • An easy guide to Radon Remediation in Homes
  • RADON HAZARD TESTS & MITIGATION - home
  • Guide to Measuring Radon - separate article
  • Effects of Radon on Home Sales - separate article
  • How to Remove Indoor Radon - separate article
  • Radon Hazard in Underground Homes - separate article
  • Radon Enviro-Scare - separate article
  • Questions & Answers about methods for measuring the hazard level of radon gas in buildngs
  • References

Click to Show or Hide Related Topics

  • AIR FILTERS, OPTIMUM INDOOR
  • AIR FILTERING STRATEGIES
  • AIR POLLUTANTS, COMMON INDOOR
  • ALLERGENS in BUILDINGS - home
  • ANIMAL ALLERGENS / PET DANDER
  • BACKDRAFTING HEATING EQUIPMENT
  • BIOLOGICAL POLLUTANTS
  • CARPETING & INDOOR AIR QUALITY
  • CAT DANDER in buildings
  • CHINESE DRYWALL HAZARDS
  • COMBUSTION GASES & PARTICLE HAZARDS
  • COMBUSTION PRODUCTS & IAQ
  • DUCT SYSTEM & DUCT DEFECTS
  • DUST SAMPLING PROCEDURE
  • FIBERGLASS HAZARDS
  • FIBERGLASS INSULATION MOLD
  • FIBERGLASS PARTICLE CONTAMINATION TEST
  • FORMALDEHYDE HAZARDS
  • GAS EXPOSURE SCREENING TEST
  • HUMIDITY CONTROL & TARGETS INDOORS
  • INDOOR AIR HAZARDS TABLE
  • INDOOR AIR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT GUIDE - home
  • INDOOR AIR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT, KEY STEPS
  • INDOOR COMBUSTION PRODUCTS & IAQ
  • METHANE GAS SOURCES
  • MOLD: A COMPLETE GUIDE TO MOLD
  • ODORS, Smells, Gases in buildings
  • OZONE HAZARDS
  • PET ALLERGENS / PET DANDER
  • PLASTIC ODORS-SCREENS, SIDING
  • POLLEN PHOTOS
  • RADON HAZARD TESTS & MITIGATION
  • SEWER GAS ODORS
  • Urea Formaldehyde Foam Insulation UFFI
  • VINYL Siding or PLASTIC Window ODORS
InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. We have no relationship with advertisers, products, or services discussed at this website.

Best ways to measure radon: this article explains procedures for measuring the indoor exposure to radon gas in air or water, and we describe the proper steps to remove radon and improve indoor air quality in homes. See RADON HAZARD TESTS & MITIGATION for details about radon in buildings, its health effects, how to measure radon, the effect of radon contamination on real estate values and home sales, and a guide on how to remove radon from buildings.

Green links show where you are. © Copyright 2013 InspectAPedia.com, All Rights Reserved. Author Daniel Friedman.

Guide to Measuring Radon - Sources of Home Test Kits for Radon & Radon Action Level Definition

US EPA Radon Zone Map This article includes excerpts or adaptations from Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, by Steven Bliss, courtesy of Wiley & Sons.

While some regions of the country have more homes with elevated radon levels, high indoor levels can occur anywhere.

For that reason, the EPA recommends that all homes be tested. Although soil testing is possible prior to building, there is currently no reliable way to predict what household levels will be until a home is completed.

Testing indoor levels is straightforward, using inexpensive test kits available from hardware stores or by mail order.

Select a radon test kit that is nationally or state-certified. Our photo (page top) shows an economical radon test kit available from RTCA - the Radon Testing Corporation of America. Home test kits for radon typically cost $20. for one test canister.

The “action level” established by the EPA for remediation in homes is 4 pCi/L, although it recommends that people consider taking action at 2 pCi/L or above—since no exposure level is without risk. The average indoor level in the U.S. is 1.3 pCi/L, while outdoor levels average 0.4 pCi/L.

Really, what is the health hazard from breathing air in which radon gas is detected at 4 picocuries per liter?

As we explain in more detail at Effects of Radon on Home Sales, the original EPA radon gas testing recommendation was for further long term testing if a short term test for radon showed 4 pCi/L of radon in indoor air. The level of radon gas in air, if present at all, can vary significantly over time due to a variety of building conditions such as indoor convective air current changes, building temperature variation, and variations in buildng ventilation. Because real estate sales transactions often do not welcome a year long radon remedy escrow fund impeding the sale of a property, 4 picocuries became an "action level for radon." Readers should note this additional explanation of the hazard level of breathing air contaminated at a level of 4 picocuries of radon:

If you breathe air contaminated with radon gas at an average level of 4 picocuries per liter of air for eighteen hours a day for seventy years, then IFyou contract lung cancer after that time, you can assert that the lung cancer could have been caused by the radon gas exposure. In other words, for 4 pCi/L radon gas exposure for any time period less than 18 hours a day for 70 years, the occurrence of lung cancer in an individual cannot be distinguished from random occurrences in the population and so cannot be asserted to be due to the radon gas exposure - Ed. .

Radon Testing Methods & Procedures

Radon tests should be conducted away from drafts, high heat, and high humidity in a regularly used room on the lowest level in the home that is used as living space, or in radon-testing lingo: test the lowest habitable space. So if your home has a full-height ceiling basement that is presently un-finished but that could be made into living space, it's reasonable to perform the test there.

Short-term radon tests last for 2 to 90 days, and long-term tests run for up to a year. Place the radon test canister 2-3 feet above the floor on a chair, box, or table, in a house that has been closed for at least 24 hours before starting the test and that will be kept closed for the duration of the test period.

Place the radon test canister close to the center of the room, not by a window, door, or masonry such as a brick fireplace that can cause abnormal readings (some bricks contain and emit radon).

Do not place the radon test kit in a dead-air space, and do not place the canister where the building's HVAC system will blow on or across it.

Because radon levels vary daily and seasonally, longer test periods are better indicators of the average level. However, if two short-term tests yield an average result greater than 4 pCi/L, the EPA recommends taking steps to lower the level to 2 pCi/L or lower.

Since 1985, millions of homes have been tested for radon, and an estimated 800,000 homes have been mitigated.

-- adapted with permission from Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction.

For a Thorough Background in Radon Hazards, Radon Mitigation, & the History of Radon Concerns in the U.S. also see these articles reprinted/adapted/excerpted with permission from Solar Age Magazine - editor Steven Bliss.

  • "Radon's Threat Can Be Subdued", part 1 - William Turner, Terry Brennan, Solar Age Magazine Radon and its progeny are the slipperiest pollutants in the indoor environment, but there are simple ways to keep radon and its relations at bay.
  • "Radon's Threat Can Be Subdued", part 2 - what is radon, where does radon come from, how does radon get indoors, and why is radon a problem in buildings.
  • "Radon's Threat Can Be Subdued", part 3 - standards for airborne radon levels in buildings and recommended levels of radon for action, how radon is best detected, and radon action plan.
  • "Radon's Threat Can Be Subdued", part 4 - radon prevention advice for new construction, radon in well water - how it is removed, sources of information about radon gas and radon contamination.
  • "Defeating Radon" part 1- Terry Brennan, Bill Turner, Solar Age Magazine - How does radon get into buildings, how do I know if a building has a radon gas problem, how can I solve radon problems in existing homes, and what can I do to prevent radon from entering new homes. Part 1: where Radon comes from, how to diagnose radon
  • "Defeating Radon" part 2- Guide to keeping radon out of new houses - design details
  • "Defeating Radon" part 3- Key spots to seal, to stop radon gas leaks into buildings
  • "Defeating Radon" part 4- Data on radon levels in buildings before & after radon mitigation treatment
  • "Defeating Radon" part 5- Air filtering, testing after radon mitigation, where to buy radon tests

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

...

Ask a Question or Search InspectApedia

Questions & answers or comments about methods for measuring the hazard level of radon gas in buildngs

Ask a Question or Enter Search Terms in the InspectApedia search box just below.

Technical Reviewers & References

Related Topics, found near the top of this page suggest articles closely related to this one.

  • RTCA, the Radon Testing Corporation of America, is in Elmsford, NY - 800-457-2366
  • US EPA Radon level maps for the United States (747 K PDF file) - US EPA data on radon risk by geographic area - original source http://www.epa.gov/radon/zonemap.html
  • Granite Countertops and Radiation Hazards, U.S. EPA (PDF), retrieved 12/15/2010, original source: http://www.epa.gov/rpdweb00/tenorm/granite-countertops.html
  • RTCA, the Radon Testing Corporation of America, is in Elmsford, NY - 800-457-2366
  • "Radon Basics", Q&A article, Solar Age, April 1984, includes advice for radon-resistant construction for an underground house built of concrete
  • "Radon Basics-PDF", Q&A article, Solar Age, April 1984, includes advice for radon-resistant construction for an underground house built of concrete
  • ...

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

  • Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore. Also see our Book Reviews - InspectAPedia.
  • Home Reference Book - Carson DunlopThe Home Reference Book - the Encyclopedia of Homes, Carson Dunlop & Associates, Toronto, Ontario, 25th Ed., 2012, is a bound volume of more than 450 illustrated pages that assist home inspectors and home owners in the inspection and detection of problems on buildings. The text is intended as a reference guide to help building owners operate and maintain their home effectively. Field inspection worksheets are included at the back of the volume. Special Offer: For a 10% discount on any number of copies of the Home Reference Book purchased as a single order. Enter INSPECTAHRB in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space. InspectAPedia.com editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author.

    Or choose the The Home Reference eBook for PCs, Macs, Kindle, iPad, iPhone, or Android Smart Phones. Special Offer: For a 5% discount on any number of copies of the Home Reference eBook purchased as a single order. Enter INSPECTAEHRB in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space.

  • GO TO Carson Dunlop's Home Study Course Information - How to Become a Home Inspector: Carson Dunlop's nationally recognized Home Study Course, selected by ASHI the American Society of Home Inspectors and other professionals and associations. This website author is a contributor to this course.
  • GO TO Carson Dunlop's Home Study Course Information - How to Become a Home Inspector: Carson Dunlop's nationally recognized Home Study Course, selected by ASHI the American Society of Home Inspectors and other professionals and associations. This website author is a contributor to this course.
  • GO TO Carson Dunlop's Home Study Course Information - How to Become a Home Inspector: Carson Dunlop's nationally recognized Home Study Course, selected by ASHI the American Society of Home Inspectors and other professionals and associations. This website author is a contributor to this course.
    Building inspection education & report writing systems from Carson, Dunlop & Associates Ltd
  • Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, by Steven Bliss. John Wiley & Sons, 2006. ISBN-10: 0471648361, ISBN-13: 978-0471648369, Hardcover: 320 pages, available from Amazon.com and also Wiley.com. See our book review of this publication..
  • ...

HOME ABOUT CONTACT COPYING DESCRIPTION POLICIES PRINTING PRIVACY © 2013 Copyright InspectAPedia.com