RADON IN WATER

WHAT IS RADON AND HOW DID IT GET IN YOUR WATER?

Radon is an invisible and odorless radioactive gas that occurs naturally from decaying uranium underneath the earth’s surface. Although you cannot see, smell, or taste radon, it is there and may be a problem in your home or office. Radon gas rises through the soil and seeps through cracks, holes, and drain pipes in the foundation or basement of your home and office. Radon gas can be found all over the United States and according to the EPA, 1 out of every 15 homes in the United States has high levels of radon gas. Radon gas can also enter your home or office through your water supply. When the ground water, which supplies your home or office, passes through uranium deposits, the radon dissolves into the water. This causes the water to become radioactive, and radon contaminated.

WHAT CAN RADON IN WATER DO TO YOU?

When water-containing radon is used for activities such as showers, baths, clothes washing, dish washing or cooking, the radon in the water is released and inhaled. Radon gas contains radioactive particles, which get trapped in your lungs. As the radon gas particles break down, they release bursts of radiation that damage or destroy your lung tissue, which causes lung cancer, and long-term exposure may even cause death. In fact, the EPA has estimated that there are between 5,000 and 30,000 radon-related lung cancer deaths each year and that radon gas in the #1 cause of lung cancer in non-smokers. Radon in water can be reduced using one of two methods: aeration treatment or granular activated charcoal.

HOW DO YOU FIND OUT IF YOU HAVE A RADON IN WATER PROBLEM?

To find out if radon in water is a problem in your home or office, you must conduct a radon in water test. The PRO-LAB® Radon in Water Test Kit, which meets all new EPA and State guidelines, is the most accurate and reliable test kit available to check the level of radon in water in your home or office. Each test kit provides two (2) glass sample vials which allow you to conduct duplicate samplings in order to get the most accurate results. If you would like to have a professional water inspection, go to www.inspectorseek.com and an IAC2 / INTERNACHI home inspector can identify the source of a potential radon problem in your home or office water supply.