Informal ionf
Free Information
Many publications are available to you. Here are
just a few suggestions:
T^T Home Buyers and Sellers
Guide to Radon
* EPA's Map of Radon Zones
* Model Standards and Techniques for
Control of Radon in New Residential
Buildings, developed by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency and the
building industry with details on how to
install radon-resistant techniques in your
new home.
•*• Architectural Drawings of Radon-Resis-
tant Construction Techniques
Where To Find Free informal ion
* National Center for Environmental
Publications and Information (NCEPI)
http://www.epa.gov.ncepihom/
Or call 1-800-490-91 98
^r EPA's Indoor Environments Division
Website: http://www.epa.qov.iaa/
Also Available
•k The Council of American Building Offi-
United States
Environmental
Protection Agency
EPA/402-F-98-008
April 1998
Appendix F also details radon-resistant
techniques.
Call (708) 799-2300.
Order a kit to explain to your builder the
radon resistant techniques from the
National Association of Home Builders.
Call the Home Builder Bookstore at
1-800-223-2665 and order "Building
Radon Resistant Homes: A Builder's
Independent Study Kit."
Office of Air and Radiation
&EPA Buying a New Home?
How To Protect
Your Family
From Radon
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Protect
Radon causes an estimated 14,000 lung cancer
deaths each year. It is the earth's only naturally-
produced radioactive gas and comes from the
breakdown of uranium in soil, rock, and water.
You cannot see or smell radon, but it can become
a health hazard when it accumulates indoors. It
can enter your home through cracks and open-
ings in the foundation floor and walls. When
radon decays and is inhaled into the lungs, it
releases energy that can damage the DNA in
sensitive lung tissue and cause cancer.
techniques work
Simple and inexpensive techniques reduce radon
levels on average by 50%. The techniques may
also lower levels of other soil gases and decrease
moisture problems.
0It's cost-effective
Building in the features is much cheaper than
fixing a radon problem later.
0Save money
The techniques described here also make your
home more energy efficient and could provide
you an average of $65 savings per year in your
energy costs.
is easy
If high levels of radon are found, a fan can easily
be installed as part of the system for further radon
reduction.
' Simple, inexpensive techniques can be
;used to lower radon levels and in-
p^icrease energy efficiency in your new
home. Here are basic steps to follow
when buying a new home.
1. Check Your Area's Radon Potential
Find out if you are buying a home in a high radon
area. The Environmental Protection Agency's
map of radon zones shows which areas have the
greatest potential for elevated indoor radon
readings. Homes in places with high radon
potential, called Zone 1 areas, should be built
with radon-resistant features. .
2. Install a Radon Reduction System
Talk to your builder about installing a radon
reduction system. You can obtain free copies of
the EPA's Model Standards and architectural
drawings and use them to explain the techniques
to your builder". Let your builder know that the
radon resistant features can be easily installed
with common building practices and materials.
§. Remember: Test Your Home
Every new home should be tested for
radon after occupancy. Test your home
even if it has the radon resistant
features. Test kits are inexpensive and may be
purchased at your local hardware store. Or
simply call the National Safety Council Radon
Hotline at (800) SOS-RADON to order a test kit.
4. If Radon Levels Are Stili High.. Activate
If your home tests at 4.0 picocuries per liter
(pCi/L) or above, activate the system by installing
an in-line fan. Call a local radon mitigator about
installing the fan. Check with your state radon
office for names of qualified or state certified
radon contractors in your area.
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Radon
Average cost to install radon-
resistant features in
an existing home:
$800-12,500
Average cost to install radon-
resistant features during
new home construction:
$iso-$io©
Radon is the second leading
cause of lung cancer after
smoking.
High radon levels have been
found in every state.
Levels can vary widely, even from home to home
in the same neighborhood.
Radon levels can be lowered, and homes can be
built radon-resistant.
The techniques may vary for different foundations and site
requirements, but the basic elements are:
A. 6as Permeable layer
This layer is placed beneath
the slab or flooring system
to allow the soil gas to move
freely underneath the house.
In many cases, the material
used is a 4-inch layer of
clean gravel.
6. Plastie Sheeftag
Plastic sheeting is placed
on top of the gas permeable
layer and under the slab to
help prevent the soil gas
from entering the home. In
crawlspaces, the sheeting
is placed over the
crawlspace floor.
6. Sealing and Caulking
All openings in the concrete
foundation floor are sealed
to reduce soil gas entry into
the home.
D. Venf Pipe
A 3- or 4-inch gas-tight or
PVC pipe (commonly used
for plumbing) runs from the
gas. permeable layer
through the house to the
roof to safely vent radon and
other soil gases above the
house.
I. Junction iost
An electrical junction box is
installed in case an electric
venting fan is needed later.
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