United States	520/1-89-027
Environmental Protection	October 1991
Agency
Air and Radiation (ANR-464)
&EPA Reducing
Radon Risks
There are two ways to
protect your family
from Radon.
First, the hard way.
Holding your breath.

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Test Your Home For Radon.
Your Family Will Breathe A lot Easier.
With every breath, your family
could be exposing
themselves to a
radioactive gas called
Radon. It's impossi-
ble to see, smell or
taste. And it could be
accumulating to unsafe
levels in your home
right now.
Radon is found
at high levels in
every state in
America. It seeps
into your home
from the surround-
ing soil, and some-
times contaminates
well water. It's the
second leading cause
of lung cancer in the U.S.- only cigarette
smoking causes more lung cancer deaths.
In fact, the Environmental Protection
Agency and the Surgeon General have
strongly recommended that all resi-
dences (except those above the second
floor in multi-level buildings) be tested
for Radon.
Your family's risk of developing lung
cancer from Radon depends on the aver-
age annual level of Radon in your home
and the amount of time you spend there.
The longer your exposure to Radon, the
greater the risk. And the risk is much
greater for smokers.
Luckily, Radon is easy and
inexpensive to
detect. And homes
with high levels
can be fixed. But
it's up to you to
find out whether
Radon is a problem
in your home.
Millions of people
have tested their
homes already.
Testing Is
Easy And
Inexpensive.
Because Radon is
completely invisible to
sight, smell or taste,
special detection
kits are necessary
to find a potential problem.
Radon detection kits are inexpensive and
easy to use. You can purchase a kit at
your local hardware store or other retail
outlets. Contact your state Radon office,
local Lung Association or contact a radon
professional for more information on
where to purchase a test kit.
After you've completed testing your
home, you simply mail the entire kit to
the manufacturer for analysis (analysis is
usually included in the price of the kit).
You can choose either a short-term or a
long-term testing kit.

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Short-term Testing Is
The Quickest Way To
Determine If A Potential
Radon Problem Exists.
Short-term testing takes anywhere from a
few days lu several months to complete.
The most common testing devices on the
market right now are charcoal canisters,
electret ion detectors and alpha track
detectors. Short-term testing should be
conducted in the lowest livable area of
your home, with the doors and windows
shut, during the cooler months of the
year.
Long-term Testing Is The
Most Accurate Way To
Test For Radon.
Long-term testing can take up to a full
year. Alpha track detectors and electret
ion detectors are the most common long-
term testing devices.
When you buy your kit, be sure to look
for a test kit from a company that has
successfully completed the EPA Radon
MeabuitiiifiiL Proficiency (RMP)
Program. Most companies indicate their
test kit meets EPA requirements on the
test kit box. State offices also have a list
of all Radon measurement companies
that meet state or EPA requirements.
For More Information...
Most test kits contain further information
about testing. If your house does need to
be fixed, you'll get additional
information along with your test results.
If you'd like more information about
Radon and a variety of related subjects
right now, just call your state Radon
office. You'll find a listing of telephone
numbers on the back panel of this
brochure. And when you have tested,
pass this brochure on to your neighbor.
But please be sure to test for Radon as
soon as you can. And you'll all breathe a
lot easier.
30,000
deaths
per year
10,000
Radon
contributes
to thousands
of deaths
Drunk RADON* Drownings Fires Airline
Driving	Crashes
*Radon is estimated to cause between 7,000 and 30,000 deaths per year.

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Some Common Myths About Radon
Myth: Scientists aren't sure radon really
is a problem.
Fact: Although some scientists dispute
the precise number of Radon deaths, vir-
tually all scientists and major health
authorities (like the Centers for Disease
Control and the American Lung
Association) agree with estimates that
Radon causes thousands of preventable
lung cancer deaths every year.
Myth: Radon testing is difficult, time-
consuming and expensive.
Fact: Radon testing is inexpensive and
easy-it should only take a little of your
time.
Myth: Homes with Radon problems
can't be fixed.
Fact: There are simple solutions to
Radon problems in homes. Thousands of
homeowners have already fixed radon
problems in their homes. Radon levels
can be readily lowered for about $500 to
$2,000. Call your state Radon office for a
list of contractors that have met EPA
requirements or are state-certified.
Myth: Radon only affects certain kinds
of homes.
Fact: House construction can affect
Radon levels. However, Radon can be a
problem in old homes, new homes,
drafty homes, insulated homes, homes
without basements— homes of all types.
Myth: Radon is only a problem in cer-
tain parts of the country.
Fact: High Radon levels have been
found in every state. Radon problems
do vary from area to area, but the only
way to know your Radon level is to test.
Myth: A neighbor's test result is a good
indication of whether your home has a
problem.
Fact: It's not. Radon levels vary from
home to home. The only way to know if
you home has a Radon problem is to test
it.
Myth: Everyone should test their water
for Radon.
Fact: While Radon gets into some homes
through the water, you should test the
air in your home for Radon first. If you
find high levels and have a well, test
your water too.
Myth: It's difficult to sell homes where
Radon problems have been discovered.
Fact: Where Radon problems have been
fixed, home sales have not been blocked
or frustrated. The added protection is
sometimes a good selling point.
Myth: I've lived in my home for so long,
it doesn't make sense to take action now.
Fact: You can reduce your risk of lung
cancer when you reduce Radon levels,
even if you've lived with a Radon prob-
lem for a long time.

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Now the
easy way.
Use one of these.

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State Radon Contacts
Alabama
800/582-1866
Alaska
800/478-4845
Arizona
602/255-4845
Arkansas
501/ 661-2301
California
916/324-2208
Colorado
303/331-8480
Connecticut
203/566-3122
Delaware
800/554-4636
District of Columbia
202/727 7221
Florida
800/543-8279
Georgia
404/894-6644
Hawaii
808/548-4383
Idaho
800/445-8647
Illinois
800/325-1245
Indiana
800/272-9723
Iowa
800/383-5992
Kansas
913/296-1561
Kentucky
502/564-3700
Louisiana
504/925-7042
Maine
800/232-0842
Maryland
800/872-3666
Massachusetts
413/586-7525
Michigan
517/335-8190
Minnesota
612/627-5012
Mississippi
800/626-7739
Missouri
800/669-7236
Montana
406/444-3671
Nebraska
402/471-2168
Nevada
702/687-5394
New Hampshire
603/271-4674
New Jersey
800/648-0394
New Mexico
505/827-2948
New York
518/458-6461
North Carolina
919/571-4141
North Dakota
701/221-5188
Ohio
800/523-4439
Oklahoma
405/271-5221
Oregon
503/229-5797
Pennsylvania
800/237-2366
Puerto Rico
809/767-3563
Rhode Island
401/277-2438
South Carolina
800/768-0362
South Dakota
605/773-3351
Tennessee
800/232-1139
Texas
512/835-7000
Utah
801/538-6734
Vermont
800/640-0601
Virginia
800/468-0138
Washington
800/323-9727
West Virginia
800/922-0691
Wisconsin
608/267-4795
Wyoming
307/777-6015
&EPA
Printed on Recycled Paper
United States	Washington DC 20460
Environmental Protection
Agency

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