Radon
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Radon has no color, odor or taste and doesn't cause short-term symptoms of illness.
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Radon causes cancer.
- It's estimated to cause about 21,000 lung cancer deaths per year in the United States.
- It's the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, according to the surgeon general.
- Only smoking causes more lung cancer deaths.
Radon in Colorado
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Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that comes from the breakdown of uranium in the soil.
- It's a gas that moves up through the soil to the atmosphere.
- High radon levels have been found in all 50 states and in all parts of Colorado.
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In Colorado, about half the homes have radon levels higher than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommended action level of 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L):
How radon gets into your home
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Radon moves from uranium-bearing granite deposits in the soil to the atmosphere.
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Your home sits on radon's pathway from the soil to the atmosphere.
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Your home is usually warmer and has lower air pressure than the surrounding soil, so gases in the soil, including radon, move into your home.
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The most common routes are:
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Spaces between basement walls and the slab.
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Cracks in foundations and/or walls.
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Openings around sump pumps and drains.
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Construction joints and plumbing penetrations.
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Crawl spaces.
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Well water with high radon concentrations.
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The age and/or type of home doesn't matter when it comes to whether high levels of radon are present.
Radon in schools
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Schools are at risk from radon just like homes.
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Colorado statute requires all schools to test for radon and to maintain records of the test results for disclosure on request.
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The statute doesn’t require schools to mitigate, so it’s up to the school district and its constituents to address mitigation issues.
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