Radon Measurement Service Provider
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~ 1 ~ HOW TO PERFORM RADON INSPECTIONS: RADON MEASUREMENT SERVICE PROVIDER Radon measurement is a specialized type of service that goes beyond the scope of a general home inspection. The purpose of this publication is to provide accurate and useful information for performing radon consultations and tests for residential buildings. The material in this book covers the science, properties and causes of radon, as well as the potential hazards it presents to occupants’ health. Inspectors will learn how to test for radon both before and after mitigation and to make appropriate recommendations. Also presented here are radon testing protocols based on the requirements for the U.S. EPA's former Radon Proficiency Program. This book is designed to augment the student’s knowledge in preparation for InterNACHI’s online Radon Measurement Service Provider Course and Final Exam (www.nachi.org), and includes practice quizzes for select sections. This publication, and the online course on which this book is based, prepare participants for the NEHA-NRPP Measurement Exam, which has been approved by the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI). Contact your state to determine the requirements for becoming certified as either a radon mitigator or a radon measurement service provider, which may include taking the National Radon Proficiency Measurement Exam (NEHA-NRPP). Taking the online course is also a requirement for Radon Certification by the International Association of Certified Indoor Air Consultants (IAC2.org). This manual also serves as a practical reference guide for use on-site at inspections. Authors: Benjamin Gromicko, Director of Online Education International Association of Certified Home Inspectors and Nick Gromicko, Founder International Association of Certified Home Inspectors, and Founder, International Association of Certified Indoor Air Consultants Editor & Layout: Kate Tarasenko / Crimea River To order online, visit: www.InspectorOutlet.com Copyright © 2009-2012 International Association of Certified Indoor Air Consultants (IAC2) www.IAC2.org All rights reserved. ~ 2 ~ RADON MEASUREMENT SERVICE PROVIDER Table of Contents Introduction…......................................................................................... 3 Section 1: What Is Radon?…..……………………………………………… 4 Section 2: Radon and Radioactivity…...………………...………………….. 8 Section 3: What Is an Atom?………...……………………………………… 9 Section 4: Decay Chains and Half-Life.…………………………………… 26 Section 5: Curies, Equations and ER..……………………………………… 33 Section 6: Health Risks………………...……………………………………… 42 Section 7: Do You Have a Well? Radon in Water..……………………… 52 Section 8: Curie and Becquerel……...……………………………………… 55 Section 9: Alpha, Beta and Gamma...……………………………………… 56 Section 10: The Geology of Radon...……………………………………… 64 Section 11: Radon Entry into a House……………………………………… 77 Section 12: Radon Measurement, Instruments and Methods.………… 86 Section 13: EPA Protocols for Radon Measurements in Homes……… 95 Section 14: EPA Indoor Radon Measurement Device Protocols……… 143 Section 15: EPA Recommends ASTM’s Rn Mitigation Standards…… 203 Section 16: EPA Radon Mitigation Standards…………………………… 204 Section 17: EPA Model Standards for New Residential Buildings….… 225 Section 18: Building Radon Out……...……………………………………… 241 Section 19: InterNACHI’s SOP for Inspecting Mitigation Systems…… 296 Section 20: Radon in Water and Removal Methods…….……………… 308 ~ 3 ~ Introduction This book draws upon many resources provided by the International Association of Certified Indoor Air Consultants (www.iac2.org), the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (www.nachi.org), and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Various publications are cited throughout the text for the reader’s further reference. ~ 4 ~ Section 1: What Is Radon? Radon is a gas produced by the radioactive decay of the element radium. Radioactive decay is a natural, spontaneous process in which an atom of one element decays or breaks down to form another element by losing atomic particles (protons, neutrons or electrons). When solid radium decays to form radon gas, it loses two protons and two neutrons. These two protons and two neutrons are called an alpha particle, which is a type of radiation. The elements that produce radiation are referred to as radioactive. Radon itself is radioactive because it also decays, losing an alpha particle and forming the element polonium. Elements that are naturally radioactive include uranium, thorium, carbon and potassium, as well as radon and radium. Uranium is the first element in a long chain of decay that produces radium and radon. Uranium is referred to as the "parent" element, and radium and radon are called "daughters" or "progeny." Radium and radon also form daughter elements as they decay. The progeny of radon are called radon decay products, or RDPs. The decay of each radioactive element occurs at a very specific rate. How fast an element decays is measured in terms of the element's "half-life," or the amount of time for one-half of a given amount of the element to decay. Uranium has a half-life of 4.4 billion years, so a 4.4-billion- year-old rock has only half of the uranium with which it started. The half-life of radon is only 3.8 days. If a jar were filled with radon, only half of the radon would be left after 3.8 days. But the newly-made daughter products of radon (or RDPs) would also be in the jar, including polonium, bismuth and lead. Polonium is also radioactive. It is this element which is produced by radon in the air and in people's lungs that can hurt lung tissue and cause lung cancer. ~ 5 ~ Radioactivity is commonly measured in picocuries (pCi). Because the level of radioactivity is directly related to the number and type of radioactive atoms present, radon and all other radioactive atoms are measured in picocuries. For instance, a house having 4 picocuries of radon per liter of air (4 pCi/L) has about eight or nine atoms of radon decaying every minute in every liter of air inside the house. A 1,000- square-foot house with 4 pCi/L of radon has nearly 2 million radon atoms decaying inside it every minute. Radon levels in outdoor air, indoor air, soil air and groundwater can be very different. Outdoor air ranges from less than 0.1 pCi/L to about 30 pCi/L, but it probably averages about 0.2 pCi/L. Radon in indoor air ranges from less that 1 pCi/l to about 3,000 pCi/L, but it probably averages between 1 and 2 pCi/L. Radon in soil air (the air that occupies the pores in soil) ranges from 20 or 30 pCi/L to more than 100,000 pCi/L; most soils in the United States contain between 200 and 2,000 pCi of radon per liter of soil air. The amount of radon dissolved in groundwater ranges from about 100 to nearly 3 million pCi/L. Natural Radiation Exposure Since the beginning of time, all living creatures have been exposed to radiation. We live in a radioactive world. There are many natural sources of radiation which have been present since the Earth was formed. In the last century, we have added somewhat to this natural background radiation with artificial sources. However, the naturally occurring sources contribute about four to five times more radiation than human-made sources. ~ 6 ~ The three major sources of naturally occurring radiation are: • cosmic radiation; • sources in the earth's crust, also referred to as terrestrial radiation; and • sources in the human body, also referred to as internal sources. Cosmic The earth and all living things on it are constantly bombarded by radiation from space, similar to a steady drizzle of rain. Charged particles from the sun and stars interact with Earth’s atmosphere and magnetic field to produce a shower of radiation, typically beta and gamma radiation. The dose from cosmic radiation varies in different parts of the world due to differences in elevation and to the effects of the earth’s magnetic field. Cosmic radiation comes from the sun and outer space, and consists of positively charged particles, as well as gamma radiation. At sea level, the average cosmic radiation dose is about 26 millirems (mrem) per year. At higher elevations, the amount of atmosphere shielding cosmic rays decreases and, thus, the dose increases. Terrestrial Radioactive material is also found throughout nature. It is in the soil, water and vegetation. Low levels of uranium, thorium and their decay products are found everywhere. This is called terrestrial radiation. Some of these materials are ingested with food and water, while others, such as radon, are inhaled. The dose from terrestrial sources also varies in different parts of the world. Locations with higher concentrations of uranium and thorium in their soil have higher dose levels. ~ 7 ~ The major isotopes of concern for terrestrial radiation are uranium and its decay products, such as thorium, radium and radon. There are natural sources of radiation in the ground, rocks, building materials and potable water supplies. Radon gas is a current health concern. This gas results from the decay of natural uranium in soil. Radon, which emits alpha radiation, rises from the soil under houses and can build up in homes, particularly well-insulated homes. In the United States, the average effective whole-body dose of radon is about 200 mrem per year, while the lungs receive approximately 2,000 mrem per year. Internal In addition to cosmic and terrestrial sources, all humans are born with naturally occurring radionuclides, such as Potassium-40, Carbon-14, Lead-210, and other isotopes. The variation in dose from one person to another is not as great as the variation in dose from cosmic and terrestrial sources. The average annual "dose" from internal radioactive material is about 40 mrem. Ionizing Radiation Exposure to the Public This chart shows that of the total dose of about 360 millirems per year, natural sources of radiation account for about 82% of all public exposure, while man-made sources account for the remaining 18%.