[Imc-michigan] Radon Awareness, Including $110 In Savings!

[National Radon Action Month]

January 29, 2008

Dear Realtor,
 
EPA has designated January as National Radon Action Month.  Enclosed is information and coupons that may be helpful in advising clients during your real estate transaction.
 
Radon Facts
 
RADON is a naturally occurring, invisible, odorless gas that comes from deposits of uranium in soil, rock, and water.  It is harmlessly dispersed in outdoor air, but can threaten human health when it accumulates in buildings.  Radon is a radioactive decay product of radium, which in turn is a decay product of uranium.  Uranium and radium are naturally occurring common elements in soil.
 
What are the Health Effects of Radon? 
Exposure to radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in theU.S.  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that radon causes 15,000 to 22,000 lung cancer deaths in the country each year. Radon can be inhaled into the lungs, where it undergoes radioactive decay. As it decays, radon releases tiny bursts of energy called alpha particles, which can harm sensitive lung tissue by damaging the DNA. This damaged DNA can lead to lung cancer.
 
Where is Radon Found?  The primary source of high levels of radon in homes is the surrounding soil. Hot spots include basements, first-floor rooms, and garages. Radon has been found in elevated levels in homes in every state, and EPA estimates that as many as one in 15 homes across the U.S. have elevated radon levels. No area of the country is free from risk.
 
Dispelling Some Common Radon Myths
 
I don't have a basement, so I probably don't have a radon problem

Radon can seep in from soil anywhere around or under a home, regardless of whether your home has a basement, a crawl space, or is built slab-on-grade. The EPA and the Surgeon General recommend radon testing for all types of homes.  In multi-level homes testing should be done on a level below the third floor.  
 
There doesen't seen to be much proof that radon is a serious health problem

Never before have we had such overwhelming scientific consensus that exposure to elevated levels of radon causes lung cancer in humans.  In February of 1998, the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) presented the findings of their Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation (BEIR) VI Report:  The Health Effects of Exposure to Indoor Radon. This report by the NAS is the most definitive accumulation of scientific data on indoor radon. The report confirms that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. and that it is a serious public health problem. The study fully supports EPA estimates stating that radon causes between 15,000 and 22,000 lung cancer deaths per year.
How to Find a Qualified Radon Service Professional in Your Area
Contact your State Radon Contact to determine what are, or whether there are, requirements associated with providing radon measurement and or radon mitigations/reductions in your State. Some States maintain lists of contractors available in their state or they have proficiency programs or requirements of their own. 
Contact one or both of the two privately-run Radon Proficiency Programs (listed here alphabetically) who are offering proficiency listing/ accreditation/ certification in radon testing and mitigation.  (Reference herein to any specific commercial products, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government.)
The National Environmental Health Association (NEHA)
National Radon Proficiency Program
Toll Free:  (800) 269-4174 or (828) 890-4117  Fax:  (828) 890-4161
Website:  www.neha-nrpp.org/
E-Mail Address:  angel at neha-nrpp.org
The National Radon Safety Board (NRSB)
Toll Free:  (866) 329-3474 Fax:  (914) 345-1169
WebSite:  www.nrsb.org 
E-mail Address:  info at NRSB.org
 
Please be advised, included for your professional needs are coupons valued at $110 from two separate accredited/certified radon testing and mitigation companies operating throughout southeast Michigan for the last twenty years.  Hopefully, this information will help you with any of your radon issues in the future.
 
Your Certified Radon Professionals,
 
Test Technician:  Daniel Heilmann                     Radon Reduction:  Jamey Gelina
D & D Radon Tech                                             Air Quality Control 
Ann Arbor, MI 48103                                          Ann Arbor, Lansing, Brighton
Mobile: 734.255.0427                                         Office: 734.214.0059
Email accurateradon at aol.com                           Email: Jgelina at usa.com
License/Certification #:  NEHA NRPP ID 100219RT       License/Certification #:  NEHA NRPP ID 102508RMT
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.indymedia.org/pipermail/imc-michigan/attachments/20080130/c453d84d/attachment-0001.htm 
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 23148 bytes
Desc: not available
Url : http://lists.indymedia.org/pipermail/imc-michigan/attachments/20080130/c453d84d/attachment-0002.jpeg 
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 69935 bytes
Desc: not available
Url : http://lists.indymedia.org/pipermail/imc-michigan/attachments/20080130/c453d84d/attachment-0003.jpeg