Why Do Radon Levels Fluctuate
Radon testing is the only way to know the level of exposure to cancer-causing radon gas. Radon is a naturally occurring gas with no color, taste, or odor that silently seeps into our homes, earning it the nickname 'Silent Killer'. It’s the leading cause of lung cancer among those who do not smoke, accounting for 16.5% of all lung cancer deaths in the United States. Recognizing that radon levels fluctuate, often overlooked, is crucial because prolonged exposure to high levels of radon significantly increases the risk of lung cancer.
By continuously monitoring how radon levels fluctuate we can proactively prevent lung cancer risk associated with radon exposure. Through accurate radon testing, timely action, and effective mitigation measures, homeowners can safeguard not only their well-being but also that of their loved ones.
In this blog, we’ll explain why radon levels fluctuate, their implications for homeowners, and effective radon testing and mitigation strategies.
Below are the reasons why radon levels fluctuate:
- Temperature differences: indoors vs. outdoors
- Home sealing and insulation levels
- Insufficient home ventilation system
- Increased heating in colder seasons
- Weather conditions like snow, ice, or rain
- Decreased airflow during inactivity or sleep
- Home occupancy patterns
- Variations in atmospheric pressure
Radon Levels Fluctuate from Season to Season
Many homeowners begin to monitor their radon levels during the spring or summer, shortly after moving into a new home. The weather is nice, and there's little temperature difference between indoors and outdoors. During warmer months, homes are well-ventilated with open windows and doors, typically yielding lower measurements in radon testing results.
However, as temperatures drop and we seal our homes tightly against the cold, we see a different radon trend. The temperature between indoors and outdoors is now different. With reduced ventilation and continued heating, radon becomes trapped indoors. This is how.
You may notice that when heating your home, the upper floors are often warmer than the lower ones. This happens because warm air naturally rises and escapes through the roof, creating a vacuum-like airflow. This airflow accelerates the radon gas entry from the soil into the house. The gas moves upwards along with the warm air, entering the house through cracks in the foundation, gathering at the ground level, and gradually diluting as it ascends to the upper floors.
Keep in mind that airtight and energy-efficient homes are designed to minimize the exchange of air between the inside and outside environments. While this is beneficial for reducing energy consumption and maintaining comfortable indoor temperatures, if planned energy-efficient ventilation isn’t added, it can trap indoor air pollutants, including radon gas.
Moreover, snow and ice around the house can worsen this process, making it easier for radon gas to get in. This effect is the strongest during the colder months when the temperature difference between indoors and outdoors is at its peak, leading to higher radon levels (see the graph below).
Ignoring seasonal radon changes raises the risk of prolonged exposure to high levels significantly increasing the risk of lung cancer.
Radon Seasonal Variations: EcoQube Data Analysis, January - December 2023, Colorado.
Radon Levels Fluctuate Every Day
Besides seasonal variations, radon levels often rise naturally during nighttime. It's common to observe radon levels increasing, particularly in the hours before sunrise. This phenomenon happens, again, due to the peak temperature difference between indoor and outdoor environments, often resulting in elevated indoor radon levels during the night.
Additionally, occupancy patterns can affect radon levels daily. Reduced airflow during periods of absence, such as office hours or sleep, may lead to the buildup of radon gas. When normal activity resumes, increased airflow facilitates the dispersal of radon, thereby lowering its concentration levels.
Radon levels also fluctuate on rainy days rising due to changes in atmospheric pressure and soil moisture. When it rains, water fills up tiny spaces in the soil where radon gas is found, forcing it to move more freely and increasing its concentration. Rainy conditions often coincide with low-pressure systems, such as "cloudy days," which further facilitate the movement of radon gas from the soil into buildings.
Radon testing should not be approached as a one-time measurement matter. It's not a "test it and forget it" situation - it demands continuous attention and management.
Radon Daily Variations: EcoQube Data Analysis, December 3-7, 2023, Colorado.
Tips for addressing radon fluctuations
Tip 1: Choose the right radon testing device
Radon testing with advanced radon detectors such as EcoBlu, EcoQube or RadonEye offers insights into both daily radon fluctuations and seasonal changes. These state-of-the-art monitors offer precise updates on radon concentrations every 10 minutes, ensuring sensitivity to even the most subtle shifts in radon levels.
Recognizing that radon levels fluctuate all the time, relying solely on a one-time radon test, such as a traditional charcoal test kit with a single measurement result, can be misleading as it fails to capture fluctuations that occur, for instance, during nighttime or rainy days.
Essentially, real-time measurements play a crucial role in establishing a Rolling Hourly Average, preventing any “smoothing over” or overlooking radon fluctuations. This distinctive blend of fast response and ultra-sensitivity, characteristic of digital radon detectors, ensures the most reliable evaluation of both short-term radon levels and long-term trends.
Tip 2: Increase ventilation
When you see your radon levels go up, increasing ventilation can help mitigate your exposure to this harmful gas. During warmer months, one effective DIY strategy to lower indoor radon levels is to open windows to facilitate fresh air circulation. However, during colder months, no one wants to let the cold air come in. Instead, configuring your HVAC system for planned mechanical ventilation can serve as a viable short-term mitigation tactic. It's crucial to be cautious during colder months, as opening upper-floor windows while keeping lower-level windows closed may worsen the radon situation. This action can draw more air upward from the ground surrounding the house, potentially leading to elevated radon levels within your home.
Tip 3: Contact radon professional
Even if your average radon level remains below the action threshold, frequent daily fluctuations may still occur. In such cases, seeking professional assistance becomes essential to effectively mitigate these short-term spikes. Similarly, if you notice consistent radon fluctuations, particularly during colder weather, consulting a professional is advisable to implement effective long-term mitigation strategies.
Radon levels fluctuate in response to various environmental and structural factors. Recognizing these fluctuations and their implications is crucial for maintaining a healthy indoor environment. Digital radon detectors allow you to take proactive and effective radon management actions and protect your well-being. Stay informed, stay vigilant, and take action to safeguard your home from this silent threat.
Great blog! It’s fascinating how radon levels can change based on factors like weather, ventilation, and even the time of day. Understanding these fluctuations is key to effective mitigation. Thanks for shedding light on this important topic!
I recommend the ecosense monitoring system over the test kits you get at the hardware store. If you are considering a radon mitigation system, use one of these to monitor your house for a while first.
From a retired senior software engineer: Love your devices. Have been using RadonEye for several years, and just bought an EcoQube. Both work great, but saving the data for longer term analysis is a pain. When do you plan to make the EcoQube data available via an API, or at least via a web page (where it could be scraped), so that it is easier to automate the download of data into a longer term, more rubust reporting system locally? Since you have the data in your app, aggregated via WiFi to your backend system, this shouldn’t be a heavy lift. It’s just a matter of exposing it – or allowing us via local web page to access the cached data periodically directly from the device. An SDK would be great, and I would be happy to share back any code I come up with to help others. Reason: I would like to automatically pull and save my data into a SQL database via ETL, and then create my own web page to view the data along with other variables like microzone barometric pressure, temperature, humidity, etc. over time. I’m interested in exploring possible correlations to help in understanding and managing radon levels in my home and separate workshop. Each have their own characteristics, and the data will allow me to understand and hopefully better manage each. Having to manually export and share data from a cell phone doesn’t make sense, and certainly does not encourage further automation. If security is a concern, how about a sensor board/device, that we could connect via Arduino, Raspberry Pi or via USB or WiFi to a PC, that would allow us to pull our own data directly? Just some alternative thoughts. Thank you!
My son has an AIRTHINGS Rodon Monitor in his home. My observations mostly match with your inputs.
How can you help us relieve of this problem?
you should also comment on change of weather (ie storms ) changing radon levels by positively pressurizing the ground (Wind) and a quick drop in barometric pressure (ie thunderstorms) causing a raising of radon levels in soil and therefore rising of radon levels of the home.