Radon Reporter March 2022

DEVICES Monitoring Indoor Air Quality: Where is Money Best Spent? Peter C. Foller, Ecosense, Inc. As a home inspector or radon professional, do you get questions on the value of indoor air quality (IAQ) monitoring devices? When it comes to monitoring the air in ones’ home, what priorities make the most sense? The story around IAQ devices can be compelling; however, let’s dig a little deeper. First in anyone’s budget should be to keep smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors up to date. These devices protect life and property and should be placed appropriately for the fastest response-- on ceilings, not coffee tables. Next, one might consider an IAQ device. There are numerous attractively designed devices on the market with differing levels of capabilities: particulates (PM2.5, PM10, or both), carbon dioxide (CO2), total volatile organic compounds (tVOCs), plus temperature and humidity, and, less commonly, the airborne oxidants NOx, SO2, and ozone. Particulates can certainly aggravate allergies and asthma, but aside from smoking and house dust, the issue is more outdoor than indoor. CO2 is now about 400 ppm in outdoor air. It most commonly varies between 400 and 1,000 ppm indoors, and as an indication of any issues it presents, OSHA allows an 8-hour workplace exposure of 5,000 ppm. When not painting, one’s tVOC exposure is generally transient. I would argue a higher priority should be to invest in a home continuous electronic radon monitor (hCRM). Though the risk of radon to one’s health is not immediate, in the long run, the grim statistics catch up. The EPA’s estimate of 21,000 U.S. lung cancer deaths per year attributable to radon continues to be widely cited. Firstly, such a monitor can identify hazardous situations requiring mitigation; but secondarily, there is value in following day-to-day variations well under the EPA’s action level of 4.0 pCi/L. Some recent electronic-based hCRMs are sensitive enough to reliably detect measurable radon levels in most any building. Electronic monitors readily pick up 0.5 pCi/L, a concentration of 3 x 10-12 mg Rn/L of air. Sensors for tVOC, formaldehyde, or airborne oxidants do not even come close to this sensitivity. Modern hCRMs can update every 10 minutes and produce graphic visualizations on smartphones that can be readily understood. If the slope of the radon trend line is rising, one can think of it as a proxy for other pollutants or pathogens possibly accumulating and ventilating accordingly. The effect of opening a window or turning on a ventilation fan will soon be reflected in the radon reading. If the guidance of a device is desired, why not drive such ventilation decisions based on the indoor radon concentration? So, is a real-time, high sensitivity radon detector the single best option for an IAQ device after smoke and carbon monoxide detectors? Yes, from the standpoint of possibly identifying a statistically validated long- term health hazard. Yes, too, from the standpoint of providing prompts to drive ventilation actions. Reduce radon levels, and it is likely the action will simultaneously drive down CO2, tVOCs, formaldehyde, vapor intrusion from soil, viruses, mold spores, or anything else your customers may worry about. www.ecosense.io Accurate 30 CPH/pCi/L First result in 10 min Wi-Fi connected Smart & compact Award-winning Continuous Radon Monitor EcoQube