Radon Exam |231 Questions and Answers
According to the US EPA Citizens Guide to Radon, radon levels in most homes, can be
reduced to: - -2 pCi/L or less
-Homeowners should be advised to have their mitigation contractors stipulate that they
will follow: - -Radon Mitigation Standards such as the US EPA, AARST, ASTM, or as
recognized by their state radon office
-Prolonged exposure to radon is considered dangerous because radon can cause: - -lung
cancer
-The most common radon mitigation technique at this time is: - -Active soil
depressurization
-The Radon Action Level in the United States is: - -4.0 pico Curies per liter of air
-The submembrane mitigation strategy is applicable to which of the following foundation
types? - -Crawl space houses
-What is radon? - -An invisible, odorless, tasteless, naturally occurring, radioactive gas.
-What is the minimum deployment/sampling period for a short-term test? - -Two days
-What is the purpose of the US EPA Map of Radon Zones? - -To suggest where radon
resistant new construction techniques would be the most cost-effectively employed.
-Which of the following best represents the recommendation of the U.S. EPA for citizen
exposure to radon? - -Long-term exposure to elevated radon can increase the potential for
lung cancer
-Which of the following is an acceptable location for the discharge of an active soil
depressurization system? - -Above the eave of the roof.
-Which of the following locations is appropriate for the fan of an active soil
depressurization system? - -Attic
-Which of the following Radon measurement approaches best estimates occupant
exposure? - -A yearlong test with an alpha track detector in the lowest occupied level of
the home with no special precautions for closed building conditions.
-A correct statement regarding radon testing in Zone 3 areas of the EPA Radon Potential
Map is that such testing: - -is recommended.
,-A significant difference between one room and the next in a building with a large central
air handling system is often caused by: - -An unbalanced air distribution system
-After 25 years of updates by testers and state agencies, the US EPA Map of Radon Zones is
a good predictor of where indoor radon levels will not be elevated. - -False
-How can you tell if a house contains elevated levels of radon? - -Test for radon.
-If a short-term, closed building radon test is conducted in the basement of a home with a
result of 10 pCi/L, what can be said about the radon levels on the first floor above the
basement? - -The first floor radon level is likely to be equal to or less than the basement
measurement of 10
-If the water for a home comes from an underground well that has 60,000 pCi/L in the
water, how much radon will be added to the air of the home due to normal usage of water?
- -6 to 10 pCi/L
-In a cold climate, stack effect is typically higher during the: - -Winter
-In a house with a forced air heating and cooling system, which of the following conditions
would most likely increase short-term indoor radon concentrations the most? - -Return
ducts under the slab with the air blower on.
-In most homes the main source of elevated radon levels is: - -the soil.
-Indoor Radon levels are always higher during the winter months (November through
March) than any other time of year. - -False
-On a nationwide basis, which of the following radon entry mechanisms account for the
greatest amount of radon entry? - -Convective movement of soil gas into the building.
-On an overall basis for similarly constructed homes in the same climatic area, under
which of the following conditions might one expect the highest radon entry into a home? - -
Highly permeable soil with high radium content beneath the house which is entirely built
over a crawl space.
-Pipe chases up through interiors of apartment buildings can provide radon pathways to
upper level units. - -True
-Temperature induced stack effect is greatest when: - -The outdoor temperatures are very
low relative to interior temperatures
-The primary reason indoor radon levels are generally higher in basements is the fact that:
- -the basement is closest to the radon source.
, -The radon concentration of a private well for a home was determined to be 15,000 pCi/L
of water. Which of the following is the most appropriate recommendation? - -Before
proceeding to reducing the radon in the water, a radon-in-air test should be conducted.
-The water supply to a home has been determined to be 9,500 pCi per liter of water. A
radon in air test was also conducted while it was occupied with a result of 22 pCi/L of
radon in the air. What is the predominant source of radon? - -From the soil
-What is one of the main differences between testing for radon in schools versus testing in
single family homes? - -More robust forced air systems can cause significant differences
from one room to another in a school
-What is the neutral pressure plane within a home? - -It is the general location within the
home, above which the house is at positive pressure relative to the outdoors and below
which the house is at negative pressure relative to the outdoors.
-What is the typical effect that the addition of outdoor air has on indoor radon levels? - -It
typically reduces indoor radon
-When is fresh air typically provided to large buildings such as schools? - -During occupied
hours
-Which of the following mechanical ventilation systems or conditions would most likely
reduce radon entry? - -Evaporative cooler
-Which of the following situations is caused by wind blowing on a home built on a hillside?
- -Soil pressurization and increased radon entry.
-Which of the following variables is the best predictor of potential radon concentrations in
buildings? - -Radium content in the soil.
-Short-term tests conducted in the same location with the house being under closed
building conditions will not vary more than 10 percent when tests are conducted at
different times of the year. - -False
-A curie is defined as: - -the radioactivity of one gram of radium.
-A house was tested for radon and radon decay progeny. The results were 10 pCi/L and
0.08 WL. What would most likely account for these measurements? - -The ventilation rate
is very low and has high particulate count in air.
ER = WL X 100 / Rn
ER = 0.08 X
ER = 8/10 = 0.8 or 80%
According to the US EPA Citizens Guide to Radon, radon levels in most homes, can be
reduced to: - -2 pCi/L or less
-Homeowners should be advised to have their mitigation contractors stipulate that they
will follow: - -Radon Mitigation Standards such as the US EPA, AARST, ASTM, or as
recognized by their state radon office
-Prolonged exposure to radon is considered dangerous because radon can cause: - -lung
cancer
-The most common radon mitigation technique at this time is: - -Active soil
depressurization
-The Radon Action Level in the United States is: - -4.0 pico Curies per liter of air
-The submembrane mitigation strategy is applicable to which of the following foundation
types? - -Crawl space houses
-What is radon? - -An invisible, odorless, tasteless, naturally occurring, radioactive gas.
-What is the minimum deployment/sampling period for a short-term test? - -Two days
-What is the purpose of the US EPA Map of Radon Zones? - -To suggest where radon
resistant new construction techniques would be the most cost-effectively employed.
-Which of the following best represents the recommendation of the U.S. EPA for citizen
exposure to radon? - -Long-term exposure to elevated radon can increase the potential for
lung cancer
-Which of the following is an acceptable location for the discharge of an active soil
depressurization system? - -Above the eave of the roof.
-Which of the following locations is appropriate for the fan of an active soil
depressurization system? - -Attic
-Which of the following Radon measurement approaches best estimates occupant
exposure? - -A yearlong test with an alpha track detector in the lowest occupied level of
the home with no special precautions for closed building conditions.
-A correct statement regarding radon testing in Zone 3 areas of the EPA Radon Potential
Map is that such testing: - -is recommended.
,-A significant difference between one room and the next in a building with a large central
air handling system is often caused by: - -An unbalanced air distribution system
-After 25 years of updates by testers and state agencies, the US EPA Map of Radon Zones is
a good predictor of where indoor radon levels will not be elevated. - -False
-How can you tell if a house contains elevated levels of radon? - -Test for radon.
-If a short-term, closed building radon test is conducted in the basement of a home with a
result of 10 pCi/L, what can be said about the radon levels on the first floor above the
basement? - -The first floor radon level is likely to be equal to or less than the basement
measurement of 10
-If the water for a home comes from an underground well that has 60,000 pCi/L in the
water, how much radon will be added to the air of the home due to normal usage of water?
- -6 to 10 pCi/L
-In a cold climate, stack effect is typically higher during the: - -Winter
-In a house with a forced air heating and cooling system, which of the following conditions
would most likely increase short-term indoor radon concentrations the most? - -Return
ducts under the slab with the air blower on.
-In most homes the main source of elevated radon levels is: - -the soil.
-Indoor Radon levels are always higher during the winter months (November through
March) than any other time of year. - -False
-On a nationwide basis, which of the following radon entry mechanisms account for the
greatest amount of radon entry? - -Convective movement of soil gas into the building.
-On an overall basis for similarly constructed homes in the same climatic area, under
which of the following conditions might one expect the highest radon entry into a home? - -
Highly permeable soil with high radium content beneath the house which is entirely built
over a crawl space.
-Pipe chases up through interiors of apartment buildings can provide radon pathways to
upper level units. - -True
-Temperature induced stack effect is greatest when: - -The outdoor temperatures are very
low relative to interior temperatures
-The primary reason indoor radon levels are generally higher in basements is the fact that:
- -the basement is closest to the radon source.
, -The radon concentration of a private well for a home was determined to be 15,000 pCi/L
of water. Which of the following is the most appropriate recommendation? - -Before
proceeding to reducing the radon in the water, a radon-in-air test should be conducted.
-The water supply to a home has been determined to be 9,500 pCi per liter of water. A
radon in air test was also conducted while it was occupied with a result of 22 pCi/L of
radon in the air. What is the predominant source of radon? - -From the soil
-What is one of the main differences between testing for radon in schools versus testing in
single family homes? - -More robust forced air systems can cause significant differences
from one room to another in a school
-What is the neutral pressure plane within a home? - -It is the general location within the
home, above which the house is at positive pressure relative to the outdoors and below
which the house is at negative pressure relative to the outdoors.
-What is the typical effect that the addition of outdoor air has on indoor radon levels? - -It
typically reduces indoor radon
-When is fresh air typically provided to large buildings such as schools? - -During occupied
hours
-Which of the following mechanical ventilation systems or conditions would most likely
reduce radon entry? - -Evaporative cooler
-Which of the following situations is caused by wind blowing on a home built on a hillside?
- -Soil pressurization and increased radon entry.
-Which of the following variables is the best predictor of potential radon concentrations in
buildings? - -Radium content in the soil.
-Short-term tests conducted in the same location with the house being under closed
building conditions will not vary more than 10 percent when tests are conducted at
different times of the year. - -False
-A curie is defined as: - -the radioactivity of one gram of radium.
-A house was tested for radon and radon decay progeny. The results were 10 pCi/L and
0.08 WL. What would most likely account for these measurements? - -The ventilation rate
is very low and has high particulate count in air.
ER = WL X 100 / Rn
ER = 0.08 X
ER = 8/10 = 0.8 or 80%
