From Name
James McNees

Doug, 
I don't know if I can get you a copy by Monday, because Monday is a Holiday for the State of Alabama. But,
 
Alabama did a study in 1987 of the effects of weatherization and indoor radon.  Is was done as part of the EPA state indoor radon survey.  We got a grant for the DOE weatherization office via the Alabama Energy Office, the same folks who were paying to weatherize low income homes.  I believe that money was the state's effort (match) for the EPA state indoor radon survey.  Matching one federal grant with other federal funds would be illegal now, but it wasn't then. 
 
The following is from my memory of 20+ years ago.
 
According to memory, there were about 35 questions the client answered about the house prior to being mailed the EPA charcoal canister.  My memory is that there were about 1200+ homes tested, maybe more. Questions were about storm windows, storm door, insulation, house type, house age, foundation, etc.  We analyzed the data, later students at both Auburn University and Tuskegee University analyzed the data.  Results were presented once at CRCPD and twice at National Radon meetings.  The Radonosaurs might remember it.
 
The statically valid conclusions were that houses with basements are more likely to have elevated radon than houses with slab on grade and that houses with slab on grade are more likely to have elevated radon than houses with crawl spaces.
 
To our surprise, storm doors, storm windows, extra insulation, (weatherization) had no prove-able correlation on if the house had elevated radon or not.
 
I believe there was a possible age of house effect but it wasn't substantial or well correlated.
 
When I get back to my office, I most likely can find the written report and what was published in those meeting proceedings if anyone is interested.  I believe I also have a computer tape of the original data that an Auburn University grad student made about 20 years ago, if anyone would like it.
 
The Alabama Department of Energy and Community Affairs used that study years ago in their requests for weatherization grants from DOE.   So it has been around.
 
Jim
James L. McNees, CHPAssistant DirectorOffice of Radiation ControlAlabama Department of Public HealthOffice-334-206-5368 Fax-334-206-5387Cell- 334-850-5293--- On Fri, 5/29/09, DOUGKLADDR@AOL.COM wrote:
From: DOUGKLADDR@AOL.COM Subject: [RNPROF] Weatherization Impacts on Radon levelsTo: RADONPROFESSIONALS@LIST.UIOWA.EDUDate: Friday, May 29, 2009, 6:31 PM
Folks:
 
There may be an opportunity for stimulus funds to be allocated for radon mitigation in low income housing.  This would  be via DOE Weatherization programs for low income housing, but we need to move quickly. 
 
There has been a call for papers or research that links higher indoor radon levels when a home is weatherized.  With the current emphasis on energy conservation, there is a concern about exacerbating other indoor air quality issues, with radon being one of them. 
 
If any one has copies of papers discussing the effects of weatherization on indoor radon levels, please send them at me ASAP (either electronically, or links or via fax), so I can collate them and get them into DC.  We need to get them there by Monday, so anything before that would be greatly appreciated.
 
Doug Kladder
Director
Center for Environmental Research and technology
719-477-1714
Fax: 719-632-9607
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