Radon in Colorado Springs, Co: Measuring and Modeling Before and After Weatherization of Low-Income Homes

Bloom, Tess

Graduate Thesis Or Dissertation

Radon in Colorado Springs, Co: Measuring and Modeling Before and After Weatherization of Low-Income Homes Public Deposited

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Citations

Citeable URL: https://scholar.colorado.edu/concern/graduate_thesis_or_dissertations/r494vk57g

Abstract

Indoor radon concentration is predicted to be above the actionable level of 4 pCi/L by the EPA across most counties in Colorado, which is a concern because radon is recognized as the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. The following thesis details an examination of radon and indoor environmental quality for low-income homes in Colorado Spring, Colorado. This investigation was completed in two parts: a field study and a modeling study. The main aim was to draw conclusions on the connection between weatherization, or installation of energy retrofits, and indoor radon concentration. Additionally, fine particulate matter (PM_2.5), total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), and mold and moisture were investigated before and after energy retrofits were installed. From the field study, it was determined that there is no connection between weatherization and radon, PM_2.5, TVOCs, and mold and moisture. Radon concentrations appears to vary by season, although a statistical analysis showed no significant difference. This may be attributed to small sample size. The modeling study showed that indoor radon concentration will increase upon weatherization proportional to how much the building envelope is tightened. The results of this study show that indoor radon concentration has the potential to reach an unsafe level upon weatherization, but suggests that future studies and analysis should be completed where homes are grouped by type of home, type of weatherization intervention completed on the home, and the season in which the indoor radon concentration was measured. This could effectively control for some of the variables which affect radon to gain a clearer perspective on the connection between indoor radon concentration and weatherization.

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