What is Radon?
Radon is a cancer-causing, radioactive gas. Although you cannot see, smell, or taste radon, it may be a problem in your home. Radon is estimated to cause as many as 21,000 deaths each year. That’s because when you breathe air containing radon, you can get lung cancer. In fact, the Surgeon General has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States today.
Radon can be found all over the U.S. Radon comes from the natural (radioactive) breakdown of uranium in soil, rock and water and gets into the air you breathe. Radon can be found all over the U.S. It can get into any type of building—homes, offices, and schools—and result in a high indoor radon level. But you and your family are most likely to get your greatest exposure at home, where you spend most of your time.
How do you test for Radon?
Radon is widely believed to be the second leading cause of lung cancer. Therefore, the EPA and the Surgeon General recommend testing for radon in all homes below the third floor.
Radon has been found in homes all over the United States. On average, one out of every fifteen U.S. homes has above-baseline radon levels. The only way to know for certain whether or not your home has a radon problem is to test for it.
EPA recommends that you hire a qualified professional to test for radon when you are buying or selling a home. Many states require licensed radon measurement testers to follow specific testing protocols.
What is a Radon Mitigation System?
A radon mitigation system is any system or steps designed to reduce radon concentrations in the indoor air of a building.
A properly designed and constructed radon mitigation system will prevent radon gas and may reduce soil moisture vapor from intruding into your home. A fringe benefit of a radon system may be a drier basement space.
There are several methods available to reduce radon levels in your house. Typically we install a simple system of underground piping and exhaust fans, known as "sub-slab depressurization", to reduce radon levels to acceptable levels. Other means such as sealing cracks and other openings in the floors can also be utilized.