What is radon?
Radon is a colourless, odourless gas that is widely present in the earth’s surface. It comes from the radioactive breakdown of uranium. Uranium occurs naturally and can be found in small amounts in the soil, water and air.
Radon
seeps into a home from surrounding soil. It comes up through pores in
the soil under homes and buildings through gaps and cracks in
foundation, concrete walls and floors, sumps, joints, basement drains
and other openings. Unsafe levels of radon could accumulate in poorly
ventilated homes and buildings.Radon is usually not a problem outdoors as the air quickly dilutes it to lower levels. It sometimes contaminates well water.
What are the health effects of radon?
Radon
is a radioactive gas and naturally breaks down to form decay products,
called “radon daughters.” These can be inhaled deep
into the lungs and seriously damage tissues. Exposure to high levels of
radon increases the risk of developing lung cancer. Your risk depends
on the amount of time you are exposed to radon. Radon also increases
the risk of lung cancer from smoking.
How do I know if I have radon in my home?
Since radon concentration varies from house to house even in the same area, the only way to find out if you have radon in your home is to test for it.
Should I consider testing for radon if I am buying a home?
Testing of private homes for
radon is currently not required during real estate transactions in
Canada. However, if you are concerned about the radon levels of a home
that you are considering purchasing, you can always request that a
thorough house inspection be conducted to include radon testing as a
condition of your offer.
Give
us a call to Schedule a radon test today. We offer short term (48hrs)
and long term (1-12 month) testing.
