Radon is a cancer-causing, radioactive gas that has been found in homes all over the United States. It is created naturally by the breakdown of uranium in soil, rock and water. Radon typically gets trapped inside your home by moving up through the ground to the air above, then into your home through cracks and other holes in the foundation. Radon can also get into the home through well water. Once inside your home, it becomes part of the air you breathe or the water you drink. Depending on ventilation and other conditions inside your home, the radon concentration may pose a serious health risk to your family. Radon is invisible, odorless and tasteless so the only way to know your home's radon level is to test for it.
Most people feel safe when they are at home and don't worry about getting radiation exposure from their house. But according to the Environmental Protection Agency, home is where you and your family are most likely to get your greatest radiation exposure because it's where you spend most of your time. In fact, the EPA estimates that radon causes 21,000 lung cancer deaths in the U.S. each year. This makes radon the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. today, second only to smoking. And if you smoke plus have high radon levels in your home, your risk of lung cancer is extra high.
The EPA says one out of every fifteen U.S. homes has an elevated level of radon (4 pCi/L or more). Furthermore, radon can be a problem in any home - new house or old, well-sealed or drafty, basement or no basement and regardless of the home's geographical location. It's not possible to predict radon levels based on state or local radon measurements, nor can you rely on radon test results taken in other homes in the neighborhood.
If your home's radon level is 4 picoCuries per liter (pCi/L) or higher, the EPA recommends that steps be taken to reduce the radon level. Radon mitigation contractors may use a variety of techniques to reduce your radon level. Sealing cracks and other penetrations in the foundation may be part of the solution, but sealing cracks alone is not enough. A system of vent pipes and fans may be installed in the crawl space or another location in your home, creating a "sub-slab depressurization system". This system draws the radon gas through the vent pipes, preventing it from entering the home from below the concrete floor or outside the foundation. Radon mitigation contractors may also use other methods depending on the design of your home and other factors. While it sounds complicated and intrusive, these systems generally do not require major changes to your home, and repairs can usually be accomplished for around $800-$2500. Even in homes where the radon level is less than 4 pCi/L, radon may still pose a risk and in many cases, can be reduced.
While radon cannot be eliminated, the radon level in your home can be minimized. Testing for radon is the first step. The EPA recommends a radon test for anybody that is buying, selling or building a home. The EPA also recommends testing your home after any major renovations, or if you change your living patterns (i.e. you begin occupying a basement level that was previously not used much). You should also re-test your home after having radon mitigation features installed to be sure that radon levels have been reduced.
A Radon Test costs:
- $200 by itself, or
- $150 if done in conjunction with a home inspection or other service.
For more information or to schedule a radon test for your home, CALL HOMEWERX HOME INSPECTIONS TODAY!
(480) 503-2611
or Toll Free 1-888-THE-WERX
or you can schedule online!
....because an ounce of inspection is worth a pound of repair!
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