Radon is a silent intruder in your home, posing various health risks to you and your family. You must have heard about it often, but do you know the exact facts related to radon? Something like what causes radon in homes, how to deal with it, and where you can expect it to be.
Radon is a colorless and odorless gas that comes from underground and seeps into your home. It is the second leading cause of lung cancer in smokers and the first leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers. This is one major reason why you need to know more and more about this silent threat. And just by the way, it is not only a health hazard for you and your family. In fact, it also impacts your home’s indoor quality – something any homeowner never wants to compromise on. So, it’s better to have thorough radon awareness about this uninvited guest in your home.
This blog will discuss five different facts about radon that will help you make informed decisions. You will know what your home might potentially be dealing with and so you can take smarter steps ahead.
Radon Levels Vary Widely
Radon comes from the ground beneath your home. It’s the result when uranium breaks down. This radioactive gas can sneak into your home through tiny cracks or holes in the walls or floor. But one fact is that some houses might have higher radon levels than others. In fact, the neighbors on both sides of your home can have lower radon levels, while your house might have higher ones. Of course, this could be vice versa, too. And there are different reasons for this. Some of those are:
Different Types of Ground
At times, some houses have more uranium in their ground, like certain types of rocks. If your house is built on such kind of rocks, then it’s highly likely that your home might have higher radon levels.
The Way Your House Is Built
Many of the houses have basements or crawl spaces. These areas work as superhighways for radon as the gas its direct pathway to the house. This becomes worse for you and seamless for radon if your house’s foundation or floors have cracks or gaps.
Air Flow and Ventilation
If you are fond of keeping your house’s windows open and letting the fresh air in, then there is a chance your home has lower radon levels. Good airflow in your home keeps radon levels low as it pushes this sneaky gas back outside. But if your house doesn’t get much fresh air and is all sealed tight, there’s a chance radon is building up inside.
Radon Testing is recommended In Different Instances
If you’re thinking of putting your house on the market or buying one that has already been listed, you need to test it. This becomes exceptionally necessary if your house didn’t have a radon test ever. Considering the threats imposed by radon, testing for it should be every home seller’s and homebuyer’s priority.
In fact, not just sellers and buyers, homeowners too. If your home recently went through remodeling or renovation you need to get it tested. The reason for this is that remodeling changes the air flow within a home, letting radon gas spread more.
As per experts’ recommendation, you need to test for radon every two or three years. As after every two, three years, home can settle, rock formation under your home can move, foundations can crack or shift. All of this increases the potential for radon to accumulate within your home.
Remember: the effect of radon exposure is cumulative. So, the longer the radon exposure, the more risk it will have on your health and your home.
There Are No Safe Radon Levels, but Recommended Ones
As per EPA, there is no “safe” radon level. These levels are measured in units of picocuries per liter (pCi/L) in the air. In case the radon levels meet the 4pCi/L or it gets higher than this, then you need to take steps for mitigating radon in your home.
Here are some of the steps you need to ensure that your indoor radon levels meet 4 pCi/L
- Take a second test to verify the results were accurate
- Contact a licensed and certified professional and get a radon reduction system installed
- Once the system is installed, retest to verify the levels are now dropped and reached the acceptable levels
Whereas, if the level lies between 2 pCi/L and 4 pCi/L, these are the steps you should undertake:
- Install a radon reduction system as recommended by the EPA
- Test every few months to ensure that the radon levels haven’t crossed 4 pCi/L
If the levels are lower than 2 pCi/L
- There is no action needed at this moment, as per the EPA
- You may test at intervals. This is most important to be done if you start using the lower levels of your home. For example, you start using your basement for an office. You may also perform a test if you recently remodeled your home.
New Homes Are Not Immune to Radon
If you think that only older homes are prone to radon, then you’re believing a myth. Every home is prone to radon; it doesn’t have to do with its age or size. Whether your home was built a hundred years ago or six months ago, in both cases, the chances of having radon indoors are equal. In fact, in some way, new construction homes might be more vulnerable to radon as radon comes from the soil below. And old houses that are drafty might lead radon to escape. Whereas tight construction might hold more radon indoors.
Radon Mitigation Is Always Possible
If your house is detected with radon, you need to take steps to mitigate it. You can hire a licensed radon professional to evaluate your situation and provide expert recommendation related to it.
You can mitigate radon by ventilating it in your home. It is possible that your home might require something different to mitigate it. But, typically, the gas is collected beneath membranes or concrete slabs and is usually vented out to the home’s exterior or through the roof.
You can install a fan in the attic that can draw the radon out of the ground and disperse it on your home’s exterior or in the air above your home. Most of the mitigation systems also have alarms, indicating whether the system is functioning properly, and this is how you can know if it has stopped working.
You can install a radon mitigation system within a day, but it can vary depending on your home, its layout, and the foundation. However, installing a radon reduction/mitigation system can significantly reduce the radon levels in your home.
On the whole, radon is one of the most major threats to your home that is not even apparent. This makes it even worse. To handle radon levels in the first place, it’s important to schedule a radon test. You shall contact professional radon testing service providers like Blessed Assurance Home Inspection who can handle your indoor air quality better.