Your priority is the wellbeing of your loved ones, so you want to take every precaution to keep them safe. Unfortunately, you may be inviting a killer into your home without even realising it. The EPA estimates that 21,000 people a year lose their lives to radon-caused lung cancer. According to CDC statistics, this is higher than the number of people killed by drunk drivers. Radon is second only to smoking as a cause of lung cancer in the United States. Do you know what you can do to protect your loved ones? First, some radon trivia: the answer is yes.
Every state has detectable levels of radon since it is a naturally occurring radioactive gas released from the Earth's crust. Radon causes issues when it enters your home on its way to becoming an atmospheric gas. Instead of dispersing, it creeps in through crevices and slowly builds up to dangerous levels. The gas's density makes it preferentially concentrated below ground. Those who live on the third story or higher are safe from radon exposure. Generally, 1 in 15 households have elevated radon levels although this varies by location of the country.
The longer you are exposed to radon in your home, the greater your risk of developing lung cancer. People who use cigarettes are significantly more vulnerable.
Radon is sneaky since it cannot be detected by human senses. You need a radon test kit to find this gas because it has no discernible odour, colour, or taste. These examinations can be acquired from any low-cost hardware or home improvement store. Alternatively, you can have a professional radon testing service inspect your home.
There are two sorts of tests - short-term and long term. Short term is any test that examines your home's air for fewer than 90 days. The test period can be as brief as a few days. When using one of these tests, it is recommended to set it at the lowest level of your house with all windows and doors shut. Further, cooler months give higher results than warmer months. This is why it makes sense to conduct studies over extended periods of time. A more accurate picture of your home's radon levels over the course of a year can be obtained with a long-term test.
If the radon levels in your home are dangerously high, you will need to build a ventilation system. The right system for your needs can be recommended by a contractor. Fortunately, such a system may be implemented with minimum modification to the property.
Don't Test For Radon in Your Home - Until You Read This and Do it Right
Radon is a lethal gas and the more we learn out about it....the more harmful it actually is. Radon is currently listed by the D.E.P as the second largest cause of lung cancer in the United States, after smoking. It won't be long until health insurers make you get a Radon test done on your home before they cover you. Before it's too late, you should have your house checked if you haven't already.
There are several things you should know before conducting a radon test in your house
Look, I offer Radon testing as an ancillary service to my home inspection business and I'm a nationally licenced home inspector. In this post, I'll go over some of the ways in which I've found to get the most out of my tests.
Radon's natural opponent is oxygen in the air, so that's a good place to start
This indicates that the likelihood of having elevated Radon levels increases in proportion to the efficiency of your home. If your home has ancient windows, poor door seals, or a shaky foundation, even a tiny amount of fresh air can substantially reduce your home's radon levels.
If you want the most accurate results from a radon test in your house, I have one major piece of advice: test only in perfectly still air. Professional testers use the term "closed house conditions" to describe a home that has been unoccupied for at least 24 hours and in which no doors, windows, vents, heaters, or air conditioners have been operated.
The findings will be more reliable if you do this instead of putting them through the exam in a realistic setting. As people use their homes, they circulate air throughout the house by opening windows and closing doors, and bringing in fresh air through the use of household equipment. Your home's radon level will go down if you can get more outside air inside. What you just read was the single most useful piece of advice you could obtain from this whole post. Closed-house settings are ideal if you're going to spend the money and time conducting the test.