Radon Testing Services - Breathe Easy, Live Safe
To breathe easy in your home, it is essential to ensure safety through reliable radon testing, especially during a real estate inspection.
What is Radon and why should I be concerned?
What is Radon?
Radon is a naturally occurring, radioactive gas that comes from the natural breakdown of uranium in soil, rock, and water.
- Invisible Threat: Radon is completely undetectable by human senses; it is colorless, odorless, and tasteless.
- Ubiquitous: It is found everywhere, but concentrations vary greatly. The problem arises when it enters and builds up inside a dwelling or building.
- Entry Points: Radon typically enters a home through cracks in solid floors, construction joints, gaps in suspended floors, gaps around service pipes, cavities inside walls, and the water supply.
- Concentration: Once inside, the gas can accumulate to high concentrations, particularly in lower levels of a home (like basements).
Why should I be concern? (Health Risks)
Exposure to high levels of radon gas poses a significant health risk, primarily leading to lung cancer.
- Inhalation Hazard: When you breathe in radon, the radioactive particles it carries can damage the cells that line your lungs.
- Leading Cause of Lung Cancer: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Surgeon General have identified radon as the second leading cause of lung cancer overall in the United States, second only to smoking.
- Risk for Smokers: For people who smoke, the risk of developing lung cancer from radon exposure is significantly higher.
- Cumulative Risk: The risk depends on the level of radon in your home and the length of time you are exposed. Long-term exposure to even relatively low levels can still pose a risk.
Because radon is so prevalent and the risk is entirely preventable through testing and mitigation, you should be concerned enough to test your home to ensure the air you and your family breathe is safe.
What should I do?
Since radon is an invisible threat, the only way to know if you are being exposed is to test your home.11 Understanding your home's radon exposure level is the critical first step to protecting your family's health.
1. Test your home
- Action Level: Radon levels are typically measured in picocuries per liter of air (pCi/L). The EPA recommends taking action to reduce radon if the level is 4 pCi/L or higher.
2. Understand Your Exposure
- Test Results Matter: Your test result is your measure of risk. A result of 4 pCi/L is equivalent to the radiation received from about 200 chest X-rays per year.
- Long-Term Exposure: The danger of radon is related to the cumulative dose—the longer you are exposed to a high level, the greater your risk. Knowing your level allows you to calculate and mitigate this long-term risk.
3. Mitigate the Risk
- Fix the Problem: If your test shows a level of 4 pCi/L or higher, mitigate your home. Radon mitigation typically involves installing a mitigation system that draws radon from below the house and vents it safely outside.
- Confirm: After mitigation, retest your home to ensure the system is effectively reducing radon levels.
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