Testing your home, business for radon gas
(This is Part VI of the series from Neil Roy on radon gas)
The only way you know if you have radon in your home, business, school is to test for it. Because you can’t see it, smell it or taste.
Winter is the best to do it _ before our windows get opened up.
Unfortunately because radon is odourless, you may not be able to detect any exposure until after years of harmful damage has occurred. There is no safe level of radon in your home.The lower the radon level is in your home, the lower your family’s risk of lung cancer. Modern construction is not exempt from radon risks, as new insulation strategies often trap radon radon gas more effectively in new homes than older homes.
Fortunately testing for radon in your home is safe, easy and inexpensive. Being safe from the health risks of radon starts with knowing your radon levels through a radon test. What is a safe level of radon? There really is no safe level of radon exposure.
Testing for radon is fairly inexpensive and easy to do, so don’t hesitate to get started and if you do find that there’s too much radon in your home, there are know remedies to make your home a safer place.
Aimed at promoting public awareness of radon, increased testing and the reduction of radon in homes, schools and buildings.
Radon gas-the area most at risk in a home is the lowest that gets lived in. Recommend individuals test all homes new or old before they purchase them. The only way to know what your radon level is in your house is to test with a radon test kit. It is recommend a long term test for a minimum of 90 days. I f you radon test result is above the guideline of 200 Bq/m3 you should hire a certified radon professional to determine the best and most cost effective way to reduce the radon level in your home. Techniques to lower radon levels are effective and can save lives. A radon mitigation system can be installed in in a day and in most cases and in most homes will reduce the radon level my more than 80 per cent for about the same costs as other common home repairs.
How radon gets in your home
The air pressure inside your home is usually lower than in the soil surrounding the foundation. This difference in pressure draws air and other gases, including radon from the soil into our home. Radon can enter a home any place it finds an opening where the houses contacts the ground: cracks in foundations floor and walls, construction joints gaps around service pipes, support posts, window casements, floor drains, sumps or cavities, inside walls and unfinished floors (dirt).
When should I test for radon?
More and more consumers are asking about radon levels before they buy or rent a home. Because real estate sales happen quickly, there is often little time to deal with radon and other issues.
The best thing to do is test for radon now and save the results. Health Canada recommends that all home be tested for radon levels.
Becquerel (Bq) is a unit used to measure radiation which equals one atomic disintegration per second.
Sievert is a unit of measurement to living tissues. Testing in Canada (old was 800 Bq/m3) remediation action should be taken at 200 Bq/m3. This new gui8dekube was approved by the Federal Provincial Territorial Radiation Protection Committee in October 2006.I prefer the long term test kit that stays in your home or office for more than 90 days. A long term test will give more accurate results. The world Health Organization recommends a reference level of 100 Bq/m3 to 200 Bq/m3 making the Canadian guideline on radon more stringent,. There is talk it could go to 100 Bq/m3 for Radon.
The Provincial Concern:
In Saskatchewan, recent studies by Health Canada revealed the raw percentage of homes testing above the current acceptable radon guidelines ranged up to 25.5%
• The survey confirmed that Saskatchewan is among the prince with the highest percentage of indoor radon levels.
• We have it and we should be proactive to help the next generations live with radon with more knowledge and less health risks.
• Radon can get into your homes through cracks in your foundation, gaps in floors or around pipes, construction joints and even in the water supply.
• Other than testing, there is no other way to determine radon levels.
• Radon testing should not affect property value.
• Radon testing gives the home-owner peace of mind in know about the home they live in.
The first step in mitigation is testing. Concern over radon is so high in some communities that all new building sites are checked to make sure they are safe. How do you know when it’s there?
To ensure high radon levels have been successfully addressed, home owners should always test or have been successfully addressed, home owners should always tester have a contractor test the home after any any radon mitigation system is first activated to make sure it’s working effectively.
Once you have tested your home for radon here are some next steps to take:
Fix your home if your level is 200 Bq/m3 or higher. At 2000 Bq/m3 the risk of getting cancer is five time higher than the risk of dying in a car crash.
• Do a follow up test after any radon mitigation is performed,. This will ensure proper resolution of radon levels.
• Keep an eye on the ground structure of your home to prevent future risks.
• Don’t wait for radon exposure to become a problem in your home. Take preventative action today.
• Check for radon every five years.
• People who have radon system should check every two year to make sure it’s working properly.
• Always check for radon when buying a home and after major renovations.
• Homes that are next to each other other can have different radon levels.
Any home can have a radon problem. This means new and old homes , well-sealed and drafts home and homes with or without basements.
Next week is a major section on Radon Gas and "the Human Concern."
Neil Roy is vice chairman of the board for the Saskatchewan Housing Authority in Maple Creek, Sass. He is a certified mould and air quality inspector.