Testing for deadly gas could win you $10,000
Because of the massive ground shifting in Regina, this fall has been Frank Kirkpatrick’s busiest as he and his crew work to rid homes of a silent killer — radon.
“Regina is built on an expansive clay-type soil. When it’s wet, it swells up, and when it’s dry, it shrinks,” said Kirkpatrick, a certified radon mitigation expert who owns Master Radon.
“The shrinking of the soil, with our dry conditions this fall, has opened up new paths of entry for radon into homes.”
Known as the silent killer, radon is a colourless, odourless, tasteless radioactive gas that comes from the breakdown of uranium.
Saskatchewan is a hot spot for radon. In some areas of the province, one in four homes has radon levels above the acceptable Health Canada guidelines.
But many homeowners aren’t aware of the risk. The only way to know if a home has high radon readings is to test for it.
Radon is measured by becquerels per cubic metre (Bq/m3). If the level of radon in a home is less than 200 Bq/m3, Health Canada radon guidelines say no action is required.
If the level is between 200-600 Bq/m3, the home should be repaired within two years. Homes with levels above 600 Bq/m3 should be repaired within a year.
“There is no perfectly safe level of radon,” Kirkpatrick said.
Depending on how the house is built, he uses various methods to lower radon levels.
“The theory of repair is the same for all of them,” Kirkpatrick said. “You need to depressurize the space under the home, draw out the radon from the soil and give it an easy pass to the atmosphere.”
Typically that requires installing a pipe and a fan system. The cost typically runs from $2,500-$3,000.
Not testing for radon can be deadly. It’s the second leading cause of lung cancer.
“We estimate that 16 per cent of all lung cancers are caused by radon,” said Jill Hubick, a certified respiratory educator with the Lung Association in Saskatchewan. “To put that into perspective, at least eight Canadians will die every day from radon-induced lung cancer.”
To determine the radon level in your home, a test kit can be purchased online for $50. Visit www.sk.lung.ca/radon.
The radon tests can be shipped directly for an additional $15.
The test kits are sent in sealed foil bags. As soon as the bag is opened, it starts collecting radon.
The kit should be placed in the home’s lowest level where residents spend a minimum of four hours a day. The kits are designed to test for a minimum of three months.
If the radon level is high, Hubick recommends residents visit takeactiononradon.ca to find a list of certified radon mitigation experts in Saskatchewan.
To encourage residents to take action, the Lung Association and Take Action on Radon is launching a Radon Reduction Sweepstakes worth $10,000.
The sweepstakes is open to Canadian homeowners who test for radon and take action to reduce levels to below 200 Bq/m3. Those who enter the sweepstakes are eligible for a rebate of up to $1,000 towards the cost of radon reduction in their home.
To enter, fill out a form on the Lung Association’s website and submit a receipt from a certified radon mitigation expert.
Sometimes the fix is as simple as increasing ventilation in the home, sealing cracks in the foundation or making sure that drains fit properly, Hubick said.
“Where it can get more expensive is if they have to do active sub-slab depressurization, which is also called soil depressurization,” she said. “It’s the most effective and reliable radon reduction technique to date.”