Radon

RADON

Radon is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, and chemically inert radioactive gas. It is formed by the natural radioactive decay of uranium in rock, soil, and water.  Radon is the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers, according to EPA estimates. Radon is responsible for about 21,000 lung cancer deaths every year.  

Radon typically moves up through the ground to the air above and into your home through cracks and other holes in the foundation. Houses generally have a different air pressure than outside creating a vacuum effect inside your home. This occurs because warmer air naturally travels upward through the residence.  Your home traps radon inside where it builds into elevated levels.  Levels can not be estimated, testing is the only way to know radon levels in a house.  

What does all this mean for you and your home?  It is time to get your residence tested!  Continuous radon monitors can provide a report giving detailed information showing when radon is peaking inside your residence.  Most home inspectors and radon professionals use continuous radon monitors to help with testing.  At home test kits can be purchased at stores like Home Depot or online. Click here for at home test kits that can be mailed directly to you for testing.   

"I don't have a basement, so I don't have a radon problem"  INCORRECT!

I've heard this myth over and over.  "Radon is only found in the basement, so I don't have a radon problem".  This is not true.  Any home can have a radon problem.  The only way to know is to test.  As stated earlier on this page, homes create a vacuum effect and pull air from the floor towards the ceiling.  Leaky windows and doors also pull in outdoor air diluting radon levels as it travels from the lower level to the upper levels.  So, levels are generally higher in the basement than main levels, but that doesn't mean houses without basements don't have problems.   

The EPA has great information and resources for all things Radon

EPA Home Buyer's and Seller's Guide to Radon

EPA Guide to Radon Reduction

EPA's Citizen Guide to Radon