Protect your families future health
What is Radon?
Radon is a cancer causing, radioactive gas. You cannot see it, smell it or taste it. Radon is produced by the natural breakdown of uranium in soil, rock and water. High levels of radon have been found in every state in the US. One in fifteen homes in the US have radon levels above 4 picocuries per liter (4pCi/L), the EPA action level.
Why test for and mitigate Radon?
- Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer behind smoking.
- Some 21,000 people will die this year due to breathing radon without even knowing it.
- The radon threat is preventable with some simple steps.
- Fix your home if your radon level is 4 picoCuries per liter (pCi/L) or higher.
- The U.S. Surgeon General and EPA recommend that all homes be tested.
Where should a homeowner test for Radon?
The EPA recommends that all residences below the third floor level be tested for radon. In addition, the EPA also recommends testing all rooms in contact with the ground or over crawlspaces in schools. If you have tested your home, you should retest every two years since radon levels can change with structural changes in the home. If you decide to use a lower floor of your home, such as a basement, you should test this level before occupancy. In addition, you should always test prior to the purchase of a home.
Radon testing in real estate transactions
If you are thinking of buying a home, you should have a radon test done before purchase. You may want to consider including provisions in the real estate contract specifying details about the radon test. Make sure the test is done in the lowest level of the home suitable for occupancy.