Radon is a radioactive gas that is the result of a breakdown of uranium in water, soil, and rock. It can enter a structure by seeping in through cracks that develop in floors or walls, or even through gaps created by sump pits where sump pump installation has taken place. Radon can enter through construction joints and spaces around pipes. Radon gas is the number two cause of lung cancer today, according to the Surgeon General’s office, smoking, of course, being number one. It is something that everyone ingests every single day, but in very small quantities. People who drink water containing high radon levels, who breathe in tiny radioactive fragments, or are exposed to radon gas for longer periods than are safe, become susceptible to lung disease, including lung cancer.
Studies show that one in 15 homes could have radon levels that are higher than deemed safe by the EPA. Home buyers looking for their forever home are required, in some states, to have a home inspection done by a qualified professional. Part of this inspection is often a residential radon testing service. This test can be done by a certified home inspector or can be done by a radon testing company. Short term detection devices will measure the amount of radon in the home for a period of between two to 90 days. Long term detectors measure the radon levels across a period of more than 90 days. Whether or not radon testing is required by the lender in the sale of a home or building, having this test done is a wise move to make for the health of the family or families who will be living there. In any town or city there can be found a local residential radon testing service, and it is simple to call and set up an appointment.
Although there is no measure of exposure to radon gas that is considered to be safe, the EPA has issued a level where breathing in the radon within a home is too much of a health risk and has to be reduced quickly. Residents can begin by sealing the cracks found in the walls and floors of the home, as well as increasing ventilation using fans and pipes. Once a residential radon testing service has acquired the measured radon level in the home and it has been deemed unsafe, they can recommend to the homeowner radon mitigation services that might be in the area. This type of professional service will work to reduce the radon levels in the air of the home and in the water supply, if high levels of radon have been discovered there as well. Mitigation systems are sometimes capable of reducing a home’s radon levels by half. Those levels can be reduced even further if radon ventilation fans are installed.
Sump pump installation can be highly associated with allowing radon to enter a home. Sump pump excavation requires opening up the floor of a basement for installation. Because radon enters a house through the soil both underneath and surrounding it, the footing drain tile that is connected to the sump pump can become a doorway through which the gas escapes into the home. It is recommended that a sealed pump lid be installed to cover the footing drain tile to avoid this from happening. It is proven that, even if the home’s radon level is not dangerously high, one of these lids is still beneficial if a sump pump is needed.
Because of the possibility of radon seeping into any home at any time, testing is always a good recommendation. A local residential radon testing service always has professionals available to speak with the customer about the test, its purpose, its duration, and its cost.
Radon testing, additionally, should be done in schools about every four years. A survey done across the country has revealed that one in five schools has a higher than safe radon level in at least one classroom. Children are in school for one third of the time. The government does provide training, supplies, and resources for schools in order to carry out the appropriate radon testing.
