Radon Testing
Everything You Need To Know About Scheduling A Radon Test
- Closed-house conditions must be to be maintained 12 hours prior to the test.
- This test period will be 48 hours and must be made under closed-building conditions.
- Closed-building conditions are necessary to stabilize the radon and radon decay product concentrations and increase the reproducibility of the measurement.
- Windows on all levels and external doors should be kept closed (except during normal entry and exit) during the measurement period.
- Normal entry and exit include a brief opening and closing of a door, but — to the extent possible — external doors should not be left open for more than a few minutes.
- In addition, external-internal air-exchange systems (other than a furnace), such as high-volume, whole-house and window fans, should not be operating.
- Attic fans intended to control attic (and not whole-building temperature or humidity) should continue to operate.
- For more information, please read the Home Buyer’s and Seller’s Guide to Radon.
Reliable Radon Testing In Kansas City & Surrounding Areas
- Any home can have a radon radiation problem!
- You cannot estimate radon levels based upon location or home design!
- Testing is the only way to know if your home has radon!
What Is Radon & Why Do Licensed Home Inspectors Test For It?
Radon gas comes from the natural breakdown of the traces of uranium in soil, rock and water. There are no symptoms from radon exposure. You cannot see radon, smell it, or even taste it.
Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer, estimated to cause around 23,000 lung cancer deaths annually in the United States. The only lung cancer cause more dangerous than radon radiation is smoking.
This estimate from the National Academy Of Science indicates that around 1 in every 10 lunch cancer deaths may be caused by radon gas each year and that radon is 7th leading cause of all cancer.
The good news is that if your home has high levels of radon, it can be fixed!
Any Home Can Have Dangerous Levels Of Radon
You cannot estimate radon levels by neighborhood, home age, home design (on slab, crawl space or basement), energy efficiency, or even what the home next door reads. Getting a radon test is the only way to know for sure!
Download The EPA’s Home Buyer’s & Seller’s Guide To Radon
Learn More About Radon’s Health Risks
What The EPA Suggests For Home Buyers
What The EPA Suggests For Home Builders
Learn How To Lower Radon Levels In Your Home
FACT: Although some scientists dispute the precise number of deaths due to radon, all the major health organizations (like the Centers for Disease Control, the American Lung Association, and the American Medical Association) agree with estimates that radon causes thousands of preventable lung cancer deaths every year. This is especially true among smokers, since the risk to smokers is much greater than to non-smokers.
FACT: Reliable radon tests are available from qualified radon testers and companies. Active radon devices can continuously gather and periodically record radon levels to reveal any unusual swings in the radon level during the test. Reliable testing devices are also available by phone or mail-order, and can be purchased in hardware stores and other retail outlets. Call your state radon office for a list of qualified radon test companies.
FACT: Radon testing is easy. You can test your home yourself or hire a qualified radon test company. Either approach takes only a small amount of time and effort.
FACT: There are solutions to radon problems in homes. Thousands of homeowners have already lowered their radon levels. Most homes can be fixed for about the same cost as other common home repairs. Call your state radon office for a list of qualified mitigation contractors.
FACT: Radon can be a problem in all types of homes, including old homes, new homes, drafty homes, insulated homes, homes with basements, and homes without basements. Local geology, construction materials, and how the home was built are among the factors that can affect radon levels in homes.
FACT: High radon levels have been found in every state. Radon problems do vary from area to area, but the only way to know a home’s radon level is to test.
FACT: It is not. Radon levels vary from home to home. The only way to know if your home has a radon problem is to test it.
FACT: While radon gets into some homes through the water, it is important to first test the air in the home for radon. If your water comes from a public water system that uses ground water, call your water supplier. If high radon levels are found and the home has a private well, call the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791 for information on testing your water. Also, call your state radon office for more information about radon in air.
FACT: Where radon problems have been fixed, home sales have not been blocked. The added protection will be a good selling point.
FACT: You will reduce your risk of lung cancer when you reduce radon levels, even if you have lived with an elevated radon level for a long time.
FACT: Short-term tests can be used to decide whether to reduce the home’s high radon levels. However, the closer the short-term testing result is to 4 pCi/L, the less certainty there is about whether the home’s year-round average is above or below that level. Keep in mind that radon levels below 4 pCi/L still pose some risk and that radon levels can be reduced to 2 pCi/L or below in most homes.
* Information for Fact and Myth was provided by the EPA, in the January 2009 edition of Home Buyer’s and Seller’s guide to Radon. For more information on the EPA and Radon visit epa.gov/radon