In-Home Danger: Radon Gas
November is Radon Action Month, and the BC Real Estate Association (BCREA), BC Lung Foundation, and Real Estate Foundation of BC are announcing the launch of a new collaborative Radon Gas Public Awareness Campaign. So, let’s explore:
What is Radon?
Radon is a naturally occurring colourless, odourless, radioactive gas that is released when uranium breaks down in soils and rocks. Radon released from the ground into outdoor air gets diluted and is therefore not harmful. However, radon is a problem in indoor settings, where it can build up and pose a risk to your health. Radon is present at some level in every home in BC. It can be anywhere, and every home is different – your radon levels can be very different from your neighbour’s.
What are the Health Risks of Radon Exposure?
Radon releases alpha-particles that can enter our lungs when we breath and cause lung cancer. Radon can come through small openings where the building contacts the ground, such as very small cracks in foundation walls and in floor slabs. It is often drawn in and stays for a long time, increasing in concentration. This occurs through the “stack effect” whereby warm air in a home is drawn up, creating an area of low pressure in the basement. Although radon may be out of sight, it certainly shouldn’t be out of mind when it comes to real estate transactions.
High radon levels in a home create significant health risks. Exposure to radon gas is the leading cause of lung cancer in Canada and is estimated to cause over 3,000 lung cancer deaths in Canada each year. For this reason, elevated radon should be treated as a potential latent defect. Homes with elevated levels of radon can be found in every region of the country, and some parts of BC – including the Kootenays, Okanagan, and Prince George areas – are known to have a high proportion of these homes.
Does Each Home Need to be Tested for Radon?
Although radon concentrations vary from one region to another, no home is risk free. Whether radon is building up in a home depends also on how it is built, whether there are cracks or holes that let radon in, and ventilation systems. Just because a neighbour has tested and doesn’t have a radon problem doesn’t mean that other homes in the neighbourhood aren’t affected.
To know whether radon is a significant issue in your community, you should check resources like the BC Radon Map. The only way to know if a home has high radon levels is to perform a measurement test, regardless of the home’s geographic location. For this reason, Health Canada recommends that all homes be tested, and tested again after any major renovation or energy retrofit. As well, the results obtained from test kits from some health organizations can contribute to databases and maps, which build more precise knowledge of where radon is a higher priority.
With no smell, no colour and no taste, the only way to know how much radon is in home is to test for it. It’s important for homeowners to ensure their interests are protected and that they are making informed decisions around the due diligence they may want to undertake. Radon Home Testing Kit is Easy, Order here.
How to Remediate High Level of Radon in Your Home?
Reducing the levels of radon in most homes is as straightforward and inexpensive as many other types of household maintenance. Radon reduction is often completed in just one day and can effectively reduce radon levels in most homes by more than 80%. Mitigators will visit the home, run tests and likely install a radon mitigation system. This usually involves installing a vent pipe and small electric fan that draws radon from below the concrete slab and directs it out of the home. Find Certified Radon Experts in Your Area Here.
More Resources about Radon
http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/prevention-public-health/radon