Radon Gas: The Silent Killer

Why Your Home Should be Tested for Radon

 

Radon is a colourless, odourless, radioactive gas that occurs naturally in the environment. It comes from the natural breakdown of uranium in soils and rocks.

 

Exposure to high levels of radon increases the risk of developing lung cancer. This relationship has prompted concern that radon levels in some Canadian homes may pose a health risk.

 

The Canadian Cancer Society advises that, "Inhaling radon gas increases the risk of lung cancer. For the general population, this means about 2,000 lung cancer deaths in Canada are related to radon each year... Exposure to cancer-causing substances should be reduced if not eliminated wherever possible. The Canadian Cancer Society supports Health Canada’s updated indoor air quality guideline for radon."

 

"Exposure to radon gas increases the risk of lung cancer. The risk depends on the level and length of exposure, and whether the exposed individual is a smoker. Radon exposure is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers. People who smoke are at an even higher risk of lung cancer if they are exposed to radon. Lung cancer develops after years of radon exposure. Experts agree that about 10% of lung cancer deaths are related to residential (indoor) radon exposure."

 

To schedule a Radon Test for your home, contact AmeriSpec Home Inspection Service at 1-800-794-5880

 

Double click on the box below to watch a Health Canada video on Radon.

The Health Effects of Radon

 

In the open air, the amount of radon gas is very small and does not pose a health risk. However, in some confined spaces like basements and underground mines, radon can accumulate to relatively high levels and become a health hazard. Exposure to high levels of radon has been associated with an increased risk of lung cancer, depending on the time length of exposure.

 

Radon in the Home

 

Radon gas can move through small spaces in the soil and rock upon which a house is built. It can seep into a home through dirt floors, cracks in concrete, sumps, joints, basement drains, under the furnace base and jack posts if the base is buried in the floor. Concrete-block walls are particularly porous to radon and radon trapped in water from wells can be released into the air when the water is used.

 

A survey conducted by Health Canada in the 1970s showed that radon

levels in certain Canadian cities were higher than in others. However, these same studies showed that it is impossible to predict whether any one house will have a high level of radon. Factors such as the location of the house and its relation to the prevailing wind may be just as important as the source of the radon.

 

Health Canada’s studies show that high radon levels are not widespread in Canadian homes. However, it is difficult to predict the level in any one home. If you are concerned about exposure to radon gas in your home, you might consider testing the level to see if it exceeds Canada’s guideline for exposure to radon in indoor air. The guideline recommends that:

 

* Remedial measures be taken in a dwelling whenever the average annual radon concentration in the normal occupancy area exceeds 200 becquerels per cubic meter.

 

* The higher the radon concentration, the sooner remedial measures should be taken.

 

* When remedial action is taken, the radon level should be reduced to a value as low as practicable (i.e., reduced as much as possible using methods that are cost-effective).

 

* The construction of new dwellings should employ techniques that will minimize radon entry and will facilitate post-construction radon removal, should this subsequently prove necessary.

 

 

Radon Testing by AmeriSpec

 

AmeriSpec has staff trained and certified by the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) to conduct Radon measurement in homes.

 

Testing involves the placement of a measuring device in the home to determine the level of radon in the habitable areas of the home. These measurements evaluate the level of radon to determine if a hazard to your family's health exists and if any form of improvement is required.

 

Radon Resources

 

The EPA document A Citizen's Guide To Radon (Third Edition) provides the basic information everyone should know about Radon.

 

Canada Mortgage and Housing has also released a publication entitled, "Radon - A Guide for Canadian HomeOwners".