What is Radon?
Radon is an odorless, tasteless, colorless, radioactive gas formed by the disintegration of uranium and radium. Radon is the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers in the United States.
Radon gas rises through the soil and seeps through cracks, holes, and drain pipes in the foundation or basements of buildings. Radon gas can be found everywhere in the United States and according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 1 out of every 15 homes in the United States has high levels of radon gas. The EPA suggests that every home be tested, and so do we at Devine Inspections.
Testing Procedures
Real Estate radon testing is a 48 Hour Radon Test. A Licensed 3rd party technician will place a Continuous Radon Monitor in the residence for a minimum of 48 hours. The CRM will automatically take hourly readings with results available on site at the completion of the test.
Short term tests do not measure the annual average of radon levels. They are typically left in place for 2 to 5 days. Testing for less than 48 hours does not provide a valid reading.
Long-Term Tests should be left in place for a minimum of 90 days. Long term tests provide results that more accurately reflect the average amount of radon in your home throughout the year. The test period should include both heating and cooling seasons.
How to Prepare for a Radon Test
When preparing for a radon test it is very important to maintain closed building conditions for a period of 12 hours prior to and during testing. Closed building conditions are considered as follows:
- Keeping all windows and doors closed, except for normal entry and exit.
- Not operating fans or other machines which bring in air from outside.
- Heating and cooling systems should be operated normally.
- Ceiling fans should not be operated in the room where the testing monitor is placed.
- Fans that are part of a radon-reduction system or small exhaust fans operating for only short periods of time may run during the test.
If the levels of radon in your home require mitigation, here are some of the key questions to ask a mitigation contractor
- Will the contractor perform diagnostics to determine the suction point location and correct pipe and fan sizes?
- Who is responsible for obtaining permits, if required?
- Will a contract be provided?
- Who will do the licensed electrical work?
- Is there a warranty on materials or the workmanship? If so, for how long? Do they warranty system performance?
- How will the system be evaluated?
- Will the contractor offer the homeowner training in the radon mitigation system operations and/or troubleshooting?
- Will the contractor guarantee that radon levels will be brought to below the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) recommended action level of 4.0 pCi/L?
- What will the contractor do if post mitigation radon levels are not below the EPA’s recommended action level?
- Can the contractor provide a list of references?
- Is the quoted price guaranteed?
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