If you’re planning on buying a house or renovating your home, you’re most likely going to need to secure various forms of safety permits before proceeding with your dream project. Regardless of your familiarity with certain safety procedures, you’ve most likely heard about radon gas and radon testing – and the term can be quite alien to you if you’ve never done any of these before. Presence of radon gas in your home can actually be a cause of concern, and can make or break your project if left unmanaged. This article will elaborate on radon gas and the importance of detection in your home.

According to the National Cancer Institute, radon is a kind of radioactive gas that is naturally occurring in the environment – which means it’s present almost anywhere you go, even at home. It’s tasteless, odorless, and invisible, which means it’s difficult to detect with ordinary senses. In some areas around the world, radon dissolves into water on the ground and can be “transferred” into the air. While radon generally exists at extremely low areas outdoors, inadequately-ventilated areas can make radon rise up to higher levels and expose itself to others. Here are some other reasons why radon gas detection is important for your home:

Radon is a dangerous carcinogen

One of the most important reasons why you should get radon testing should you get the chance is because it’s actually a carcinogen, or a cancer-causing substance. In fact, around 21,000 people perish because of lung cancer caused by radon gas in the United States.

Homes can be too airtight

Some homes are built to be energy-efficient, which means they are built to let things such as electricity and air flow much better in order to save money. However, airtight spaces actually make radon gas get trapped in your house for much longer. Testing your home for radon with the help of companies such as can be helpful prior to renovating it to be more energy-efficient.

• No same radon reading anywhere: Despite the similarities and proximity between you and a neighbor’s house, your home’s radon levels won’t be the same as theirs. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, radon “zones” can be categorized as Zones 1, 2, and 3, with the first one being the most likely to have high radon readings. Again, “likely” is used as there’s no way of telling except through testing. Regardless, your neighborhood might appear to not have high levels of radon, but it doesn’t mean your home is automatically exempted from the occurrence.

• Peace of mind: If you’re on your way to buy yourself a house or to prepare for renovations, getting it tested for radon can at least remove one potential worry for you and your family. Some radon tests can yield results in as quick as a day, and it’s recommended you take tests that can estimate radon levels for periods such as months. Knowing these levels every couple of months can greatly help you understand the kinds of risks and precautions you have to take to get your home safe from radon.

• Prevention and mitigation: Learning your home’s radon levels puts you in a position to protect your household better by at least getting a headstart as to the kind of measures you have to put up to prevent radon from affecting your home any further.  

The Bottomline: Radon Gas Detection For Safety

If there’s anything you can take away from the above, it’s that radon gas should not be taken lightly, even if it doesn’t “damage” your home in a physical sense. The health threats of radon gas when left unmanaged can be unprecedented, and can put you and your family at great risk. If there’s an opportunity to get your home tested for radon, especially in the midst of renovation plans or before you buy a property, it’s best you do so at your earliest convenience in order to find ways to remedy the situation should radon gas levels be higher than safety standards. Remember, home is where the heart is, and if you want your home to be the safest place you can go to, then radon gas is one of many threats you should consider mitigating.

 

 

Jacob Douglas used to be a gas fitter before he started to become fascinated about Radon gas. Today he works with Radonova writing about the effects that Radon gas has on families and homes. When he’s not bringing awareness to Radon he’s spending quality time with family.