Radon Inspection Services
Radon is an extremely toxic colorless and odorless gas derived from the radioactive decay of radium. It is commonly found in earth and rock beneath homes, well water and building materials. While there are no immediate effects from exposure to radon, radon in indoor air is found to cause about 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year in the United States.
The only way to know what your home's actual radon levels are is by
testing. There are no immediate symptoms that will alert you to the presence
of radon. It typically takes years of exposure before any problems surface and
then it is too late. Lung cancer cases usually occur from five to 25 years after
exposure to radon.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Surgeon General, American Lung
Association, American Medical Association and National Safety Council all
recommend testing your home for radon. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) recommends the following steps to determining whether a home is at risk for radon:
- Take a short-term radon test. If your result is 4 pCi/L or higher (0.02 Working Levels [WL] or higher) take a follow-up test (Step 2) to be sure.
- Follow up with either a long-term test or a second short-term test:
- For a better understanding of your year-round average radon level, take a long-term test.
- If you need results quickly, take a second short-term test.
- The higher your initial short-term test result, the more certain you can be that you should take a short-term rather than a long-term follow up test. If your first short-term test result is several times the action level - for example, about 10 pCi/L or higher - you should take a second short-term test immediately. If you followed up with a long-term test: Fix your home if your long-term test result is 4 pCi/L or more (0.02 Working Levels [WL] or higher).
- If you followed up with a second short-term test: The higher your short-term results, the more certain you can be that you should fix your home. Consider fixing your home if the average of your first and second test is 4 pCi/L or higher (0.02 Working Levels [WL] or higher).
Assured Home Inspections offers homeowners and homebuyers comprehensive radon testing services. The testing is designed to be non-intrusive, convenient for the customer, and provide a quick, definitive and accurate answer as to whether there is radon present in the house. Testing is done using laboratory-certified professional radon testing kits.
Below are some links to publications that discuss radon, the health risks associated with it, and the need for its detection and remediation.
Provides information about radon.
There is no scientific doubt that Radon gas is a known human lung carcinogen.
Frequently asked questions about radon health risks.
Information on radon-specific publications.
The guide to protecting yourself and your family from radon.
