subject: Why Testing Your Home For Radon Gas Is So Important [print this page] Get this important information about radon gas testing in your home. It could save your life.
What is radon?
Radon is a naturally occurring gas found underground, especially in rock. Natural elements all have some trace radioactive elements in them. Whether or not you live in a rocky area has no bearing on how much radon will be in your home. Each home has different radon levels. Just because your neighbor has high radon readings does not mean you will.
Trace amounts of radon are in a myriad of things we touch every day. But if a building has higher levels of the element or you work in a confined space like a mine, that's when the health risk gets exponentially larger. We are affected by the gas when we breathe it in, or ingest it, like when we drink well water.
Children can also be highly affected by high radon levels. Scientists aren't sure if it's because their breathing rate is faster because of their smaller lungs, or if it's because they're growing rapidly and their cells are multiplying at a rapid pace. If nothing else, testing your home will give you peace of mind knowing that you and your children can literally breathe easier at home knowing what's in your home.
Why is testing the answer?
What's scary about radon is that you can't see it, smell it or taste it-- AT ALL. It's just there. And that's why you need to test your home or office to see how much radon is hanging out with you - because you won't know it's there. You might be living with high levels of this gas that could make you sick. But you won't know until your home is tested.
Think of it like this. If you could get rid of the rude roommate that stresses you out all the time, wouldn't you get rid of this person? Radon may not stress you out, but it's along the same lines. Testing for the Rn element can tell you if you have an issue you need to take care of, and it's also quick and easy to do.
Contact your local radon mitigation expert to have them test your home or business. They can run a few different tests including installing a Continuous Radon Monitor (CRM). They will install it quickly and tell you what you can and can't do in order to get accurate test results.
After a minimum of 48 hours, the specialist will return, print out your results and go over them with you.
What do I do after my test?
Following a radon test any good home inspector or mitigation expert will go through the results with you - especially if you've already told them you're concerned about the radon levels in your home. They will give you a print out or e-mail that explains the quantitative results of the tests. Make sure you have them explain anything you do not understand - after all that's what you're paying them to do!
Once you find out how much of a radon problem your home or business has, a responsible specialist will go over the options with you, if any action needs to be taken at all. They should give you various options, with their suggestion for the best solution to the problem. If you don't feel comfortable with what they are telling you, let them know so they are aware of this.
Home buyer value
One extra value of having your home tested for radon is that it can help when you are selling your home. Testing your home helps manage the potential buyer's perception of your home. This means that if you can tell them up-front that the home has been radon tested, they may feel reassured that you cared enough to get it tested. In other words, it's value-added to potential buyers who will probably have to get the house tested anyway for inspection.
