Radon is a gas that is formed by the breakdown of uranium in the soil. Uranium is a natural radioactive material found in rock and soil throughout Canada. It can enter your home undetected through cracks and gaps in the floors, walls, windows and doors. It has no smell, taste, or colour. This gas is found in every single home in Canada but can quickly become harmful if the levels in your home become too high. That’s why awareness about radon testing is critical. it’s very important to get a radon test done whether you’re buying a home, selling your home, or even living in the same home you have for years. Any home may have a radon problem. This means new and old homes, well-sealed and drafty homes, and homes with or without basements. Concrete-block walls are particularly porous to radon. Why is Radon Bad? High levels of radon exposure are the number one cause of lung cancer for non-smokers. As Canadian winters can get quite cold, our homes are usually tightly sealed, which can cause radon levels to build up to a dangerous level. Even in the summer time, levels can be quite high but open doors and windows help facilitate fresh air flow. Due to radon exposure causing cancer, Health Canada encourages people to test for radon and take action if the levels in your home are high. Radon is one heath risk that is very easily preventable. Protect your family, reduce your risk of lung cancer, and improve your long-term health by testing your home. A two-year survey published by Health Canada in 2012, determined that 6.9% of Canadians are living in homes with radon levels above the current guideline of 200 Bq/m3.1 Every house in Canada likely has some level of radon, but Manitoba, New Brunswick, Saskatchewan, and the Yukon had the highest percentages of radon in the homes that participated in the study. Nunavut and Prince Edward Island had the lowest percentages. How Can I Determine My Home’s Radon Levels? The only way to know if you have dangerous radon levels in your home is to do a simple and inexpensive radon test. No matter where you’re located, some houses may have dangerously high levels of radon in them. You can do so one of two ways – a DIY radon test or, or by having a certified professional like AmeriSpec perform a radon test. If you are doing the test yourself, it’s very important you follow the instructions carefully and leave the radon test on the lowest floor in your home that people frequent. For instance, your basement, if you spend a decent amount of time there, otherwise, place it on your main floor. Make sure that the test you buy is an approved radon test and not counterfeit. Experts recommend long-term radon testing for a minimum of three months to get an accurate reading as radon levels can change every day. The best time of year to perform a radon test is during the winter, as that’s when homes are most closed up and insulated. As well, in the winter the air in your home tends to be warmer than the outdoor air, which can pull radon gas inside the home. In some countries, short term radon tests – as short as 48 hours in length – are conducted primarily as part of real estate transactions. If you’re looking to buy a home, it’s always a good idea to perform one of these short-term radon tests during the inspection period and then perform a long-term test once you’ve moved into the house. My Radon Test Showed High Levels – Now What? If your radon test reveals that your home has levels that exceed 200 Bq/m3, which is the maximum level recommended by Health Canada, it’s a straight forward process to fix the situation. You can get a radon mitigation system installed which will, in most cases, reduce the radon level by more than 80%. Getting a radon mitigation system installed costs about the same as other common household upgrades, such as replacing the furnace or an air conditioner. Some of the steps you can take to reduce radon levels in your home include: · Renovating existing basement floors, particularly earth floors. · Sealing cracks and openings in walls and floors, and around pipes and drains. · Ventilating the sub-floor of basement floors. To learn more about Radon and how a Radon test is performed, click here. Why Should I Choose AmeriSpec for My Radon Test? The safety of the air in your home is our business. We understand the negative effects that poor indoor air quality can have on your health. The first step towards having a healthy home is getting a professional radon test done to assess the levels in your home. AmeriSpec is an industry leader with over 30 years in the business. We only hire reliable and experienced technicians who use leading edge technology and processes to perform professional Radon Testing. After we perform a radon test, we’ll submit a report that details the various contaminant levels and provide you with recommendations for improvement. You can book a Radon Test today by contacting AmeriSpec at 1-866-284-6010, or info@amerispec.ca 1. https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/hc-sc/migration/hc-sc/ewh-semt/alt_formats/pdf/radiation/radon/survey-sondage- eng.pdf