What You Need to Know About Radon Gas – Protect Your Family
What is Radon Gas?
Radon gas is a radioactive gas that occurs naturally from the decay of uranium in the ground. Undetectable by human senses, radon gas has no colour, smell or taste, and it could be affecting your health if it’s in your home.
Radon gas is present in every building in Canada, but at different levels. And the amount of radon gas present depends on how much uranium is in the rock and soil below your home. Some areas have more radon than others.
How does radon gas get into your home?
Coming from the ground, radon gas typically mixes with the outdoor air and dissipates to levels that are harmless. But sometimes, when it becomes trapped inside your home it can reach levels high enough to harm your health.
Radon gas can find it’s way into your home through any opening that touches the ground, such as:
Small cracks and holes in your basement walls and floors
Spaces where different parts of your house are joined together
Openings around pipes and wires that go through your walls
Posts that support your house from below
Windows that are close to the ground
Drains and sumps that let water out of your house
Hollow spaces inside your walls
Why Should You Test for Radon Gas in Your Home?
If you’re curious to know if radon gas is a problem in your home, there’s only one way to find out, and that’s to test for it. It’s important to note that you shouldn’t rely on your neighbours’ test results to gauge radon levels in your own home. This is because radon levels can vary significantly from house to house, even if they are similar in size, close to each other, or in some cases attached. It doesn’t matter how old, large, or where your home is located. And if you live in an area that typically reports low radon levels, that’s not a guarantee that your home won’t contain higher levels.
The federal guideline for radon in indoor air is 200 becquerels per cubic metre (200 Bq/m3). A becquerel is a unit that tells you how often an atom breaks down and releases radiation. If you test your home and find that your radon level is higher than the guideline, you should take action to lower it because breathing in high levels of radon gas can increase your chance of getting lung cancer.
How Can You Test Your Home for Radon Gas?
Testing your home for radon gas is very simple and cost effective. There are two types of tests; a short-term option, which measures radon levels over a few days, and a long-term option, which measures radon levels over several months. Health Canada recommends using the more representative long-term test for at least 3 months during the winter heating season when windows and doors in homes are typically kept closed.
While there are many online options available for purchasing long-term radon detection tests, the New Brunswick Lung Association has partnered with RPC (New Brunswick Research and Productivity Council) to make the process easy and affordable. Located in Fredericton, NB, RPC is a trusted and reliable source of analytical laboratory testing with over 30 years of experience in air quality.
If you live anywhere in Canada, you can click here to order your long-term radon test directly from the NB Lung. They’ll send you an RPC Alpha Track radon detector, easy to follow instructions, and a return postage paid envelope so you can send your test directly to RPC’s laboratory at the end of the testing period. It’s an all-in-one service that makes the process easy and affordable with results reported to you quickly.
The radon detector should be placed in the lowest level of your home where you, your family members and even pets spend time regularly, like a basement bedroom or family room. RPC suggests placing the detector in the lowest finished level of a building that is occupied four or more hours a day. Follow the directions that come with the test kit carefully for the most accurate results.
I’ve Tested for Radon Gas and I’ve Received My Results. Now What?
If your test results indicate radon levels in your home exceed Health Canada’s guideline of 200 Bq/m3, you should take action to reduce it. Health Canada recommends remediation in less than a year for radon concentration levels that exceed 600 Bq/m3, and in less than 2 years for levels between 200 Bq/m3 and 600 Bq/m3. Radon remediation can be economical and easy to accomplish and RPC recommends contacting a radon mitigation professional for advice on how to effectively remove radon from your home.
Even if your home has acceptable levels of radon, it is still a good idea to re-test it periodically. Experts recommend testing for radon at least once every 2 years, and Health Canada recommends re-testing for radon levels after renovations that may alter airflow or ventilation in the home.
Radon Gas is a serious health concern that affects many Canadians. Don’t let it affect you or your family. Test your home and take action if needed. You’ll breathe easier and have peace of mind your family home is safe.
For more information about about radon testing and all the other services offered by RPC, please visit rpc.ca.