Recognizing the Signs: Why Radon Mitigation Is a Must
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that can pose serious health risks. The gas has no discernible scent, color, or taste, so it can unsuspectingly linger on properties. That’s why radon mitigation is such an important home maintenance task.
What do you need to know about radon? You can get well-versed on radon mitigation through the following:
- Understanding radon and its risks
- Signs of radon presence
- Symptoms of radon exposure
- Testing for radon
- When to consider radon mitigation
- Radon mitigation solutions
Homeowners must know the basics of radon, including symptoms and mitigation methods, to protect themselves and their loved ones. Discover more valuable information ahead, so you can adequately prepare.
Understanding Radon and Its Risks
According to the Environmental Protection Agency or EPA, radon occurs due to radioactive metal decaying in groundwater, soil, or rocks. Since the metals that comprise it, such as radium, thorium, and uranium, are radioactive, so too is radon.
As we mentioned before, you can’t see or smell radon, allowing for insidious entry into residential properties. It only takes cracks or small openings in construction joists, walls, and floors for radon to get into your home.
Once it’s there, you won’t know you’re breathing it in unless you experience symptoms. However, prolonged exposure can destroy healthy lung tissue and potentially cause lung cancer. The EPA reports that 21,000 people will die of lung cancer per year due to radon exposure, and that almost 2,900 of the deaths are nonsmokers.
Signs of Radon Presence
So, if you can’t see radon or smell it in the air, how will you know it’s there? You can rely on indicators or get answers outright by testing. Here is more information on your methods:
- Determine Your Level of Ventilation: Low levels of ventilation throughout the home, but especially in crawl spaces and basements, make your home more likely to have radon.
- Review Historical Records: If prior homeowners or those who currently live in your neighborhood have reported radon on their properties, that increases the likelihood of it occurring on or near yours as well.
- Gauge Your Risk Level: Certain environments contribute more to radon, such as those with particular geographical formations. Living in a high-risk area makes you more likely to experience radon exposure.
- Radon Testing: Of course, the only way to be 100 percent certain whether you’ve been exposed to radon is through testing. You can purchase a DIY radon testing kit or hire professionals. Testing kits read your air quality over an extended period.
Symptoms of Radon Exposure
The presence of radon in your home need not surprise you. Be aware of physical symptoms and signs that indicate you might have been exposed. If you experience these health issues, contact your doctor or another medical professional for a consultation:
- Fatigue
- Shortness of breath
- Weight loss
- Persistent coughing
- Coughing up blood
- Wheezing
- Difficulty swallowing
- Hoarse throat
- Chest tightness or pain
Please be advised that just because you have one or more of the above symptoms doesn’t automatically mean you’re suffering from radon exposure. The symptoms are often non-specific and might not appear until after significant health damage has occurred.
That’s why radon testing is so valuable.
Testing for Radon
We mentioned before that you can test for radon yourself with a DIY kit or hire professionals to do it, but those aren’t the only distinctions between testing kits. There are also short-term and long-term kits, so let’s explain how they’re different.
The primary disparity between them boils down to one factor: testing times.
A short-term test will tell you if you have radon on your property right now. The least amount of time you’d test the air is two days, and the longest is 90 days. Long-term radon tests will capture air samples for 90 days or longer.
If possible, we recommend opting for a long-term test. Radon levels tend to be inconsistent, so measuring the gas in the air for shorter periods might not produce the most accurate results.
Regardless of which type of radon test you’re interested in, you should know where to find them. Most home improvement stores stock DIY radon tests, including short-term and long-term tests. Big-box department stores might also have them.
However, if you can’t find any testing kits in your local stores, you can always shop online. Overnight and same-day shipping means you don’t have to wait long to begin measuring radon on your property.
Going forward, plan to be diligent, and test your property every two years. An acceptable level of radon is between 1.3 and 2.6 picocuries per liter or pCi/L. Even though your home is considered safe under EPA standards, you should still continue testing and monitoring radon levels on your property.
When to Consider Radon Mitigation
If your results read anything over 4 pCi/L, you should strongly consider looking into radon mitigation. We also suggest mitigation services in these scenarios:
- If your home is regularly occupied and you’ve tested for high radon levels.
- When occupancy changes occur, such as more people moving into your home.
- If you change how you use certain spaces, like if you finish a basement.
You should consider reevaluating your radon levels in these scenarios even if you tested at the borderline. Disturbing your home’s foundation could allow radon to enter, so the levels could be higher than the last time you tested.
Radon Mitigation Solutions
You’ve determined that it’s time to call in the professionals for radon. What mitigation options are available to you as a homeowner? They include:
- Radon Sump Systems: Radon pumps are fan-based systems also known as active soil depressurization. The fan will generate air from your property’s soil, then transfer it to a pipe. The pipe, which is installed near your roof, sends the radon-containing air outside to make your home safer.
- Improving Ventilation: Exhaust fans are key in improving ventilation around your home and keeping radon levels low. A radon mitigation specialist will recommend kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans at the very least. They might also suggest ventilation options around clothing dryers, furnaces, and fireplaces.
- Sealing Cracks: Blocking cracks and openings around your property with caulk or replacement materials is usually done in conjunction with the above mitigation strategies. Sealing cracks ensure radon-filled air cannot enter.
Hiring qualified, trusted professionals to treat radon will instill in you peace of mind that your home and loved ones are safe. A qualified team can also maintain your mitigation systems to keep radon off your property long-term.
Conclusion
Radon is a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas, which makes detection impossible with the naked eye. Rather, you should rely on radon testing, doing this once every two years to get accurate readings. Be ready to employ radon mitigation as required to stay safe and healthy.