Radon doesn’t provide any warnings when it’s in your home. This colorless, odorless, radioactive gas is everywhere at low levels, so it’s not possible to get rid of it entirely. Exposure to higher levels of radon could be life-threatening. Learn why you should have your home tested for radon.
Have Your Home Tested for Radon To Protect Your Health
When radon enters your home, it can become trapped inside and accumulate to dangerous levels. Long-term exposure to high levels of radon increases your risk of developing lung cancer. In fact, the EPA reports that radon is responsible for more than 20,000 lung cancer deaths annually in the United States. Testing is the only way to know if your home has unsafe levels of radon because you can’t sense it otherwise.
Have Your Home Tested for Radon Because High Levels Can Affect Any Home
Every home should be tested for radon because any home could be susceptible to unsafe levels. The location or age of the house doesn’t make it immune to radon. You may be under the assumption that you don’t need to have your home tested for radon if it’s newer. However, radon can find ways into any type of home, including new homes that are equipped with the latest air circulation technology. Even if you’ve lived in your home for many years without lung problems, you can enjoy peace of mind if you learn that your home’s levels of radon are low.
Results from Radon Testing Will Determine What Steps to Take Next
If testing determines that the radon levels in your home are at or above 4 pCi/L, hire a radon remediation company. A professional radon mitigator will put together a radon remediation plan that makes sense for your home. After these steps are taken, you should have your home tested for radon again to make sure levels are staying under 4 pCi/L. Even if testing shows that radon levels are low after mitigation, continue to test for radon on a regular basis.
It’s best to have a trained professional test your home for radon. While there are self-test kits available, there’s always the potential for user error, especially if you’re not familiar with radon testing. Professional radon testing gives you more accurate results because professionals have high-quality equipment. An experienced tester will explain the results and offer mitigation options to make your home safer.
Canadeo Home Inspections provides professional radon testing and home inspections. Contact us to schedule our services in Northern Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.