Not many people know that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the US after smoking. Radon, for the unversed, is a radioactive gas produced due to uranium decay in nature. Because of its relatively low density, radon is constantly pushed out of the soil and bedrock. The gas can seep through the foundation cracks or wall gaps into the building. Radon exposure may not have any immediate symptoms, but it may cause lung damage or even lung cancer in the long run. Testing for radon at home doesn’t have to be hard or expensive. In New Jersey, local services like RAdata, LLC offer all the support to local homeowners to mitigate radon risks. In this post, we are busting some of the common myths about radon.
Myth 1 – Radon testing is expensive
Homeowners can buy radon test kits for as low as $15. These are short-term kits, which test for radon for a short period, not exceeding seven days. If you want to get a more accurate evaluation, professional radon mitigation services can do the testing at an affordable cost.
Myth 2 – Radon concerns are not relevant to my city
It is often wrongly believed that radon can only impact buildings in certain regions or areas. While radon emission does depend on things like soil and atmospheric conditions, no home is entirely immune to this radioactive gas. Ideally, homeowners in North America should get radon testing done at least once in two to three years by a professional service.
Myth 3 – My house has unsafe radon levels. I must sell the property.
Just because you have detected radon in your building doesn’t mean you have to leave. Radon mitigation is simple and often a permanent solution. In most cases, radon mitigation services will check and fix gaps, cracks, and cavities in the building, following which they may recommend installing an active sub-slab depressurization system.
An active sub-slab depressurization system installs a pipe from the slab/rock bed to the top of the building (usually roof or attic) to vent radon into the environment, with the help of an exhaust fan. The fan works around the clock and vents radon from the soil straight into the air. For some homes, a passive sub-slab depressurization system can be considered too.
Call a professional service immediately if you haven’t tested home radon levels in the last two years.