Radon Testing
Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S.
Radon comes from the natural breakdown of uranium in soil, rock and water. Typically the air pressure inside your home is lower than the pressure in the soil around your home's foundation. Due to this difference, your house acts like a vacuum, drawing radon gas in through foundation cracks and other openings of your home.
Radon may also be present in well water and can be released into the air in your home when water is used for showering and other household uses.The release of this radioactive gas enters the air you breathe, causing a potential health risk to you and your family. Radon gas can be found anywhere. It can get into any type of building -- homes, offices, and schools -- and build up to high levels.
What you should know about Radon
Radon is a cancer-causing radioactive gas. You cannot see, smell or taste it, but it may be a problem in your home. When you breathe air-containing radon, you increase your risk of lung cancer. In fact, the Surgeon General has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer, the first among non-smokers.
Testing your home for radon is the only way to find out about your home's radon level.
Understanding Radon Levels
A radon report will give you a measurement reading in Picocuries Per Liter (pCi/L.) If your reading is between 2-4 pCi/L, you want to consider fixing your home. If you smoke, you're at an even greater risk for lung cancer and health concerns. All smokers should have their homes tested for radon.
What if I Have a Radon Problem?
A home that has over 4 pCi/L should be fixed. A certified radon professional can remove the high levels of gas and make your home safe. Very high levels can be reduced to acceptable levels.
Should I Buy a House with High Radon Levels?
The EPA recommends that you obtain the radon level in the home you are considering buying through a certified radon tester. If elevated levels are found, it is simple to reduce the levels. In most cases, a professional can accomplish this at reasonable cost through a certified radon professional removal service, or through a homeowner installed mitigation system that adheres to the EPA's approved methods for reduction of radon in a residential structure.
When you test before you purchase, and results are high, you can negotiate the cost of mitigation into the final purchase price of the home.
Radon Mitigation System.
High levels of radon can easily be removed from the home with a radon mitigation system. Oregon Home Inspections does not install radon mitigation systems.
Radon's Pathways into Your Home
A) Cracks in concrete slabs
B) Spaces behind brick veneer walls that rest on uncapped hollow-block
C) foundations
D) Pores and cracks in concrete blocks
E) Floor-wall joints
F) Exposed soil, as in a sump or crawl space
G) Weeping (drain) tile, if drained to an open sump
H) Mortar joints
I) Loose fitting pipe penetrations
J) Open tops of block walls
K) Building materials: brick, concrete, rock
L) Well water (not commonly a major source in Minnesota homes)
Continuos Radon Monitor
Oregon Home Inspections uses the SunNuclear model 1028 continuous radon monitor. Its patented electronic detection device for measuring radon gas has been used commercially since 1986. The Sun Nuclear Corporation, Model 1028 is US EPA verified, NEHA-NRPP listed and evaluated and approved by the NRSB for use in real estate transaction testing.
Detector Type: Diffused-junction photodiode
Sensitivity: 2.7 cph per pCi/L
Measurement Range: 0.1 to 9999 picocuries/liter (pCi/l)
Measurement Intervals: Every 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, or 24 hours
Computer Generated Reports
We provide a computer generated report with every radon test.
