Radon Testing What You Need to Know

Radon Testing

Radon (Rn) is a naturally occurring, invisible, odorless gas that comes from deposits of Uranium in the soil, rock and water. It is naturally dispersed in the air, but when trapped in buildings can be harmful, especially at elevated levels. It is a radioactive decay product of radium, which is itself a decay product of uranium. Uranium and radium are both common elements in the soil.

Why Should I Care?

Over 21,000 people will die this year as a result of exposure to indoor Rn gas. That is one person every 20 minutes which is more than will die from fire, hand guns and carbon monoxide combined.

Learn more about the health risks associated with Radon on the US EPA website’s Radon section.

Where is It Found?

The primary source of high levels in homes is from the soil containing uranium that is under and close to the home. It has been found in elevated levels in homes in every state, and the Environmental Protection Agency estimates that as many as one in 15 homes across the U.S. have elevated levels.

How Does It Get Into My House?

Warm air rises. When this happens in your home, it creates a vacuum in the lower areas of the house. Nature abhors a vacuum, so something must rush to fill it. In the case of your home, air seeps in from the around and under your house, and some air is sucked in through openings on the lowest level. Rn gas enters the same way air and other soil gases enter the home; through cracks in the foundation floor or walls, hollow-block walls, openings around floor drains, pipes and sump pumps, or from the bare earth in a crawlspace.

How Can I Find Out The Levels In My House?

CJR Property Inspections uses the best tamper resistant equipment available to conduct accurate measurements for your home or future home. We lease our monitors from Radalink. Radalink functions as our lab and conducts annual calibration of our monitors.

If you would like CJR to perform your radon test, schedule it here.