Does your home have a radon problem?

All homes contain some radon gas, but some have a level that presents a serious health risk of lung cancer. The amount of radon gas in your home depends on various factors, like soil characteristics, geographic location, construction type, foundation condition and weather.Ultimately, the only way to know if your home has high levels of radon is to test, an easy and inexpensive process. While there are a number of both long-term and short-term testing options available, Health Canada recommends doing the long-term test. The radon concentration inside a house varies over time, so measurements gathered over a longer period of time will give a more accurate indication of the radon level. Homes should be tested for a minimum of three months, ideally between September and April when windows and doors are typically kept closed.
There are two basic options for testing — one is to buy a do-it-yourself radon test kit and the other is to hire a radon measurement professional.
If you choose to perform the test yourself, radon detectors can be purchased over the phone, from the internet or from some home improvement retailers. The radon test kits will include instructions on how to set it up and send back to a lab for analysis once the testing period is over.
If you choose to hire someone to do the test for you, look for a service provider that has been certified through the Canadian National Radon Proficiency Program. Questions to consider asking the service provider include:
What type of radon test device do you provide, short-term or long-term?
Are you certified and trained to provide radon measurement services?
Are you familiar with Health Canada's revised guideline for radon exposure in indoor air?

Do you follow Health Canada's measurement protocols?
Find more information at www.canada.ca/radon.
www.newscanada.com.