48 hour radon monitoring can be added to your home inspection or can be a stand alone service

Please call (865) 389-8710 or (423) 273-1236 or  today to schedule

Radon, what is it?

Radon is a radioactive gas that is released when uranium—a natural element normally found in rock and soil—breaks down and undergoes radioactive decay. Uranium is normally present in rock and soil, so radon gas is naturally present in the environment. However, radon can become highly concentrated in some buildings and homes. Long-term exposure to radon has been linked to the development of lung cancer. Radon cannot be detected by human senses because it is odorless, tasteless and invisible. However, levels can be measured in enclosed spaces with radon monitoring devices. Testing your home is easy, inexpensive and the only way to know if you have an elevated level of radon.

       How does radon get into the house?

Houses act like large chimneys. As the air in the house warms, it rises to leak out the attic openings and around the upper floor windows. This creates a small suction at the lowest level of the house, pulling the radon out of the soil and into the house. Furthermore, the air pressure inside your home is usually lower than pressure in the soil below around your home's foundation. Because of this difference in pressure, your house acts like a vacuum, drawing radon in through the foundation.

           What are the Health Effects From Exposure to Radon?

When radon starts to decay, very tiny radioactive particles are released. If you inhale these particles, they enter the lungs and may cause cancerous changes in nearby cells. If you breathe in high levels of radon, you have a greater chance of getting lung cancer. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer, second only to tobacco smoke, and is responsible for about 21,000 deaths per year in the United States. The U.S. Surgeon General and the EPA recommend that all homes be tested for elevated radon levels. The combination of smoking and radon exposure can greatly increase your risk of developing lung cancer. If you smoke or live with someone who smokes and you live or work in a place with high radon levels, your risk of lung cancer is significantly higher than for someone who has never smoked but lives or works in places with high radon levels. Radon exposure does not produce immediate symptoms. You may not realize that you are being exposed to dangerous levels of radon until a serious condition such as lung cancer develops.

                              What can you do about radon?  

Nearly 1 out of every 15 homes in the U.S. is estimated to have elevated radon levels. While radon problems may be more common in some areas, any home may have a problem. The only way to know about your home is to have your home tested. Having your home tested is inexpensive and easy. A radon monitoring device remains in your home for a minimum of two days (48 hours) and measures the amount of radon in the air. The amount of radon in the air is measured in "picoCuries per liter of air," or "pCi/L". The EPA recommends that you take action to reduce your home's indoor radon levels if your radon test result is 4 pCi/L or higher. A variety of methods can be used to reduce radon in homes. Techniques for reducing radon are discussed in the EPA's "Consumer's Guide to Radon Reduction".

(RED) Zone 1 Highest Potential (greater than 4 pCi/L) 

(ORANGE) Zone 2 Moderate Potential (from 2 to 4 pCi/L)

(YELLOW) Zone 3 Low Potential (less than 2 pCi/L)