Radon is a colorless, odorless, radioactive soil gas. This naturally occurring gas comes from the breakdown of uranium and radium in the soil. As the radioactive decay particles break down, the gas created comes up through the soil and to the earth’s surface. These particles enter the air in the home through cracks and sometimes become concentrated to what the EPA considers unsafe levels.
Radon naturally occurs worldwide, but the presence and concentration are different depending on region and location. Some areas of the world happen to have higher concentrations than others. The front range of Colorado happens to be one of these areas of high concentration.
Radon Health Risks
Radon is a radioactive and cancerous gas and is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States (only behind smoking). Radon decay particles cling to dust particles in the air and are inhaled into the lungs. The signs of radon poison are the same as lung cancer and can include chronic cough, difficulty breathing, and rapid weight loss.
Radon Mitigation (Removal)
The EPA standard is that a home should have a mitigation system installed if radon levels are found by a professional testing company to be above 4pCi/l. The standard “action level” that is determined by the US EPA is 4pCi/L (picocuries per liter).
Whether or not your home has a basement, crawlspace or slab, will determine exactly what type of radon mitigation system should be installed. The general concept is to draw the harmful gas out of the soil and to the outside air before it has a chance to enter the home.
In the front range of Colorado, the general cost for a professionally installed system is in the $800-$1200 range. It’s a wise idea to test your home after a new system is installed to ensure that the radon has dropped to a safe level. Once a system is installed, the EPA still recommends that you test your home for radon every 2 years to ensure the system is operating properly. Homebuyers often ask us if we recommend testing a home that has an existing system. While the system is most likely functioning properly and safely, it’s always a good idea to confirm proper operation. Throughout our years in business, it is not unusual for us to run into inadequately functioning systems regularly during our home inspections.
What Home Sellers Should know
The Environmental Protection Agency recommends testing your home before putting it on the market to be sold. Testing is the ONLY way to find out if there is a radon-related health risk in your home. Tests should always be done on the lower levels of the home (below the third floor). If your home tests high for radon, you should make immediate plans to fix the problem. Even VERY high radon levels can be reduced to safe levels in a relatively short period of time. After completing a radon test, save your results. Make sure to also hold onto any information you have about the steps that were taken to eliminate the problem. A radon mitigation system in Colorado Springs could end up being a positive selling point since one in two homes test high for radon.
What Home Buyers Should Know
The EPA has made the recommendation that you know what the indoor radon level is in any home you are considering purchasing. It is your right to ask the home seller for their radon test results. If the home has a radon mitigation system, you should ask for any information the seller has about the system. Most importantly, find out when it was installed and when it was last checked by a professional radon company.
If the home you are interested in purchasing has not been tested, this should be done before signing any deals. If you are having a new home built, there are mitigation features that may be added to the ongoing construction that will ensure safe levels in the home. It’s best to get rid of any problem before it begins. Installing a system while the home is being built is the best way to go, in our expert opinion.
Please remember that ANY home can have a radon problem. This includes new and old homes, well-sealed and drafty homes, and homes with or without basements. Since you spend most of your time at home, this is where you are likely to be exposed to risks.
You cannot predict radon levels in your home based on state, local, and neighborhood radon measurements. Do not rely on radon test results taken in other homes in the neighborhood to estimate the radon level in your home.
Radon-Resistant Homes
Radon-resistant add-ons are different depending on a home’s foundation type. If your home is built to be radon-resistant, it will have one of these basic elements:
- Gas-Permeable Layer: A layer (about 4 inches thick) is placed beneath the slab or flooring system of the home. It allows the soil gas to move freely underneath the house. This layer is used only in homes with basements and slab-on-grade foundations. It is not used in homes that utilize a “crawlspace” foundation.
- Plastic Sheeting – A durable plastic sheet is placed on top of the gas-permeable layer and under the foundation slab to help prevent the soil gas from entering the home. If the home has a crawlspace foundation, the plastic is placed directly over the crawlspace floor and the seams are expertly sealed.
- Sealing – All cracks and/or openings in the foundation and walls are sealed to reduce soil gas entry into the home.
- Vent Pipe – A 3- or 4-inch PVC pipe runs from the gas-permeable layer through the house to the roof to safely vent the radon gas to the outside.
Whether you are a home buyer, home seller, or are building your new home, the experts at Advanced Radon Systems in Colorado Springs are ready to help you ensure the safety of your family. Call us today to find out which path to clean air is best for your new home.