What is Radon Gas?

Radon gas is extremely serious as it is a radioactive gas that is colorless and odorless, and it
could be in your home. According to the Surgeon General, the presence of radon gas in the home
is the second most common cause of lung cancer in the United States. The problem is even worse
if you live in a home that has high radon levels and you also smoke. Various studies have also
found that children may be more sensitive towards this gas and may be more vulnerable to the
side effects produced due to exposure. This is thought to be due to the fact that they breathe more
quickly, and the cells within their body are still developing and dividing. The gas is inhaled or
ingested and can be found in rocks and soil and also groundwater.

Testing for Radon Gas in Your Home

The only way to find out whether or not you have radon gas in your home is to test for it, as there
really are no immediate symptoms that might alert you to its presence. If you find your home has
elevated levels of radon then it is probably worth conducting a follow-up test as levels can
fluctuate considerably. The follow-up test will let you know whether or not the results were
caused by any other factors such as particularly warm weather. Radon gas can be present in the
home for years before the problems caused by it become apparent. It's estimated that around 20%
of homes in the US could have elevated radon levels. Although you can test for the gas yourself,
it may be better to look for a certified radon mitigation service.

What is Radon Mitigation?

Radon mitigation is simply the methods used by a certified professional to test for and then lower
levels of radon within the home. Radon gas can enter through cracks in the foundation, through
drains, and even through gaps around wires and pipes. Radon mitigation looks at ways of
preventing the radon from entering the home as well as methods of lowering the levels of radon
already present. It can be highly effective at reducing levels, and the methods can depend on
whether or not your home has a basement or crawl space, or whether it is built on a solid slab of
concrete. Most methods of radon mitigation rely on techniques designed to extract the radon
from the ground underneath your home before venting it to the outdoors. It is definitely well
worth the cost of having radon mitigation professionally done, as the heartache and costs of
caring for someone with lung cancer can be considerably higher.

Radon Levels Can Rise during the winter

Radon levels can get worse during the winter for several different reasons. One of these is the
fact that cold weather or snow on the ground can cause a blanket effect, trapping the radon in the
soil surrounding the home. In these circumstances it's more likely to escape into the house where
the soil is not so cold. Another reason is that homes tend to be closed up much more tightly
during the winter and this prevents radon gas from being diluted by fresh air coming in from the
outdoors.