WHAT IS RADON AND IS IT DANGEROUS?
Radon is an odorless, colorless, tasteless gas that is produced by the natural decay of uranium and radium in the soil. Since radon is a gas, it can easily enter homes and other buildings. In outdoor air, radon is diluted to very low levels. Inside of homes, radon may become trapped and buildup to dangerous levels. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends that all homes be tested for radon gas.
Exposure to radon increases your risk of developing lung cancer. It is the second leading cause of lung cancer deaths in the United States.
DO MANY HOMES HAVE RADON?
The EPA estimates that one out of sixteen homes in the U.S. has radon levels above their radon guideline. In general, homes in the Midwest are much more likely to have high radon levels.
WHY DO MINNESOTA HOMES HAVE MORE RADON?
One reason is that we build most of our homes with basements. Since radon is found in the soil, homes with basements are more likely to have high radon levels. The soil in our state contains widespread low grade uranium and radium. About one out of three homes in Minnesota have radon levels above 4 pCi/l. A a result, the Minnesota Departmet of Health (MDH) recommends that all homes in our state be tested for radon gas.
HOW DOES RADON ENTER MY HOME?
Radon can enter a home anywhere there is an opening between the home and the soil as well as through solid material. These openings include dirt floor crawl spaces, cracks in slab-on-grade floors, and concrete block walls. As air is used or exhausted from a home, this "lost" air creates a vacuum (suction) in the home which then pulls in air from the outside. Some of this outside air comes from the soil which may contain high levels of radon.
MAJOR RADON ENTRY ROUTES
A. Cracks in concrete slabs.
B. Spaces behind brick veneer walls that rest on uncapped hollow-block foundations.
C. Pores and cracks in concrete blocks.
D. Floor-wall joints.
E. Exposed soil, as in a sump or crawl space.
F. Weeping (drain) tile, if drained to open sump.
G. Mortar joints.
H. Loose fitting pipe penetrations.
I. Open tops of block walls.
J. Building materials, such as brick, concrete, rock.
K. Water (from some wells).
HOW CAN I CHECK MY HOME FOR RADON?
You can go to a hardware store and purchase a radon testing kit, or you can contact Blue Knight Home Inspections and we can perform a test for you. There are many variables to take into consideration when you are doing this type of testing, such as weather conditions (wind, humidity, temperature), and the height of containers from the floor.
The lab that Blue Knight Home Inspections uses recommends that we use two test kits per area inspected. This provides a more accurate reading.
Please contact Blue Knight Home Inspections to arrange for Radon testing of your home.