Radon The Silent Killer Radon is found worldwide and is considered to be the number one cause of lung cancer in non-smokers. It is tasteless, colorless, odorless and a toxic radioactive gas. There are no symptoms to radon gas poisoning. Radon enters a home through the natural decay of uranium, which is found in all soils. Radon moves along fault lines and fissures in the soil and enters into your home through cracks in your foundation, the joint between the cement floor and cement walls of your foundation, through crawlspace soil or from your sump pit. A home will then trap radon gas inside the home where it can build up to toxic levels impacting the health of humans and animals living within the home. Any home can have high levels of radon gas; it doesn't matter if it's a new or old home, drafty, with or without a basement. A fun fact, one house could have off the chart readings and the one next to it nothing. How does this happen? It's just the luck of the draw in how the radon gas follows the openings in the soil allowing the gas to enter into your home. There are two ways to test for radon gas, using an electronic radon monitor or using the passive charcoal test kits. There are pros and cons to both types of testing; the electronic radon testing tends to be a bit more accurate. Either method of testing will work and allow you to know the levels of radon gas in your home or office. You may find a free do it yourself test kit from your local or county health department or from state radon test programs. You may purchase do it yourself test kits from a big box store or through the Internet. Regardless of the type of testing you choose, follow the directions carefully and return the test instrument immediately upon completion of the test. Typically the home is closed for a day with only normal opening and closing of exterior doors. Then the test equipment is placed in the lowest level of living space according to EPA placement guidelines and left for 48 to 72 hours. Then the test equipment is returned to an EPA certified lab for evaluation. The safe EPA levels of radon in a home are no higher than 4 picocuries per liter of air, (pCi/L.) If your do it yourself test kit comes back higher than 3.5 pCi/L have a professional radon testing service perform a test at your home. Professional grade test kits are more accurate than the do it yourself types. If your professional testing levels are higher than 4 pCi/L, you will need to install a radon mitigation system. The mitigation system blows air in and sucks air out thus diluting the radon gas build up in your home. Regardless of the type of foundation you have or where you are located there is a mitigation system for you and your home's needs. The more common application is a sub slab depressurization system consisting of a pipe that extends above your roofline with a fan installed in the PVC piping. The fan may be located in the attic or outside the building and is used to draw the air out from under your basement or crawlspace. A system can be installed in a few hours and the maintenance is minimal. There is a u tube monitor filled with a red oil liquid to help you gage how much suction the fan is creating. You would also need to check the fans operation and have an annual radon test to ensure the system is operating correctly. Give radon a voice through test results. Know your levels and mitigate according.