Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer next to smoking. According to the Canadian Cancer Society, 16 per cent of lung cancer deaths are related to Radon; this relates to approximately 3,000 deaths per year in Canada alone.

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that is colourless, odorless, and tasteless.

Radon is formed from the breakdown of uranium and radium, and is largely located in soil, rock and water where it can be released into the atmosphere (including homes).

Indoors generally have much higher levels of radon than outdoors, and a person who is exposed to elevated levels over an extended period of time has a higher probability of developing lung cancer.

Health Canada recommends that homes with indoor radon levels above 200 Becquerels per cubic meter (Bq/m3) should mitigate to reduce levels.

The World Health Organization (WHO), a United Nation’s division, recommends having radon levels less than 100 Bq/m3.

It is important to note that though different governing bodies have different recommended exposure limits, the lower the amount of radon a person is exposed to, the less likely they are of developing radon-induced lung cancer.

Individuals have the choice to mitigate any radon level to further reduce the risk of radon-induced lung cancer.

Test kits may be purchased from a hardware store or local authority. These test kits, however, may have a measurement bias if the kits are expired or have been unknowingly stored in an area with elevated radon levels prior to distribution.

C-NRPP certified Radon Measurement Professionals can also provide testing; this is the most accurate way to go as it ensures more consistent test results due to their quality control and quality assurance protocols.

Short-term tests of two to seven days can be conducted for purposes of real-estate transactions or to provide a “snapshot” of the radon in a building at that time.

However, for more accurate test results, Health Canada recommends conducting a long-term radon test for 3 to 12 months, ideally between the months of October and April, as radon levels are generally highest then.

If radon levels are found to be higher than the recommended levels (or above an individual’s liking) radon mitigation systems can be installed to help reduce radon levels in homes, schools, daycares, hospitals, and workplaces.

C-NRPP certified Radon Mitigation Professionals are trained to implement remediation systems that are tailor-made to each home or building to effectively reduce radon levels.

Mentioned frequently among the public is that there are certain areas that have higher uranium deposits than others and that homes should be tested in those locations.

Though this is a valid point, it is just as important to test homes in these areas as any other home throughout the country.

Indoor radon levels can be elevated in one house and lower in the next, even when they are identically built and next door to each other, whether they are built over an uranium mine or not.

As human senses cannot detect radon, the only way to know if there are elevated radon levels in your home or building is by testing.

To learn more about radon, contact us at
www.synergyhomeinspections.ca , call 250-462-8946, or email: contact@synergyhomeinspections.ca

Cody Wright is a C-NRPP certified Radon Measurement and Mitigation Professional, a CAHPI licensed Home Inspector, and the owner of Synergy Home Inspections, located here in the Okanagan Valley.