The importance of testing for Radon is that the EPA estimated that over 20,000 cases of death due to lung cancer are caused by Radon exposure. Radon is found in both the outside air as well as the indoor air. The Environmental Protection Agency does recommend that homes, buildings, use Radon Mitigation techniques if the Radon Level is 4 pCi/L or picocuries per liter or more. Radon Mitigation is the method that is used to help decrease the amount of Radon in breathing zones located in buildings that are occupied. If you suspect that Radon is present the first thing you need to do is not panic. There are steps that can be done to mitigate the Radon.
There are Radon Kits available at your local Wal-Mart, Target and Home Depot Retail Stores. These kits contain a collector that will be hung in the lowest floor of the home or building where people live or work. The collector is placed there for 2 to 7 days to get an accurate reading. Then once the test is complete there will be a list of addresses where the testing kit will be sent for your results. If you are really interested in finding out how Radon has been in your building or home there are kits that can test for 91 days to year back available.
Radon levels do tend to go up and down naturally, so when you perform your first test it may not be accurate, to be safe do the one test and then do a second just to be safe. You can never be too careful with Radon as we mentioned it has been linked to 20,000 cancer related deaths in the United States alone.
Once the tests have come back and it has been shown that a higher level of Radon does exist, there are professional and certified Radon Mitigation Experts that will install a Radon Mitigation System that will work to eradicate the Radon that is already present. There are Do it Yourself Systems but it is best to check with your county or State some places do require professionals be used to handle these situations.
A professional Radon Mitigation Specialist will know to check some areas that can be the cause of an increase in your Radon levels. These checks include the Air-conditioning, they will check for leaks that can be found outside the breathing zone like in an attic. Another check may include an Excessive Exhaust Fan Operation, Oversized or an Over Capacitated Air Conditioners.
Rest assured that Radon can be removed from your home or building structure. These removal procedures will include the installation of air pipes as well as fans that will get eliminate the slab air to the outside called Sub Slab Depressurization as well as Active Soil Depressurization and Soil Suction. Catching these levels early is a step in the right direction. Contact your local professional today; they will help you eliminate the Radon in your building with fail-safe systems. It is best to safe than sorry. Call today isn’t the your health and the health of your family worth it?