Radon

Radon Testing

What is Radon?

• Radon is a harmful ionizing radiation, or gas that is radioactive, colourless, and odourless. Radon is capable of causing cancer and cellular damage.
• Radon is produced by the decay of naturally occurring uranium in soil and groundwater or by the radioactive decay of the element Radium.

Why is Radon Testing important?

• Radon commonly enters a structure from the soil surrounding it via cracks in the foundation, sump pumps, cracks in walls, or simply diffusing through the foundation if there is a difference in air pressure between a structure’s basement or crawlspace and the surrounding soil.
• Due to central ventilation systems, Radon can be dispersed throughout the entire home or office.
• Every building has some Radon. It is essential to determine if the levels are elevated to the point of being a substantial health risk, regardless of the age of the structure.
• Radon may also enter the vicinity via showers and various plumbing lines.
• If Radon is present in the air, water and soil testing is strongly recommended.
• Radon can accumulate in parts of the structure through drafts or through HVAC systems, where it undergoes radioactive decay, turning into solid Radon Decay Products. This enables the solid Radon Decay to potentially stick to dust, aerosols or smoke, which poses a danger if inhaled.

Health effects

• Risk of developing lung cancer from Radon depends on the concentration and length of exposure to Radon in the air you breathe.
• When inhaled, the harmful ionizing radiation can lead to DNA damage in the cells of the lungs, leading to lung cancer.
• There is no “safe” level of radon gas exposure -even at radon concentrations deemed acceptable for homes by the Environmental Protection Agency, between 2 and 7 out of every 1000 non-smokers would get lung cancer as a result of radon exposure.
• The EPA, WHO, and Health Canada have confirmed that Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in North America.
• Over 25,000 people die in North America from Radon exposure.
• Health Canada reported that “16% of lung cancers deaths in Canada are attributable to radon exposure.”
• Significant concentration of Radon is equivalent to smoking 1.5 packs of cigarettes per day.

Solutions

Testing procedure includes the following:

• To accurately assess Radon levels is to start with a short-term test to establish current levels. On site visits, monitoring and assessments performed by a third-party laboratory will be conducted.
• If elevated levels are apparent GEP will provide you with the steps that should be taken to remediate and mitigate the situation to standards deemed acceptable by the EPA.
• Contact GEP to schedule a free consultation to determine what type of contaminants are of concern and what is the most effective type of testing you need to achieve your goals.