Radon gas is caused by the breakdown of granite in the soil under a home. This gas then escapes the earth and penetrates the basement, or home through the concrete floor. Homes do what is called ‘the chimney effect’ where once the gas has entered the home it remains trapped and can go upwards to the first, second and third floors!
Our testing is done with digital monitors that stay in the home for 48 hours to test the radon levels every 10 minutes over the entire 48 hours. Radon cannot be determined in a ‘snapshot’ test which could be 10 minutes to an hour; it must be done for a minimum of 48 hours.
A home is considered a failure at 4 picocuries per liter or higher. Acceptable limits are 0-3.9 pci/l
YES! Radon does not discriminate if you have a basement, crawlspace, slab on grade or a walkout basement. Since radon comes from underground all that matters is that your house is built on the ground.
Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the US. A radon level of 4 pci/l (which is the EPA’s limit for failure) is equivalent to smoking 8 cigarettes per day, or receiving 200 chest x-rays per year.
NO! Radon is completely invisible and has no smell. It is impossible to tell if a home has radon by looking at it or walking through it.
Mitigation systems can be installed for radon. Typically a hole is cut in the floor of the basement, crawlspace etc and a pump is installed under the slab. That pump then evacuates the air under the slab containing the radon to the exterior of the home. This is a very efficient way to mitigate radon in a home and can typically get levels under 1 pci/l.
Radon should be tested every 3-5 years regardless of the installation of a mitigation system. Since radon is naturally occurring it does change over time and can be higher or lower depending on the breakdown of the granite. A mitigation system that is installed to mitigate 5 pci/l may be overwhelmed if the radon changes to 15 pci/l and may need a larger pump or to be adjusted so it is always a good idea to test every 3-5 years!
Whether you’re purchasing a home, preparing to sell, or need specialized inspections, Ace Home Inspections is here to help ensure your property is safe, stable, and valuable.