Getting Rid of Radon
Finding radon in your home can be a nerve-wracking thing. It’s dangerous, sometimes deadly, and can sneak into your home without your knowledge. Radon mitigation contractors can help rid your home of this hazardous gas using a number of different methods, but some can be more effective than others. Do a little research and you’ll learn that reliable radon mitigation in Saint Paul is easy to find.
Radon is a radioactive carcinogen gas that is released from the soil and can travel through homes. Each year, radon is responsible for 20,000 deaths from lung cancer, and is the second-leading cause of lung cancer after smoking. Thus, if you smoke and spend a lot of your time in a building with high radon levels, you place yourself at the highest risk of contracting radon induced lung cancer. Even though the treatment of lung cancer hasn't proven all that effective, the prevention of contracting radon induced lung cancer is quite promising.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends mitigating any building with a radon measurement at or above 4.0 picocuries per liter (pCi/L). Once a building’s radon levels are measured and found to be unhealthy, a radon mitigation system is specially designed to effectively reduce the levels to a healthier amount. The EPA usually recommends abatement methods that keep radon from entering a house, including soil suction, which draw the radon from below the basement or crawl space floor and push it outside. Some other radon mitigation techniques include sealing, house/room pressurization, heat recovery ventilation, and natural ventilation.
Start your search for a radon mitigation professional by checking reviews on the Better Business Bureau or Angie’s List websites. This is a good way to ensure that the contractor you use is reliable and trustworthy. Research the company online to learn more about them, such as how long they’ve been in business, if they’ve won any awards, and some examples of previous jobs. Also, be sure to check with friends and neighbors to see if they’ve used a radon abatement contractor before, and if they would refer that particular contractor to you.
Before radon mitigation can take place, you first need a professional to perform radon testing to see how much radon is in the house. A Continuous Radon Monitor test for your home is the most precise short-term radon test available today. This test typically takes about 48 hours to provide an accurate reading of radon level. There are do-it-yourself home test kits out there, but if they’re not done correctly they can provide false results. You also have to mail the detector back to the lab and wait for the results when you do it yourself, while a professional can give you results much sooner. And in some cases, if you’re buying or selling a house you need a certified professional to perform a radon testing and mitigation services.
If you’re curious about radon levels in your home, or are looking to buy or sell a home and need a professional radon specialist to perform a radon test, contact your local National Radon Defense contractor. NRD dealers go through extensive training and certification to perform professional radon abatement in St. Paul, MN, and other cities.
