Whatever you do, don’t panic! Consumers buy homes all the time that end up having radon problems. If the story ended there, it would be all over the news and we’d have a catastrophe on our hands. The reality is that there are many solutions to this kind of problem in your home, and with proper testing and mitigation, you can be as radon-free as any other home in your neighborhood. Have you stopped panicking yet?
In this post, we’ll be going over some of the basics of radon. We’ll be discussing what it is, where it comes from, what we do to test for it, and most importantly, what to do if you find yourself with a bad radon problem. Dealing with radon gas isn’t as bad as you might think, but it’s not a walk in the park either. So, stay vigilant and take a few notes if you have to, and remember to call the professionals for radon mitigation in Portland, OR.
Let’s get right to it.
What Is Radon?
According to the EPA, radon is a naturally-occurring radioactive gas that can increase your risk of lung cancer. It’s colorless and odorless, which means it is hard to identify with our senses. It’s produced from the radioactive breakdown of uranium in the rock and soil beneath your house. Outside and in the natural atmosphere, radon disperses rather quickly and is not much of a concern at all. However, indoors and especially in underground places like basements and crawlspaces, radon can become trapped and might start to affect your health.
How Do We Test for Radon?
There are many ways to test for radon, from inexpensive short-term charcoal testing which can tell you if further testing is required, to more complex alpha particle tracking and digital radon detection meters. The fact of the matter is, we recommend getting a professional radon test because of how detrimental it can be without one. One wrong test result can mean living with radon for years or even decades, which can lead to increased chances of lung cancer for you and your family.
What to Do If You’ve Got Radon
Start by not panicking. Second, you’ll want to schedule some radon mitigation services. These can be separated into two categories.
- Radon Prevention. Radon prevention is a system that can be set up to prevent further radon from entering your home. This can be anything from sealing cracks and holes in your floors and walls to keep the air in your home from being in contact with the natural soil or rock.
- Radon Mitigation. This usually involves the use of underground pipes and exhaust fans to expel the radon that exists within your home. The price of these various services depends on the size and complexity of your home, and how extensive the work must be to cover the entire area.
Basically, what we’re trying to tell you is that we’ve got you covered. Whether you’ve got radon in your home or you think you might, we’ve got plenty of affordable solutions to keep you and your family safe.
Don’t leave this job to the amateurs. Contact The Clean Air Act today for professional radon mitigation.