Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive invisible gas that is present to some degree in virtually every home in the U.S.

You can’t smell or taste radon, and it is the #1 cause of lung cancer in non-smokers. Overall, it is second only to smoking in causing lung cancer, claiming approximately 20,000 victims per year.

About 7% of all homes in the U.S. have UNSAFE radon levels.

Radon is present in the soil around and beneath your home. It is also a potential risk in the water supply for those homes with private wells. Radon can be an issue in all types of homes: new & old, finished and unfinished basements, heavily sealed and drafty. Radon enters your home through cracks and gaps in floors & walls, and through your water supply. While problems are more concentrated in some areas, any home can have a problem. The only way for you to know for sure is to test your home. The U.S. Surgeon General and the EPA recommends all homes be tested for potentially high levels of Radon Gas. The average indoor radon level is approximately 1.3 pCi/L, and about 0.4 pCi/L in outside air.

The average indoor radon level is approximately 1.3 pCi/L, and about 0.4 pCi/L in outside air. If you have a radon level of 4 pCi/L or more you need to fix the problem. In some cases (if you are handy) you can install a Radon Mitigation system or equivalent yourself. However, it is highly recommended that you hire a licensed professional at an average cost of $1,200 (range of about $800-2,500) and usually in just a day or two you can be rid of this very dangerous health risk. In most homes radon can be lowered to 2 pCi/L or below.

The fastest way to test for radon in your home is to use a short-term test. This test takes a minimum of 2 days, but because radon levels can vary from day to day and season to season, a short-term test is much less reliable than a long-term test to gain an accurate assessment of your average radon level. An electronic radon monitor is the best way to conduct both a short and long term test, and best of all you can continuously monitor your home. A short-term test can be followed by another short-term test using open canister tests.