We all want to protect our loved ones from any potential threats and radon ticks all the boxes. It’s a silent killer that causes the highest lung cancer cases among non-smokers.
But what can you do when the deadly gas is colorless, odorless, and tasteless? The good news is, you can take some smart steps to mitigate this threat.
Here’s what you can do to protect your home from radon.
1. Test Your Home
The first step is to confirm the radon levels in your home by taking a simple radon test. There are two types of radon testing, the short-term which takes 2 to 7 days, and the long-term test takes up to 90 days. Since weather patterns can affect the radon levels, it’s recommended that you use both methods for more accurate results. You can purchase the tests in hardware stores or call a radon expert to conduct a professional test.
2. Install a Mitigation System
The EPA recommends installing a mitigation system for homes with radon levels of 4 pCi/L or more. You need to hire a radon professional with experience to install a mitigation system that will effectively pull out the radon from your home.
Radon mitigation requires specialized skills and knowledge to guarantee reduced radon levels. Without specialized equipment and installation expertise, you can potentially increase the radon levels or create other costly hazards.
There are several proven methods to remove radon, but the most popular has a vent system and fan. The vent pipe pulls radon from underneath the house and vents it towards the outdoors.
Radon mitigation may involve making slight structural changes depending on the foundational design of your home. For a house with a basement, the suction pipe is connected through the floor slab into the soil but for a house with more than one foundation, the mitigation experts may need to connect multiple systems to achieve the best results.
3. Increase Ventilation
By increasing airflow into your house, you prevent radon accumulation in your indoor air. You can achieve proper ventilation by using fans and opening windows as much as the weather permits.
However, natural ventilation is only part of the radon mitigation measures you can implement easily but a professionally installed mitigation system remains the best way to reduce radon levels in your home.
4. Seal All the Cracks
Sealing cracks on the basement floor and walls with plaster, caulk, or epoxy can help to reduce radon levels as a short-term measure. But remember, even the best sealing efforts can miss hairline cracks that eventually lead to increased radon levels.
5. Retest Your Home
It’s important to retest your home after installing the mitigation system and making other changes to ensure the system is working as expected. The EPA also recommends testing your radon levels every two years as part of a long-term radon mitigation strategy.
Know Your Radon Levels With Teton Radon Services
For professional radon testing services, contact Teton Radon Services. We are NRPP-certified radon experts with over 15 years of experience in radon testing and mitigation. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.