Should I test for radon?
Testing is the only way to find out your home’s radon levels. The EPA and the Surgeon General recommend testing all homes below the third floor for radon. If you find that you have high radon levels, there are ways to fix a radon problem. Even very high levels can be reduced to acceptable levels.
If you are selling a home, the EPA recommends that you test your home BEFORE putting it on the market and, if necessary, taking the needed measures to reduce radon levels prior to listing the home. Save the results and all the information you have about the steps that were taken to correct high radon levels. This acts as a strong selling point.
If you are buying a home, the EPA recommends that you know what the indoor radon level is in any home you are considering purchasing. Ask the seller for their radon test results. If the home has a radon-reduction system, ask the seller for information they have about the system. If the home has not yet been tested, you should have the house tested before signing a contract on a home.
If you are having a new home built, there are features which can be incorporated into your home during construction to reduce radon levels. These radon testing guidelines have been developed specifically to deal with the time-sensitive nature of home purchases and sales, and the potential for radon device interference.
Testing is the ONLY way to know if you and your family (or coworkers) are at risk from radon. You cannot predict radon levels based on state, local, or neighborhood radon measurements. DO NOT rely on radon test results taken in other homes in the neighborhood to estimate the radon level in your home. Adjacent homes can have different radon levels.
What part of the home should be tested?
The EPA recommends testing a home or business in the lowest level which is currently suitable for occupancy, since a buyer may choose to live in a lower area of the home than that used by the seller.
How much is too much radon gas?
You need to fix the structure if the radon level is 4 picoCuries per liter (pCi/L) or higher. Radon levels less than 4 pCi/L still pose a risk, and in many cases, may be reduced.
Getting your home or business tested for radon gas.
The symptoms of radon exposure are the same as lung cancer. There are no routine medical tests that can determine if you’ve been exposed to radiation. There is also no way to remove it from your body once you’ve been exposed.
Don’t wait to make your home a healthier, safer environment! Call (719) 332-3747 to receive a free radon consultation today! Or if you would like to test your home and want to schedule an appointment, click Schedule Testing. We serve Colorado Springs and all of the Southern Colorado Region.
Pinebreeze is your metro, mountain and rural radon mitigation team.
Follow Us!