What Is Radon Gas?

Did You Know?

Radon is an invisible gas that is found in the earth’s crust. We breathe in radon gas every single day, and most people don’t even realize how dangerous it is. Radon gas is the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking, and the number one cause of lung cancer for non-smokers.  And that 2,600 more people in the United States die from Radon gas than from drunk drivers?

Why Getting a Radon Inspection Is So Important:

With radon being an invisible gas, getting a radon gas test for your home, for your potential new home if you are in the process of purchasing a house is the only way to test for radon gas. Getting a radon inspection is even more important if you have children in your home. According to the chart to the left, it is 10 times more dangerous for children to be exposed to radon than adults. Children aspire 2-3 times faster than adults since their lungs are smaller, and since their lungs are still developing their lungs are more susceptible to being exposed to DNA damage.

Highest Areas For Radon in Michigan:

According to Michigan.gov, the South Western part of Michigan (The Metropolitan Area) has some of the highest cases of radon in Michigan. These levels are the highest in cities such as: Hamburg, Ann Arbor, Livonia, Plymouth, Novi, Wayne-Westland, Farmington Hills, and many more highly populated cities in Michigan. Radon is especially important to test in homes that have basements, since the radon from the soil can leak into the walls of the basement of the home.

How Trademark Home Inspection, LLC Tests For Radon:

We use state of the art continuous radon monitors that we set up for our clients in the lowest livable area. We monitor the radon levels in the home for a full 48-hours for real estate transactions to provide the most accurate readings of radon levels in your current, or potential new home. After the 48-hours is over, we then collect the data from the radon monitor, and it creates a radon report with radon reading levels for each hour the monitor is in the home. The report will show if you if the radon levels are higher or lower than EPA guidelines, radon mitigation is suggested is the reading is higher than 4.0pCi/l’s.

Radon Mitigation:

Radon mitigation generally involves reducing the amount of radon that builds up within the home. Radon leaks out of the ground and would normally simply drift harmlessly up into the atmosphere in very low concentrations. When it enters your home, however, it is caught by the roof (especially if you have the kind of insulation needed for (Michigan winters) and builds up. Radon mitigation takes several forms. One of the most effective is active soil depressurization. This is a system which pulls gas that comes out of the soil out from under your house and exhausts it away from the building or through a vent on the roof.

If your home does not have a crawlspace. Then a gas permeable layer under a plastic sheet can also be used to prevent radon gas coming into the home. It is recommended that below-grade openings be properly sealed and caulked. Some new homes are constructed with radon-resistant materials and systems already in place. If you are buying a new home then ask what the builder is doing to mitigate radon.

We Offer A Radon Protection Plan For Home Buyers:

Through Residential Warranty Services, Inc, we offer a protection plan, in case the levels of Radon in your home are above EPA guidelines. Covered Repairs: Beginning the day of the radon test and extending for a period  of  120  days  thereafter,  RWS  guarantees  your  radon  levels  to  be  under  4.0  PCi/L  (200  Bq/m  in  Canada).  If at any time during that 120 day period (or an  extension  period  as  defined  below)  another  test  is  performed  by  a  duly  licensed  professional  and  the  levels  come  back  at  4.0  PCi/L  or  higher  (200  Bq/m  in  Canada),  RWS  will  pay  the  cost  of  mitigation  up  to  $1200 and after a deductible of $250 is met.When  a  second  test  is  performed,  RWS  reserves  the  right to perform an additional test to confirm the validity of such results at its own expense.  Such a test will be either a CRM (Continuous Radon Monitor) or an Alpha Track  long  term  test,  the  results  of  which  will  be  accepted by all parties.

Radon is a very real health risk. Fortunately, it is also easy to deal with. However, you may not want to have to deal with the inconvenience and expense of installing radon mitigation systems in your new home. As a result, it is desirable to test radon levels before signing any kind of contract on a new house. Especially in areas where radon levels are historically high.