You might have heard of radon.  It is a radioactive, naturally occurring invisible gas that is present in every home in U.S.  You cannot taste it neither can you smell it.  It is said to be the number one source of lung cancer for non-smokers.  It is said to cause more than 20,000 deaths per year.  You could get statistics on the existence of this gas because many homes in the U.S. have unsafe levels of radon.

It is recommended that you test your home and working environment for this gas.  Testing for the gas is good as detection of present levels in your home allows for you to make an educated decision to fix the problem or not.  There are various Radon Testing Devices available and can be ordered from the safety of your home.

You can actively test for radon in your home using electronic radon detector.  It is believed that electronic radon detectors are more accurate than passive radon detectors e.g. charcoal testers.  There are various electronic radon detectors in the market.

Most electronic radon detectors give you hourly readings but a few give you an average of a seven day period on demand.  The particular electronic radon detector you use and its effectiveness depends on your area of usage and following instructions carefully.

Pro-Series 3 monitor is an electronic detector that you can use over and over again in different locations.  This monitor gives fast, accurate and continuous radon levels readings wherever it is placed.  It activates 48 hours after plug in.  It does not have hourly sensitivity to measure radon levels but it provides you, over a seven day period; the average radon levels.

You can use this kit for both short term radon testing and long term as well.  It plugs into a wall plug and just like that you can read/see the levels of radon gas in your home anytime you wish.  It is easy to use and can be carried around.  This kit shows the gas levels in Pico curies.  No need to be electronics’ savvy to use it.  You do not need to assemble it after purchase.  You can delete the data and the unit used at a different location to measure for you radon levels in this new location in case you move.

There are also electronic radon detectors for professional usage e.g. the Radstar RS300 Continuous Radon gas monitor & detector.  You could simply hire a Radon Testing professional to help you gauge the levels of the gas in your home.  This monitor is excellent for the professional and home inspector’s use as it gives a written report to you the home owner.  This device cannot be tampered with. It also has sensors for motion to ensure spot on results.  It connects to a home computer or laptop via USB cable.

Electronic radon detectors have an advantage because they help you save on costs of test kits (various), lab fees and postage charges.  This is good for you as sometimes extra expenses are incurred when you need to send kits to the lab and they are delayed.  The kits are rendered invalid.

Radon is a carcinogen and is said to probably be the leading cause of lung cancer after smoking.  Have you ever tested your home for radon? If so what next?  There is need to vent your home and reduce radon levels.  Are you aware that there are guides on how to do this?  Or that there are professionals who could assist you in case you are unsure of what to do next?

You cannot see or smell radon therefore you need special equipment to detect it.  Radon testing devices that are considered passive include; charcoal canister, charcoal liquid scintillation devices, and alpha-track detectors.  These don’t need power to function.  Continuous radon monitors and continuous working level monitors are active radon testing devices that use power.  They provide you with hourly readings as well as the average result for the period of testing.

Once you have confirmed that your house does indeed have radon and in harmful levels then you need to ventilate to reduce or get rid of the radon.  There are different methods for venting radon gas that you can apply for your specific type of house structure and areas in your home.  Some techniques actually prevent radon entry while other techniques reduce radon levels after entry.  EPA recommends the techniques that prevent radon entry e.g. soil suction.  Your type of house affects the radon reduction technique that works best.

Radon reduction techniques can be categorized by the design of the foundation.  In basement and slab-on-grade foundations; you can reduce radon by soil suction through the sub slab, drain tile, sump hole or block wall suction.

In crawlspace houses, you could cover the dirt floor with a plastic sheet of high density. Then use a fan and vent pipe to draw radon from under that sheet and then vent it out.  This method also known as sub-membrane suction is the best method for crawlspace houses.  Yet another method is depressurization whereby you draw air directly out of the crawlspace using a good fan.  You could also ventilate a crawlspace house passively by opening vents and or installing more vents. There are other radon reducing techniques that you could use including; heat recovery ventilation and natural ventilation.

Heat recovery ventilator, will increase ventilation and help to reduce the levels of radon in your home.  It introduces outdoor air and uses the heated or cooled air exhausted to cool or to warm incoming air.  This ventilator can be used to ventilate part or all of your home.  It is however most effective when used to ventilate basements only.  When there are other indoor pollutants, heat recovery ventilator can be used to improve air quality in the house.

Natural ventilation normally occurs in every house.  When you open vents, doors, and windows on the lower floors of your home; ventilation in the house is increased.  This increased ventilation mixes the indoor and outdoor air full of radon thus resulting in radon reduction.  You should note however, that once you close up the openings; radon concentrations almost always return to their previous levels within 12 hours.  This, therefore, should only be regarded as a radon reduction approach that is temporary.

There are other radon reducing techniques that you could use in any type of housing.  They include: sealing and house/room pressurization.  Much as there are a number of radon venting options; you are advised to use the best venting method for your design of house that will get rid of radon in your home.

Radon detectors are used to measure the amount of radon in a home. The device is sold for use in the home setting, but can also be used in commercial buildings. The air is tested by the device for levels of radon, which are displayed on the screen or measured by a lab after the test is sent away. The radon detector is an inexpensive way to improve the air quality of the home.

The radioactive gas, Radon, is released when uranium decays. Uranium is found naturally in water supplies and rock formations. Just like carbon monoxide, the radon gas is odorless and tasteless, so it cannot be detected without the use of a radon detector.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), radon is harmful to human health. When the gas is breathed into the lungs, it is thought to have a carcinogenic effect. This means the gas can cause cancer. Most cases of cancer related to radon exposure involve the lungs. More than 1000 people die each year due to exposure to radon gas.

Radon gas is not considered safe at any level, but the gas is naturally occurring so the radon detector is needed to ensure the levels are within accepted levels. The air breathed every day contains about 0.4 picocuries per liter. The radon detector is used inside of buildings because the gas may have no way to escape which can cause a buildup to unsafe levels over time.

Radon can be detected using a short term or long-term test. The short-term test is placed in a building for less than 90 days. This test is then sent off to a laboratory for evaluation. Most short terms tests do not employ the use of readouts screens to report radon levels. These kits are created for lab use only.

The long-term radon detector is left in the home or building for longer than 90 days. It is advised to begin radon detection with a short-term test and then install a long-term test if there are no signs of harmful radon levels in the building. Many long-term radon tests use a screen to report the radon levels in the building. These tests may also have an installed alarm that will sound if the radon levels reach higher than approved levels.

Radon can be removed from the home with kits installed to clean the air. These kits should be installed by a professional team to ensure the kit is working properly in the home to reduce the radon gas levels. Cracks in the foundation of the home can also be corrected to keep radon gas from the ground from seeping into the basement and eventually to the upper levels of the home.

There are two main types of radon tests used to measure the amount of radon in a commercial building or home. These are the passive and active radon tests. These tests collect the air in a given area and either report the amount of radon detected or hold that information for a lab to determine.

The passive radon tests are used in a space between 2 and 90 days. These tests require no electricity to run and can be used on every level of the building. The EPA suggests at least one test be placed on the lowest level of the building. The kitchen, bathroom, laundry room, and hallway should not be used as the air source. Most passive tests will take between 48 and 96 hours to complete.

Passive radon tests employ the use of charcoal canisters, charcoal liquid or alpha-track detectors to measure the radon levels. The levels are collected and when the unit is finished tracking the air quality, it is sent off to a lab where the radon levels are reported. The lab report is then sent to the appropriate party.

The active radon tests works in a slightly different manner. This unit requires electricity to run. Continuous monitoring of the air in a commercial building or home allows the radon level spikes and dips to be recorded more successfully. These units can be used by the owner of the building, but are most often used by professionals testing for radon gas in the home.

When using radon tests, the homeowner or building owner should follow a few simple tips to ensure the readouts are accurate.

* All windows and doors should be kept shut while the air quality is being tested.

* Radon tests need to be located a minimum of 20 inches from the floor.

* Short term radon tests do not accurately measure radon levels during high humidity, stormy or windy conditions.

* Before the radon tests are installed, the windows and doors should be left closed for at least 12 hours.

* If radon gas is thought to be in the space, people should not use the space until the tests are complete.

Radon tests are a quick and effective way to measure the radon gas in a given space. Radon is an odorless gas that is thought to cause cancer. A non-smoker who is regularly breathing even the lowest levels of radon may have a higher chance of contracting lung cancer than someone who is not around radon gas.

If higher than normal levels of radon are detected with the radon tests, there are effective removal systems that can be installed within the home or commercial building. These removal systems employ the use of pipes running from the source of the radon to the roof to move the gas out of the space before it can concentrate to higher than healthy levels.

A radon mitigation system is used to remove radon gas from an enclosed building. These systems can use either a passive or active approach to moving the radon gas out of the space and back into the open air.

Radon gas is a natural gas that is produced when uranium decays. The gas can be found in soil, rock, and water. When a home or building is placed on a foundation, the foundation is in direct contact with the source of radon gas. Over time and with environmental changes, the radon gas could collect in the lower level of the building and move upward through open spaces into the area of the home or building used most often.

Radon is always present in the air, but levels higher than 0.4 picocuries per liter of air are considered carcinogenic. This means the gas, when breathed regularly at higher levels, can cause cancer as reported by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Once a radon test has established the presence of radon gas in a home or building, the radon mitigation system will need to be installed to remove that gas. Depending on the levels of radon or the previous attempts at radon removal, a passive or active radon mitigation system could be chosen.

The passive radon mitigation system uses a pipe running from the lowest level of the building through the walls and out through the roof. This pipe collects the radon gas and allows it to naturally move into open air at the top of the building. Passive systems are often used as a first line of radon gas treatment or when levels of radon gas are relatively low. Some new constructions install passive radon mitigation systems even if the building is not in an area where radon gas is a problem.

The active radon mitigation system is more effective than the passive system. A fan is placed in the lowest level of the building. This fan causes a vacuum effect in the space that forces all of the air to move through the installed pipe. The radon is often completely removed with an active mitigation system.

Many radon mitigation systems will work hand in hand with sealing or soil treatment on the home or business. The sealing does not work alone to obstruct the radon gas from entering the building, but can block some of the gas from entering the space. The sealing simply refers to patching any cracks in the foundation or basement of the building where radon gas could be seeping in.

The soil around the building may also be holding on to radon gas. Mitigation systems often include soil treatment, which draws the radon out of the soil. The soil system is used as part of a complete radon treatment plan that includes the sealing and pipe installation.