Radon Testing

If you decide to hire a trained professional to conduct the radon testing in your home, trust Every Detail Matters Home Inspections to give you accurate results so you can make informed decisions.

We uses state-of-the-art radon monitoring machines that take hourly measurements of radon levels. We understand how to perform the testing and the conditions required to ensure the accuracy of the results. Our continuous radon monitoring equipment provides a level of credibility that a do-it-yourself kit simply cannot provide. All our radon monitoring equipment gets sent out each year to be calibrated to ensure the highest level of accuracy when measuring radon levels.

Radon is a cancer-causing, radioactive gas. It comes from the natural decay of uranium that is found in nearly all soils. It typically moves up through the ground to the air above and into your home through cracks and other holes in the foundation. Your home traps radon inside, where it can build up. Any home may have a radon problem. This means new and old homes, well-sealed and drafty homes, and homes with or without basements.

Radon is odorless, tasteless and you cannot see it, but it may be a problem in your home. Testing is the only way to know if you and your family are at risk.

The amount of radon in the air is measured in “picocuries per liter of air,” or “pCi/L.” The EPA states that acceptable levels of radon in the home must be below 4 pCi/L.

There are two general ways to test for Radon, short-term testing and long-term testing.

The quickest way to test is with short-term tests, which remain in your home from 2 to 90 days, depending on the device. Charcoal canisters, alpha track, electret ion chamber, and continuous monitors are most commonly used for short-term testing.

Long-term tests remain in your home for more than 90 days. A long-term test can help tell you your home’s year-round average radon level.

If you need results quickly, a short-term test is most often used. If the result of your short-term test is 4 pCi/L or higher, the EPA recommends following up with a long-term test or a second short-term test. If both readings average 4 pCi/L or higher, you should consider fixing your home immediately.

Radon reduction systems work and they are not too costly. Some radon reduction systems can reduce radon levels in your home by up to 99%.

Radon gas decays into radioactive particles that can get trapped in your lungs when you breathe. This can damage lung tissue and lead to lung cancer over the course of your lifetime. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States today. Not everyone exposed to elevated levels of radon will develop lung cancer. However, we know more about radon risks than risks from most other cancer-causing substances.

Children have been reported to have a greater risk than adults of certain types of cancer from radiation, but there are currently no conclusive data on whether children are at greater risk than adults from radon.

Your chances of getting lung cancer from radon depend mostly on:

How much radon is in your home
The amount of time you spend in your home
Whether you are a smoker or have ever smoked

Please click on the links below for more information about Radon from the EPA…

Basic Radon Facts

A Citizens Guide to Radon

Home Buyer’s and Seller’s Guide to Radon