Learn the answers to frequently asked questions about radon, including what it is, why it’s dangerous, and how to test for it.
Radon is a radioactive gas that naturally occurs when radon breaks down in the soil and groundwater. Radon gas is both invisible and odorless to humans; because of this, many Twin Cities homeowners have a radon problem without even knowing it.
When uranium in the soil breaks down, radon is the result. In its gaseous form, radon seeps up through cracks in home foundations and gaps in the floor. Over time, radon gas can accumulate to dangerous levels in basements and lower levels of homes in the Twin Cities metro.
The main health concern associated with radon gas is that long-term inhalation causes severe lung damage, often leading to lung cancer. In the United States, radon inhalation is the second most frequent cause of lung cancer cases, after smoking tobacco.
Because radon gas comes up from the soil beneath your Twin Cities area home, radon levels tend to be highest in the lowest level of the structure. If you have a basement or crawl space, this is where the most radon will accumulate. If not, radon will build up the most on the lowest level of your house.
Since radon is in a gaseous form, it can easily waft through tiny spaces. Small cracks in the basement floor and narrow gaps around pipes and utility lines are enough for radon to seep into your house. Radon often becomes trapped within homes since airflow is restricted, allowing this dangerous gas to build up over time.
If uranium is breaking down in the soil beneath your foundation, some amount of radon is inevitable. However, it’s important to keep radon levels as low as possible to protect your family from lung damage. Radon is measured in picocuries per liter (pCi/L). Radon levels below 2.0 pCi/L are considered acceptable for a home in the Twin Cities area; any more than that, and you should consider radon mitigation.
First, confirm the presence of dangerous levels of radon gas by performing a radon test. If you have a radon issue, hire a licensed radon mitigation company in the Twin Cities metro to solve your problem. Professional technicians will install a radon mitigation system in your home. This system of pipes and vents will pull radon out from your house and expel it safely into the air.
A professional radon mitigation company in the Twin Cities can install a customized system in your home to expel radon gas that’s trapped inside. Most systems use a method called sub-slab depressurization (SSD), which is the gold standard in the radon mitigation industry because it works in nearly all situations. When properly installed, this type of radon mitigation system can reduce radon levels in your home by up to 99%.
Radon mitigation systems protect homes in the Twin Cities by expelling harmful radon gas into the atmosphere. If your system stops working properly, you’ll have no way of knowing that radon is building up in your home because this radioactive gas is odorless and invisible.
Indoor radon is a common problem for homes nationwide, and Minnesota homes are affected at a higher rate than usual. In fact, Minnesota has some of the highest average radon levels in the United States.
There are two main factors that cause high levels of radon in a home: soil conditions that are conducive to radon build-up; and poor ventilation that allows large amounts of radon gas to accumulate.
Radon mitigation systems are the most effective solution to the radon problem suffered by many homes in the Twin Cities metro. Professionally installed radon mitigation systems function to expel radon gas from the inside of your home, preventing it from accumulating to harmful levels.
Radon gas is an invisible, silent danger that lurks in many homes throughout the Twin Cities metro area. Homeowners may wonder if it is possible to predict what radon levels they can expect in their home. The short answer is: no, you cannot reliably predict how much radon gas is in a house without conducting a radon test.
Several types of radon mitigation systems exist, but they all have the same basic function: pulling radon gas out of your home interior and venting it into the air. In most radon mitigation systems, radon is discharged through an opening in the roof.
Radon gas is a health hazard that commonly creeps into homes in the Twin Cities metro area. Radon issues often go undetected for months or even years because this gas can’t be seen or smelled, and symptoms of inhalation don’t appear for a long time. Fortunately, there is a simple solution to a radon problem: installing a radon mitigation system.
Many homes in the Twin Cities metro have a radon problem throughout the year. However, radon levels in local homes do tend to be higher at certain times of year. Generally, radon levels begin to rise when the air gets colder and reach their peak during the winter.
In addition to effectively removing harmful radon gas from your Twin Cities home, a radon mitigation system is also a great solution because it requires very little maintenance. You’ll never have to deep clean the system, you’ll never even have to change any filters, and you’ll probably never have to schedule any servicing. However, because a radon mitigation system is mechanical, there are a few components that demand your attention every once in a while.
Technically, yes – you can install your own radon mitigation system but you should only attempt to do so if you have extensive skill with this kind of work. Most residential radon mitigation systems in the Twin Cities use active sub-slab depressurization, which involves cutting into your slab, installing PVC piping, sealing foundation penetrations, and wiring a continuous-duty fan.
If you’re buying or selling a home, you want to make sure your home is healthy and radon-free. We’ll work with you to make sure your radon system is installed quickly and professionally.
