Radon Testing
Not only are we licensed through the Ohio Department of Health to test for radon (License# RT876), but we also use some of the most reliable and advanced equipment in the industry. The process of testing your home for radon gas takes 48 hours. Our licensed tester will place a monitor (very small box) in the home which will take accurate hourly readings and record the levels of radon gas present in the structure. You will receive the radon results immediately after the 48 hour test has concluded. A detailed report will be emailed to you showing the levels of radon that were measured in the tested home as well as the recommended course of action.
Why should I schedule a radon test?
Radon is a natural, radioactive gas that migrates from the ground into buildings. Prolonged exposure to high levels of this gas can cause lung cancer. Radon is, thus, a serious health threat in workplaces, schools, and especially homes. It is important that Ohio’s citizens be well informed about this hazard.
Where does radon come from?
At least some uranium is present in all earth materials. On continental surfaces the rocks, sediments and soils typically contain between 1 and 3 parts per million (abbreviated ppm) of this element. In other words, a million pounds of rock (500 tons) will have 1 to 3 pounds of uranium scattered through it on average. Some earth materials have uranium contents significantly above this amount, and as a consequence, may be a cause of locally high indoor radon levels. Such radon sources are found throughout much of Ohio.
How does radon get inside buildings?
Because radon is a gas, it easily drifts upward through the ground to the Earth’s surface. How much of it reaches the surface depends on the uranium content of the underlying earth materials together with their depth and permeability (that is, the presence of fractures and interconnected pore spaces that act as conduits for radon). Radon will enter the lowest level of a building using whatever pathways are available. For structures with basements or slab-on-grade foundations, the entry points include (1) cracks and pores in floor slabs, walls, and floor-wall joints; and (2) openings around sump pumps, floor drains, and pipes penetrating floors and walls. Structures with a crawl space between the ground and lowest floor level may be less vulnerable to radon, which tends to escape to the outside air when appropriate vents are installed, but can still admit some of the gas through cracks in the flooring.
Is there radon in water?
Radon can also enter into homes through the water system. This is mainly true for houses in which ground water is used as the main water supply. Small public water works and private domestic wells often have closed systems and short transit times that do not allow radon to decay to harmless by-products before entering a home. Once inside, radon escapes from the water to the indoor air as people take showers, wash clothes or dishes, or otherwise use water. The areas that are most likely to have problems with radon in ground water are those with have high levels of uranium in the underlying rocks.
Water in rivers and reservoirs usually contains very little radon, because it escapes into the air. Thus homes that rely on surface water usually do not have a radon problem from their water. In big cities, water processing in large municipal systems aerates the water, which allows radon to escape, and also delays the use of water until most of the remaining radon has decayed.
Although it has been suggested that drinking water containing radon may cause stomach cancer, this health effect has not been conclusively demonstrated. In Ohio it is, in any case, a very minor risk in comparison to that of radon-induced lung cancer from release of water-borne radon to indoor air. Radon is readily soluble in water and enters it from the ground through which the water flows. Public drinking water from wells or surface water sources is normally treated in ways that reduce radon at or near the water source before it is distributed to homes.
