The Importance of Measuring Radon Levels in the Home

Radon gas is a serious problem in the United States and elsewhere around the globe. In the US, approximately one out of every 15 homes is thought to have higher than accepted levels of radon, which in turn could lead to serious health problems for you and your family should your home be one of those affected.


What is Radon?

the case, homes and other buildings may be susceptible to radon build up. Unfortunately, the gas is colorless and odorless, which means that without adequate testing, you will generally be unaware of the problem until it’s too late.

Radon is the heaviest known gas and weighs more than nine times as much as oxygen. The fact that it is so dense and heavy makes it able to easily penetrate through most building materials, which means that it often builds up inside of basements and crawlspaces, which puts the inhabitants at risk for inhalation.

The chemical is also found in groundwater, but it is typically inhalation that poses the far bigger health threat. Luckily, there are a number of ways that you can have your home tested for radon to ensure that you and your family aren’t at risk.

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that is given off as uranium decays. Many igneous and metamorphic rocks have trace amounts of uranium, and in places where this is


Why measure radon levels

Radon is the number two leading cause of lung cancer in the country, second only to smoking, and more than 20,000 deaths each year are directly attributed to radon exposure. All of this means that it is essential that you have your home tested for radon in order to protect your health and the health of those you love most.


Radon Testing Options

Generally speaking, there are two types of radon tests—short term and long term. Both types are usually readily available at most hardware stores or online and both will need to be mailed to a testing lab in order to be analyzed. Typically, the cost of the testing kit will also include the lab analysis.

In most cases, it is best to start out with a short-term test, which analyzes the air in the home for somewhere between two days and one week. After leaving the testing kit out as directed, you can then send it off to the lab to quickly determine whether your home might have a radon problem. Although the short-term tests are always a good starting option, the fact is that radon levels can fluctuate over time. For this reason, it’s also a good idea to perform a long-term test on occasion, which will measure the overall levels for a longer period of around three months. No matter which test you choose, it is important that you make sure that it follows the EPA approved testing procedures to ensure that it provides an accurate reading. Long term testing of radon can be done with Redtrak2 detectors.

If either test shows that your radon levels are above the EPA’s accepted maximum level, it is essential that you immediately seek professional help. By doing so, you can hopefully lower the radon levels to an acceptable level before they pose a serious threat to your family’s health. In UK, radon detectors can be ordered from Radonova.

Indoor Air Quality in Homes

Indoor air quality is not talked about enough. The quality of the air in your home has a tremendous impact on you and your family. It impacts your health and the health of your pets. Poor air quality in your home can lead to allergies, astma and other health problems. If you want to protect your family, read the following guide to learn what you need to know about indoor air quality.

Short-Term Effects

If you have poor air in your home that is full of unhealthy toxins and allergens, it can lead to a host of short-term effects. These can be especially pronounced in people with breathing difficulties and allergies. Common symptoms of exposure to poor air quality are similar to the symptoms of a cold or flu. A runny, nose, cough, scratchy throat and other respiratory issues can develop when you are exposed to air with toxins in it. If it is full of dust, pet dander or other allergens, you may have particularly bad symptoms if you suffer from allergies.


Long-Term Effects

Failing to remedy poor air quality in your home is uncomfortable in the short-term, but it can be deadly in the long-term. If the air quality in your home is particularly poor and full of toxins, there is no telling how damaging the effects of long-term exposure can be. Cancer, heart disease and severe respiratory problems are just a few of the serious long-term consequences that can occur if you do not ensure the air you breathe in your home is pure.


Purify the Air You Breathe

Because the short-term effects of breathing poor air are so annoying and the long-term effects are so scary, you need to do everything you can to make sure the air your breathe inside your home is as pure as possible. There are several steps you can take to improve the air quality in your house.


Let in the Fresh Air

The first thing you should do to improve the air quality in your home is to open up the windows as often as possible. The outside air is usually much purer than inside air, which means opening up the windows to let in fresh air is a smart idea to help purify the air in your home. Just be careful about opening your windows if there is a high pollen count or other outdoor air quality issue.


Purify the Air


Of course, you canâ€™t live with the windows open all the time. You need to have a good system for purifying the air that circulates through the HVAC system in your home. A high-quality HEPA filter is a wonderful solution to improve your air quality. An ionizing air purifier is another good option. It is also a smart idea to fill your home with lots of plants, which will provide you with loads of naturally purified fresh air.

Everyone deserves to breathe fresh air. Make sure your family and visitors always enjoy the highest-quality air possible inside your home. Take the proper measures to keep your air pure and clean.