Radon Mitigation Company Serving Kenosha

How Does Radon Come Into My Home?

Radon is a colorless, odorless gas that comes from a natural breakdown of uranium in soil, rock and water. The release of this radioactive gas makes its way through cracks in your home’s foundation and improperly sealed pipelines, entering the air you breathe. Usually the air pressure in your home is lower than the pressure in the soil around your homes foundation. This difference in pressure acts like a vacuum, drawing radon gas inside. Radon may also be present in well water and can be released into the air in your home when showering and washing dishes.

Radon Statistics for Kenosha

Radon is a potential health risk to you and your family. Radon gas can be found almost anywhere, and Kenosha is no exception. The average radon level found between 376 homes tested in Kenosha zip codes 53143 and 53140 was 2.64 pCi/L. This is below the current nationally accepted level of 4.0 pCi/L. However, the World Health Organization recently lowered the globally accepted level of radon to 2.71 pCi/L. The highest levels found in Kenosha were a maximum of 21.40 pCi/L. Radon testing is quick and inexpensive, why wait until it’s too late?

Radon is Carcinogenic

Radon exposure is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. Testing is the only way to defend yourself against cancer-causing radioactive gas. The EPA and Surgeon General recommend testing your home for radon.

You can fix a radon problem. If you find that you test positive for high levels, they can be reduced efficiently by a professional mitigation team.

Order a Radon Test before Buying a Home

If you are buying a home the EPA recommends you test the radon levels before buying. You should use a certified or state licensed radon tester to ensure accuracy and assess mitigation tactics. All homes should be tested for radon regardless of geographic location or zone designation.
Testing for radon is relatively inexpensive and easy. The most common radon fix involves the sealing of basements or crawl spaces and attaching power fans to forcibly vent the radon gas up and away from your home. This is not recommended as a DIY project. You should hire an experienced professional because improper ventilation can do more harm than none at all.

Looking for a Radon Reduction System

In selecting a radon reduction method for your home, you and your contractor should consider a few things: how high your initial radon level is, the costs of installation and system operation, your home size, and your foundation type.

Installation and Operation Costs

Radon reduction systems can cause some loss of heated or air conditioned air, which can increase your utility bills. More often than not, however, measures taken against radon can make your home more efficient by sealing leaks and cracks.

Radon Reduction Techniques

The EPA generally recommends methods that prevent the entry of radon rather than redirect it from the home, but techniques vary depending on the layout of your home.

Soil suction prevents radon from entering your home by drawing the radon from below the home and venting it through pipes to the air above the home where it is quickly diluted.

Your mitigation team may ask you for information about the construction of your home to help choose the best method. They may perform diagnostic tests as well. For example, chemical smoke may be deployed to find the source and direction of air movement and possible radon routes.
Your home type will also affect what kind of radon reduction system will work best for you. Homes are usually categorized by their foundation design. Examples of foundation designs are: basements, slab-on-grade (concrete poured at ground level) or a crawlspace, characterized as a shallow, unfinished space under the first floor.

Sealing cracks and other openings in the foundation is a basic part of most approaches to radon reduction. Sealing the cracks limits the flow of radon into your home, making other radon reduction techniques more effective and cost efficient. This process also reduces the loss of conditioned air. The EPA does not recommend sealing alone as a corrective measure because by itself, sealing has not been shown to lower radon levels significantly or consistently. It is difficult to identify and permanently seal the places where radon is entering. Normal settling of your home can reopen old entry routes and create new ones.

Remodeling and New Construction after Lowered Levels

If you decide to make structural changes to your home after you have had a radon reduction system installed, consult with your radon mitigation team first. Changes such as converting an unfinished basement into living space could void any warranties you currently carry. If you are planning on adding an addition, ask also what measures should be taken.