RADON GAS

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas. You cannot see, smell or taste radon. Certain soils may contain high levels of radon because of their uranium content. Radon levels can be found everywhere in the world and high levels have been found in Connecticut.

Exposure to radon increases your risk of developing lung cancer. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), radon causes more cancer deaths than any other single pollutant except tobacco smoke.

Radon is a gas, and therefore, moves easily through rock and soil into the air. Outdoors radon levels are low. In an enclosed space like a house radon can increase to high levels. The gas can get into a house through cracks in the foundations and block walls, sump pumps, drains, and other openings in the basement floors and walls.

There is no way to accurately predict whether a house will have high radon. The only way to know for sure if you have high radon levels is to test for it. Two adjacent homes may have very different radon levels.

Radon test results are reported in picocuries per liter (pCi/L) of air, which measures the radioactivity of the air. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has used a guideline of 4 pCi/L as the action level for indoor radon since 1985. If a level of 4 pCi/L or higher is detected, further testing is recommended.

If a high radon level is detected, you may need to make further negotiations before purchasing the property. In some cases the seller may pay part or all of the cost of radon remediation.

RADON MITIGATION & ABATEMENT

This is a list of some reputable companies in the state that specialize in radon mitigation and abatement. If the radon level in your home is 4.0 pCi/L or higher they can guide you as to what you should do next.

U.S. Radon Systems 800-343-8304
A & R Environmental 860-871-1412
Radon Systems of CT 203-272-3600