What is radon and why is it a concern?

       Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that rises from the ground under many homes and can cause serious illness if undetected. It is quite easy and inexpensive to test for and is not typically difficult or costly to fix. Both the Federal and State governments have established levels at which this problem should be fixed and specific methods for achieving an acceptable result.
           Just as the ground is made up of iron, potassium, sulfur, and other elements, it is also made up of uranium and radium which occur naturally in the earth.  As these radioactive trace elements decay, they produce a radioactive gas that percolates up through the soil and then dissipates into the air.  It is a perfectly natural gas-you'll find it in Yellowstone National Park.  The problem arise if we put a house in the way--the gas makes its way up through the interstices in the gravel below the slab, through the concrete slab and into the houisehold air.  Because it is a radioactive gas it can do cellular damage to your lungs.

            The EPA and CDC attribute thousands of deaths every year to lung cancer caused by radon exposure. It is considered the second leading cause of lung cancer in the country, and is relatively easy to control.  As a general rule, radon mitigation is performed by cutting a small hold in the floor of the basement or crawlspace, inserting a 4 inch piece of plastic pipe very similar to that used in your plumbing drain system, exiting through a sidewall, inserting a fan and then running a length of downspout up above the eaves to vent the gas into the atmosphere (which is exactly where it would have wound up anyway if we had not placed a house in the way.  These sub-slab depressurization systems are typically extremely effective, and all local mitigators of whom we are aware will guarantee to get the level of radon below the EPA and Commonwealth action level of four picocuries per liter of air.  These systems typically cost anywhere from $700 to $1500, and can typically be installed in approximately half a day.  Over the ten years we have been testing for radon, having performed many thousands of inspections, we have found that more than one house out of every four tested in our Northern Virginia service area ( 28 percent) has a radon level in excess of the federal standard.  http://www.epa.gov/radon/zonemap.html)

What if my house is on a slab, or has a walkout basement?  I have been told that these houses do not have radon problems.

            This is a persistent piece of mythology. The EPA recommends testing dwellings up through the second floor, and we have found elevated levels in second-story condos we have personally tested in Northern Virginia.  The only characteristic that governs whether or not elevated levels of radon will be found is the level of radioactive material in the bedrock below the structure.  While clearly the more elevated and/or ventilated the living space the lower the radon level is likely to be, simply having above ground or walkout basements is not by itself a guarantee of a low radon level.

What if I have a high radon level?  Does that mean I shouldn't buy a house?

The presence of radon shouldn't change your mind at all.  It's typically extremely easy to correct, and in all likelihood the installation of a mitigation system will leave you with less radon in your air than many of your neighbors.  We consider radon mitigation systems to be an asset--and besides--if it was high and now it's fixed we're happy to do clearance testing for you at no additional charge if we did the original test!!

How do you fix a radon problem?

A variety of methods can be used to reduce radon in homes.  Sealing cracks and other openings in the foundation is a basic part of most approaches to radon reductions.  The EPA does not recommend the use of sealing alone to reduce radon because, by itself, sealing has not been shown to lower radon levels significantly or consistently.  In most cases, systems with pipes and fans are used to reduce radon.  Such systems are called “ sub slab depressurization" and do not require major changes to your home.  The systems prevent radon gas from entering the house from below the concrete floor and the foundation.  Similar systems can also be installed in homes with crawlspaces.  The specifics of the system depend on the design of your home and other factors.  A system typically costs between $700 and $1500.00. You should also test your home again after it is fixed to be sure that radon levels have been reduced. 

 http://www.epa.gov/radon

I've been told there is more than one way to test for radon.  Are your ways best?

Yes, we believe so. The EPA has validated the E-Perm electret ion method of radon measurement used by All-Pro Services with the highest Test Devices pass rate of all commonly used measurement methods. It has the added advantage of being easy to use and is not as prone to operator error as some other methods such as Continuous Flow Monitors. We also deploy them inside a tamper-resistant cage for added protection. The inexpensive charcoal tests sold in stores are not used by most professional testing firms due to some common inaccuracies, and to the delays and complications inherent in shipping to a third party for analysis.