Radon is an odourless, tasteless, colourless radioactive gas that is the byproduct of radium decay. Radium occurs naturally in soil and rock formations.
Places with higher than normal radium deposits, such as Alberta and Saskatchewan, have higher radon levels.
Health Canada indicates concentrations of radon gas at or in excess of 200 becquerels per cubic metre are unhealthy, unsafe, and are considered . Radon is typically drawn up from the earth and into basements, where it can become trapped because of the efficient way homes are sealed from the outside elements.
Prolonged exposure to radon elevates relative lifetime risk of lung cancer. In fact, an increased risk is evident at doses exceeding 100 becquerels per cubic metre, and while 200 becquerels is considered maximum allowable, the formal advice from Health Canada is to pursue as low as reasonably possible radon levels in homes (the ALARA principle).
Radon tends to be a bigger issue in 1, 2, and 3-story single-family homes, condos, and townhouses, and is greatest in the ground and basement floors. Radon levels are typically lower in the upper floors of an apartment building, unless air circulates through the building from below ground or ground level.
The offer, negotiation, acceptance, and condition removal phase of residential real estate transactions rarely provides enough time for a reliable radon test. Reliable radon tests take 90 days or more, should be conducted in winter heating months (October to the end of April), and the measurement device must be specifically placed according to Canadian National Radon Proficiency Program (C-NRPP) standards.
Short-term tests are on the market, but currently these are not recommended by Health Canada as the results may be inaccurate.
The good news is radon gas is a solvable problem. Mitigation costs vary, but even the most expensive solution is often not more than $2,000 to $3,000 for a typical residential property, and are effectively permanent solutions. It is even possible to solve some radon problems with only a few hundred dollars.
Contact me today for a free copy of the “homeowners guide to Radon”.
For more information go to www.evictradon.ca
Sources – RECA and CREA