Radon is a cancer-causing, radioactive gas. You can't see radon, you can't smell it or taste it. It may be a problem in your home or the home your planning on buying. Radon is estimated to cause many thousands of deaths each year. That's because when you breathe air containing radon, you can get lung cancer. In fact, the Surgeon General has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States today. Only smoking causes more lung cancer deaths. If you smoke and your home has high radon levels, your risk of lung cancer is especially high.

     Radon comes from the natural radioactive breakdown of uranium in soil rock and gets into the air you breathe. Radon can be found all over the U.S. and is commonly found in Pennsylvania. It can get into any type of building, homes, offices, and schools and result in a high indoor radon level. However, you and your family are most likely to get your greatest exposure at home, where you spend most of your time.

     Testing for radon is the only way to know if you and your family are at risk. The EPA and the Surgeon General recommend testing all homes for radon. Millions of Americans have already tested their homes for radon. You can fix a radon problem (elevated levels) by installing a radon reduction system in the home. Radon reduction systems work and they are not too costly. Some radon reduction systems can reduce radon levels in your home by up to 99%. Even very high levels can be reduced to acceptable levels. 

Your Radon tester (person placing and/or retrieving the test device) must be Certified by the PA DEP as a testing individual or firm. NO ONE, other than the owner or occupier of the home/building may test for or mitigate Radon without PA State DEP Certification.           To verify Certification:           •call the PA DEP at 800-237-2366, or           •ask to see the tester's current DEP I.D. card or DEP Certification certificate.  Chris Matteson is a PA DEP Certified Radon Tester - Certification #2337

 

Accurate & Quick Reporting with Sun Nuclear  Continuous Radon Monitor

Click here for Radon Testing Fee

Click here to see the average Radon test results taken by PA Zipcode.
The EPA recommended Action Level is 4.0 pCi/L or above. 

<<< CONSUMER NOTICE >>> 

     The radon certification act requires that anyone who provides any radon-related service or product to the general public must be certified by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. You are entitled to evidence of certification from any person who provides such services or products. You are also entitled to a price list of services or products offered. If you have any questions, comments or complaints concerning persons who provide radon-related services, please contact the Department at the Bureau of Radiation Protection, Department of Environmental Protection, P.O. Box 8469, Harrisburg, PA,. 17105-8469, (717)783-3594 or (800) 237-2366.

TEST YOUR HOME

It's not hard to find out if you have a radon problem in your home. All you need to do is have your home tested for radon. The amount of radon in the air is measured in "picocuries per liter of air," or "pCi/L". If you are buying or selling a home, you should hire a qualified tester. Call 717-583-2914 to order a Radon Test today.

Everyone buying a new home should test for Radon after occupancy, even if it was built radon-resistant. If radon levels are still in excess of 4 pCi/L, the passive system should be activated by having a qualified mitigator install a vent fan. 

WHAT YOUR TEST RESULTS MEAN

     The average indoor radon level is estimated to be about 1.3 pCi/L, and about 0.4 pCi/L of radon is normally found in the outside air. The U.S. Congress has set a long-term goal that indoor radon levels be no more than outdoor levels. While this goal is not yet technologically achievable in all cases, most homes today can be reduced to 2 pCi/L or below. However, the EPA believes that any radon exposure carries some risk, no level of radon is safe. Even radon levels below 4 pCi/L pose some risk, and you can reduce your risk of lung cancer by lowering your radon level. If your living patterns change and you begin occupying a lower level of your home such as a basement you should retest your home on that level. Even if your test result is below 4 pCi/L, you may want to test again sometime in the future.

THE EPA RECOMMENDED ACTION LEVEL IS 4.0 pCi/L

     The EPA recommends you test your home for radon, it's easy and inexpensive. The EPA's action level to fix your home is 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) or higher. Radon levels less than 4 pCi/L still pose a health risk, and in many cases may be reduced.

HOW TO LOWER THE RADON LEVEL IN YOUR HOME

     Since there is no known safe level of radon, there can always be some risk. But the risk can be reduced by lowering the radon level in your home. There are several proven methods to reduce radon in your home, but the one primarily used is a vent pipe system and fan, which pulls radon from beneath the house and vents it to the outside. This system, known as a soil suction radon reduction system, does not require major changes to your home. Sealing foundation cracks and other openings makes this kind of system more effective and cost-efficient. Similar systems can also be installed in houses with crawl spaces. Radon contractors can use other methods that may also work in your home. The right system depends on the design of your home and other factors.

     The cost of reducing radon in your home depends on how your home was built and the extent of the radon problem. Most homes can be fixed for about the same cost as other common home repairs. The average house costs about $1,200 for a contractor to fix, although this can range from about $800 to about $2,500.

THE RISK OF LIVING WITH RADON

     Radon gas decays into radioactive particles that can get trapped in your lungs when you breathe. As they break down further, these particles release small bursts of energy. This can damage lung tissue and lead to lung cancer over the course of your lifetime. Not everyone exposed to elevated levels of radon will develop lung cancer. And the amount of time between exposure and the onset of the disease may be many years. Like other environmental pollutants, there is some uncertainty about the magnitude of radon health risks. However, we know more about radon risks than risks from most other cancer-causing substances. This is because estimates of radon risks are based on studies of cancer in humans (underground miners). Your chances of getting lung cancer from radon depends mostly on how much radon is in your home and the amount of time you spend in your home.

RADON MYTHS

MYTH: Scientists aren't sure radon really is a problem.

FACT: Although some scientists dispute the precise number of deaths due to radon, all major health organizations (like the Centers for Disease Control, the American Lung Association and the American Medical Association) agree with estimates that radon causes thousands of preventable lung cancer deaths every year.

MYTH: Radon testing is difficult, time consuming and expensive.

FACT: Radon testing is easy. You can hire a qualified radon test company.

MYTH: Homes with radon problems can't be fixed.

FACT: There are simple solutions to radon problems in homes. Hundreds of thousands of homeowners have already fixed radon problems in their homes. Radon levels can be readily lowered for about $800 to $2,500 (with an average cost of $1,200).

MYTH: Radon only affects certain kinds of homes.

FACT: House construction can affect radon levels. However, radon can be a problem in homes of all types: old homes, new homes, drafty homes, insulated homes, homes with basements, homes without basements. Local geology, construction materials, and how the home was built are among the factors that can affect radon levels in homes.

MYTH: Radon is only a problem in certain parts of the country.

FACT: High radon levels have been found in every state. Radon problems do vary from area to area, but the only way to know your radon level is to test.

MYTH: A neighbor's test result is a good indication of whether your home has a problem.

FACT: It's not. Radon levels can vary greatly from home to home. The only way to know if your home has a radon problem is to have it tested.

MYTH: It's difficult to sell homes where radon problems have been discovered.

FACT: Where radon problems have been fixed, home sales have not been blocked or frustrated. The added protection is sometimes a good selling point.

MYTH: I've lived in my home for so long it doesn't make sense to take action now.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 

Click On any of the links below for more infomation

A Citizen's Guide to Radon

Home Buyer's and Seller's Guide to Radon 

Consumer's Guide to Radon Reduction

EPA Map of Radon Zones and Fact Sheet

Pennsylvania Radon Mitigation Standards - System Installation Requirements

          Consumer Radon Mitigation Checklist  

Buying a New Home? How to Protect Your Family From Radon

Building a New Home, Have You Considered Radon?

Building Radon Out: A Step-By-Step Guide on How to Build Radon-Resistant Homes 

EPA Assessment of Risks from Radon in Homes