Radon Testing

First of all, what is Radon? Radon is radioactive, invisible, tasteless and has no odor. Radon is found everywhere. Radon also causes cancer when a person is exposed to elevated levels over a period of time, usually years. It is emitted from the natural breakdown (radioactive decay) of uranium in rock and soil. It can also occasionally be found in well water. There are no signs or symptoms of radon in a house that are detectable without testing. The only way to detect radon in a house is through radon testing. Separate well water testing is necessary to determine if there is radon in the water. So now that we know something about it, let’s see what mitigation, if any, needs to be considered. There are a few ways to test for radon, charcoal canisters, electret ion chambers, or alpha track detectors are the most commonly used passive devices. The most common and cost effective way are charcoal canisters and provide very accurate results. Charcoal canisters usually will have results in 3-5 days from a certified laboratory. If more immediate results are needed because of a tight time frame, I will be able to accommodate that situation as well.