Radon is a naturally occurring gas that forms in the earth, and is especially common in the high mineral soil found in Ottawa and several cities in Ontario. Because of this, about one in twenty homes in Canada may be found to have traces of radon in the home. Since this gas is radioactive and can be toxic to both humans and animals in the house, it is especially important to have your home tested for radon, especially if you live in a home built in or before the 1980s. While it is possible to perform radon testing yourself, it is often recommended to turn to a professional for any kind of mitigation and management services if you find radon levels in your home. Before moving into a new home, performing major renovations, or dealing in commercial spaces, you can look into professional radon testing and measurement services.

The Dangers of Radon

Radon is incredibly toxic and can be dangerous to anyone who is exposed to it. Concentrations of radon can vary by region, with especially high levels being present in areas such as Ottawa and throughout Ontario.

Unfortunately, radon is also very commonly found in the home. While certain levels are fine, small, dark spaces, especially those closer to the foundation, can have higher levels. Minor exposure to the gas may not always have health risks or negative side effects. However, increased exposure and inhalation of radon gas can lead to potential health problems. After smoking, radon is the number one cause of lung cancer in Canada. Exposure to this gas can be fatal, leading to 3,200 deaths annually. When it breaks down, the radioactive gas turns into particles that, when inhaled, causes damage to the lungs. This gives many homeowners and renters a very good reason to look into radon testing. For smokers, radon exposure can increase the risk of lung cancer exponentially.

Some symptoms of radon exposure include:

Coughing and wheezing
Difficulty breathing
Shortness of breath
Trouble swallowing
Chest pain
Fatigue
Weight loss
Headaches
Fever

Since there is such a high risk of exposure, radon testing is incredibly important and should be done in every Ottawa home, especially older homes. Radon is odorless, colorless, and otherwise undetectable to the human eye, so you might not always know it is in your home. Thankfully, there are many different ways to test for radon and help to reduce exposure to this toxic gas and other dangerous emissions in your home.

How to Test for Radon

Radon testing in Ottawa can be performed by a professional service, such as the team at Simon Air Quality, or by anyone in the home with at-home radon testing products and tools. There are short and long term testing options to determine radon levels in a dwelling. Short term testing can last around a week, and is recommended for anyone who needs an immediate indication of the radon levels. Usually, this is performed before moving into a home, or doing major renovations on spaces like basements, etc. Long term testing offers a more accurate reading, however, and tests the home under normal conditions while it is occupied to determine if the radon levels have a negative impact on the air quality overall. You can also use a long term radon test to determine various radon levels within different rooms in the home. Placing a long-term radon test kit in your home can help you get accurate reading of the radon levels. Ideal placement options for a radon testing kit include:

Away from doors, windows, and other places with outdoor airflow
At least 2 feet from the floor, in a good breathing zone
Not directly against any interior or exterior walls
Away from direct sunlight, air currents, high heat, and A/Cs or radiators
In bedrooms, living rooms, offices, or high traffic basements

Long term radon testing takes at least 90 days to get an accurate reading, but you can use some testing kits for up to a year. It is recommended that you place the radon test in a room of the home that is very frequently used, on the lowest level of the home that is regularly used. So, if you regularly use your basement as another living space, bedroom, playroom, or similar space where people are in 4 or more hours a day, you should place the radon testing kit there. Or, if you are planning to do renovations in this area. If you would simply like to monitor radon levels, you can invest in a high quality radon testing system such as the smart Wave Radon Measurement device, which gives you an immediate reading and provides daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly measurements so you can maintain peace of mind throughout all seasons.

How Radon Enters the Home

In addition to being nearly impossible to detect without testing kits, radon can also come into your home in several ways. Since radon can move through the soil into the atmosphere, it can seem into your home through different entry points, such as:

Through cracks in the foundation and walls
Gaps in around service pipes
Cavities inside walls
Water supplies

As a gas, radon has the ability to seep into many areas of the home through these entry points, even when it comes through your water. When taps are opened, the radon that dissolves in the water enters the air, causing people inside to breathe the toxic air. If you are planning to do any renovations in your home, especially in lower levels such as the basement, it is important to consider that disturbing the walls and foundations can also lead to an increase in radon exposure. Additionally, some construction materials used to build the home may have low levels of naturally occurring radon which may not contribute to toxic levels inside your home unless they are disturbed.

Ottawa Radon Mitigation and Management

If you get results that show radon in your home, don’t panic! There are many steps you can take to reduce radon levels in your home. You can start by going through a checklist of some basics to lower the quantities of radon in your home. However, you should consider having your house mitigated of radon if it exceeds the guideline set out by Health Canada (200 Bq/m³) or the guideline set out by the World Health Organization (100 Bq/m³). Radon mitigation is a process that works to redirect the gas to outside of the home. It works to decrease the radon concentration found in your living spaces and improve air quality. The process involved with radon mitigation and management can vary based on the structure and construction of your home, but the goal in most radon abatement and mitigation services is to collect the gas and vent it safely outside through pipe systems.

With radon treatment and mitigation, you can reduce levels in your home by up to 80%.

Professional mitigation and management services for radon can be customised to suit your home, so it is important to find an expert that can consider the layout, points of entry, and how the radon is entering your home. For many, to know that radon is redirected to the outside, before it even enters your home and affects your health, is a great feeling. After mitigating your home of radon, those especially affected by radon – smokers, lung cancer patients, elderly, children – will no longer have to worry about breathing in the harmful gas without knowing. We at Simon Air Quality have the experience, skills, equipment, and insight to overcome any radon-related gas problem. We have installed many radon reduction systems all over Ontario within homes, businesses, and apartment buildings.

Our service and customer satisfaction is second to none as we have only 5 star reviews and excellent testimonials. Our certified technicians are passionate and provide only the best service. We truly care about our customers and their homes.

SAQ PERFORMS RADON MITIGATION SERVICES FOR:

Residential Homes
Real Estate Transactions
Passive Radon Mitigation
Radon Resistant Features in New Homes
VOC Mitigation and Toxic Emissions
Commercial Properties

What To Do If You Have Radon in Your Home:

Call us at 613-866-2092 or schedule a quick estimate on this page.
Tell us about your radon concerns and what you would like done.
Ask us ANY questions you like about radon.
We go to your house and perform a quick, 10 minute assessment.
We provide you with a super competitive estimate by email.
If you like it and would like to proceed with the installation of the radon mitigation system to lower the radon levels as low as possible, then let us know and we will schedule you in on our next available day – installs only take one day to complete.
A team of two certified technicians will arrive on that scheduled day/time with all the necessary equipment and materials to perform the installation.
Live healthy and happy in your own home knowing radon will not harm you, EVER.