Radon Gas Symptoms: Is There Radon Gas In My Home?
Worried about radon gas in your home? Here’s what you need to know about radon gas symptoms, how to find out if your home has high levels of radon gas, and what to do about it.
If you think that your home has high levels of radon gas or would like to find out, contact Radon Gas Guys. We will help you determine if levels in your home require mitigation and help you take action.
Radon Gas Symptoms - Have I Been Exposed?
Radon gas is a tasteless, colourless, and odourless gas that can cause health problems if you’ve been exposed to high levels of it over time. Unlike other indoor health hazards, such as mould growth, there are no physical signs of radon gas in your home.
As well, unlike mould exposure, radon gas does not have any obvious exposure symptoms. Radon gas becomes a problem when individuals are exposed to high levels of radon gas for a long period of time. It usually takes between 5-25 years for the exposures to build up and become problematic.
The biggest health risk with radon gas is that it can cause lung cancer after frequent, high level exposures. Radon gas exposure is the number one cause of lung cancer in non-smoking individuals.
Radon gas is radioactive. When an individual breathes in radon gas, the gas decays into radioactive particles in the lungs. These radioactive particles then release energy in your body, and that energy damages lung tissue. Every time you breathe in radon, this process occurs. Consistent damage from breathing in radon significantly increases your risk of lung cancer.
Radon gas symptoms are actually symptoms that you may have developed lung cancer, and they include:
- Shortness of breath
- Difficulty breathing
- New or worsening cough
- Pain or tightness in chest
- Hoarseness
- Trouble swallowing
- Coughing blood
If you have any of the symptoms above, it is important that you talk with your healthcare provider to determine if you need to be screened for lung cancer.
Are There Elevated Radon Gas Levels In My Home?
Since you can't rely on health symptoms or visual signs to determine if radon gas levels are high in your home, you will need to conduct a radon test to find out. Radon gas tests are easy to perform.
You simply plug in a small device in your basement or the lowest level of the home that you spend at least 3-4 hours in and leave it for at least 3 months (91 days). The test kit will check the radon gas levels in your home’s air and provide an average at the end of the test period.
You can buy a test kit online and install it yourself, or you can contact a professional radon remediation company to install the test for you. When you rely on the professionals to install your test kit, you ensure that the test is properly installed and will provide you with the most accurate information.
Once the test period is complete, the kit will be analyzed and you will find out how much radon gas is in your home. The risk of radon gas increases when there are high levels of it in your home. While there is no known safe amount of radon gas exposure, Health Canada considers the radon limit to be 200 Bq/M3 (Becquerels) indoors.
If the test has found that there are levels of 200 Bq/M3 or higher, you will need to perform radon remediation to lower the levels in your home.
The Radon Gas Remediation System
If you do discover radon gas in your home, don’t panic! There are effective remediation systems that professional radon gas remediation companies can install for you that will significantly reduce the amount of radon gas in your home.
It is important to note that every home in Canada has radon gas in it. Radon gas is everywhere, as it’s a naturally occurring process. As uranium (a heavy metal found in the earth) decays, radon gas is released. Since radon comes up from the earth, basements and lower levels of buildings are the most impacted.
Radon gas concentrations vary depending on your location, and even your home itself. For example, your neighbour might have elevated levels of radon gas in their home - but that does not guarantee that you will too!
If you do need radon gas remediation, you can rely on the Radon Gas Guys. Here’s how it works:
- First, the test is performed and action is completed based on your results
- If levels are high, we’ll inspect your home to look for any areas where radon gas may be entering your home (e.g. cracks in the foundation, gaps around openings, or areas around sump pumps)
- We’ll seal up any areas that may be causing the problem or fix areas that could be letting radon gas in
- Finally, we’ll install our radon gas remediation system
The radon gas mitigation system is essentially a pipe and fan. This system is installed in the foundation of your house. The system works by sucking out radon gas and exhausting it outdoors. The process is involved but is quite fairly non-invasive to the homeowners and is done within the day!
Worried About Radon Gas Levels? Contact Radon Gas Guys
While radon gas symptoms may not be obvious until there is a serious problem, you can find out if radon gas is an issue in your home before any health impacts occur. The Radon Gas Guys are committed to the health and safety of homeowners and families in Southern Ontario. Your home should be your safe place, and we want to ensure that you are safe and comfortable while at home.
If it is discovered that there are elevated levels of radon gas in your home, we provide a 100% guarantee that our radon remediation system will work to lower radon levels to below the Canadian standard. If it doesn’t work, we will correct the problem at no cost or refund you your money. That is our guarantee! When you work with Radon Gas Guys, you’ll be working with a company that always stands behind our work.
“I contacted Rick after seeing the reviews online. I emailed him for a quote and he was out the next day. A week later the radon mitigation system was installed. The work was completed in one day. Rick was very efficient and knowledgeable. He explained how the system worked and what to keep an eye on in terms of the system. We now have peace of mind since the levels have already dropped. We are really happy with the work that Rick completed. He has also touched base with us since the installation to check on our levels. Thank you for caring about your costumers!”
If you’re worried about the symptoms of long-term radon gas exposure, you can act now. Contact the Radon Gas Guys to install your radon test kit or learn more about our radon remediation systems today.