Radon Test Kit Ontario
Worried about radon in your home? Purchasing a radon test kit can help you determine if you have elevated levels of radon in your home and what to do about it.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the following topics:
- Where to purchase a radon test kit in Ontario
- How does a radon test work
- Why homeowners should test for radon
- How radon can enter your home
- What to do if you have high levels of radon
Continue reading below to learn more about radon testing in Ontario, or contact us now to get started with your radon test.
Where To Purchase a Radon Test Kit in Ontario
You can purchase a radon test kit online or directly through a radon testing and
mitigation company. At the Radon Gas Guys, we sell radon 91 Day radon test kits on our site for $55.00. This price includes sales tax, shipping, and the full report.
If you purchase a radon test kit and it turns out your home has elevated levels of radon on it, our team will refund you the initial cost of the kit and perform mitigation in your home – this means that your test kit will be free!
If you’re ready to perform a radon test in your home, contact the Radon Gas Guys and we’ll help you from start to finish.
How Does a Radon Test Work?
In order to understand how a radon test works, it’s first important to understand what radon gas is. Radon is a tasteless, colourless, odourless radioactive gas. It is the natural result of decaying uranium.
It is a natural part of the decomposition process for uranium and poses no threat when found outdoors.
Unfortunately, radon can enter any home or building that has contact with the ground, and large, concentrated amounts can cause serious health effects. It is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers and the second leading cause of lung cancer in those who smoke.
Because radon poses this serious health risk, it is important to determine if radon levels in your home are too high.
A radon test is very simple. A dosimeter is installed in the lowest living area of your home (a space you occupy for at least a few hours per day.) Then the dosimeter will record average radon levels for 3 – 12 months, as recommended by Health Canada. The test must be a minimum of 91 days.
Because radon levels vary and every home will have some level of radon, it is very important to test over a certain amount of time to find an accurate average.
After the test is complete, you’ll send it back to be analyzed and provided with a report detailing whether or not your home’s radon levels are too high or not.
While you can purchase and install a radon test yourself, it is recommended that you work with a professional from the very start of your test until the potential remediation process. This will ensure that you are collecting the most accurate sample over the correct amount of time.
Why Should I Test For Radon?
High levels of radon could be a problem in your home, and unlike other potential hazards, it does not have to do with the age of your house. Newer homes are just as likely as older homes to have elevated levels of radon.
Any home, old or new, could have high levels of radon. Because radon is a tasteless, odourless, and colourless gas, the only way to determine if you have radon in your home is to complete a radon test.
Radon risk tends to increase depending on the location of your home. For example, many areas in Southern Ontario are a higher risk level, especially around the Niagara Escarpment. Radon concentrations vary geographically due to the levels of uranium in the ground.
Locally, some of the higher hazard areas include:
- Kitchener: High Hazard
- Waterloo: High Hazard
- Guelph: High Hazard
- Hamilton & Ancaster: High Hazard
- Burlington: Elevated Hazard
The map outlining hazard levels for Southern Ontario shows that most of the area is the high hazard zone. In order to know for sure if your home is affected by high levels of radon, you’ll need to have a radon test done.
How Exactly Can Radon Enter My Home?
As outlined above, radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas this is produced as uranium breaks down. Radon is everywhere, it is impossible to completely avoid it. All homes in Canada have some concentration of radon gas in them.
Radon typically enters the home through the basement or wherever the house has contact with the ground. As radon moves through the ground, it can enter a home through cracks in the foundation, gaps around pipes, poorly insulated windows, floor drains and sump pumps or any other openings.
Radon levels can greatly vary between homes – so your neighbour could have high levels of radon in the house, but you might not, or vice versa! That’s why it is so important for each individual household to conduct a radon test.
Knowing your neighbour’s radon levels won’t give you an accurate indication of your home’s levels because so many factors can influence indoor radon levels.
What To Do If Your Test Shows Elevated Levels of Radon
If you’ve conducted a radon test and it shows that you do have elevated levels of radon in your home, don’t worry! A radon remediation company can come and help fix the problem in your home.
When you call on the Radon Gas Guys, we will come and install a Radon Mitigation System. This process typically takes one day with little disturbance to the homeowners.
We’ll make sure that any potential areas where radon could be entering your home are properly sealed, such as openings around sump pumps, hydro entries, cracks in the flooring, and plumbing openings.
Then, a mitigation system (typically consisting primarily of a pipe and fan) is installed in your basement’s foundation (or wherever high levels were found – though this is typically in the basement) and works by sucking out radon gas and exhausting it outdoors.
We always conduct tests to ensure that the system is working. If it is not working to reduce your radon levels to below the Canadian standard, we will correct it or refund you your money.
Get Your Radon Test Kit in Ontario | Radon Gas Guys
Looking to purchase a radon test kit in Ontario? The Radon Gas Guys can help you set up your test and complete any mitigation if necessary. We care about the health and safety of homeowners. We are committed to helping families mitigate radon issues and help everyone in our community stay safer.
If you are wondering about radon levels in your home, you can quickly and easily buy a test kit from our site. Or, you can give us a call to personally discuss your options, get the test accurately installed for you, and set up a plan for mitigation if needed.
“Was shocked to see how high our radon levels were when we finally decided to test (500-600 bq/m3). Rick got back to use quickly and was able to install a mitigation system quickly. He answered all of our questions and was open and honest about our options and cost. 24 hours after installation our airthings meter was reading under 10 bq/m3.”
