Radon Mitigators, There’s the name, that everyone needs in their radon game!
They check, they test, they mitigate, and Mr. Jim, he’s never late!
So if you have a house to sell, we’ll help make sure that all is well!
And if you are a buyer chillin, it’s just the radon that we’re killin.
Radon Mitigators, There’s the name, that everyone needs in their radon game!
What is Radon Gas?
Radon is an odorless, invisible, radioactive gas naturally released from rocks, soil, and water.
It comes from the natural decay of uranium that is found in nearly all soils. It typically moves up
through the ground to the air above and into your home through cracks and other holes in the
foundation
Radon levels are usually higher in basements, cellars and living spaces in contact with the
ground, but high radon concentrations can also be found above the ground floor.
When was Radon first discovered in homes?
1984
Radon (radioactive gas) was first recognized as a risk for miners in 1879. The link of radiation to
cancer was sealed in the 1950s and 1960s. But indoor radon did not hit the headlines until 1984, after Stanley Watras, an electrical engineer at a Pennsylvania nuclear power plant, kept setting off
radiation monitor alarms as he walked into the plant. It turned out that he was not picking up the radiation at work. Watras’ house sat on a uranium deposit in a geological formation known as the Reading Prong, which runs through portions of Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey, and his house had a HUGE amount of radon in it.
Since that time, testing for radon gas is often done when real estate is bought or sold. Very accurate equipment is used and the tests usually last at least 48 hours. At the end of the test the average amount of radon detected is shown as well as the increase and decrease over time.
EPA officials estimate that 1 in 15 homes have elevated levels of radon, but this may be on the low
side. The radon control industry’s experience, officials say, is that the problem occurs in 1 in 10
homes.
Is Radon dangerous?
Over time, breathing in high levels of radon can cause lung cancer. Radon is the leading cause of
lung cancer in non-smokers and the second leading cause of lung cancer in smokers.
The EPA set the “action” level at 4 picocuries. Breathing 4 picocuries per liter for a year is the
equivalent of smoking half a pack of cigarettes a day, experts say. A picocurie is a trillionth of a curie, the standard measure of radioactivity — of radon per liter of air, but the EPA now recommends that homeowners “consider” making repairs for anything above 2 picocuries to avoid most risks.
What level of radon gas is safe?
No level of radon gas is truly safe. All efforts should be made to reduce the amount of radon in your
home to the lowest level possible.
In 1998 Congress passed a law setting a national goal of reducing indoor radon to the average level found outside, which is about 0.4 picocuries per liter.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends that a radon mitigation system should be
installed if the level of radon in a structure is at or above 4 pCi/L (picocuries of radon per liter of air).
How is Radon mitigated in a home?
There are several proven methods to reduce radon in your home, but the one most used has
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 depressurization 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. The right system depends on the design of your home and other factors like
whether your home has a basement.
Do radon reduction systems work?
Radon reduction systems do work.
A quality radon mitigation system may reduce year-round levels to below 2 pCi/L or less. Some
radon reduction systems can reduce radon levels in your home by up to 99 percent.
Properly installed mitigation system will greatly reduce the level of radon.
How much do radon reduction systems cost?
Most homes can be fixed for about the same cost as other common home repairs. Your costs may
vary depending on the size and design of your home and which radon reduction methods are needed.
Radon mitigation system cost varies dramatically depending on how the home is constructed. The
average cost range to install a radon mitigation system in an average single-family home is between $1,100 and $2,500, with $1,400 being the average.
How long does it take to install a mitigation system?
A typical mitigation system can be installed in one day. With the two day testing both before and after the mitigation, the whole process can be completed in less than one week.
Can anyone can do testing and mitigation?
No. Only licensed contractors with in-depth training can properly perform testing and mitigation. To
provide radon-related services in Ohio, you must be specifically licensed by ODH to do so.
Who must apply for certification and/or licensure?
Any individual, business entity or public entity that engages or intends to engage in residential or
commercial radon activities must apply for licensure. These include persons performing radon testing and mitigation, contractors or companies that provide mitigation services, laboratories that analyze active and passive radon devices and radon training course providers. This does not include individuals or entities performing work on a property that they own or lease.
What type of training is necessary to be licensed for radon in Ohio?
You must complete an ODH approved radon training course for radon measurement and pass an
ODH approved radon measurement exam to become a licensed radon tester.
To become a licensed radon mitigation specialist, you must complete an ODH approved radon
measurement training course and an ODH approved radon mitigation training course. You must also pass both the ODH approved radon measurement exam and the ODH approved radon mitigation exam.
Who governs radon licensure in Ohio?
The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) under chapter 3723 of the Ohio Revised Code (ORC) and
chapter 3701-69 of the Ohio Administrative Code (OAC).