Services > Radon Screening Assessment for use during a Real Estate Transaction
Radon Screening Assessment for use during a Real Estate Transaction
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that is present, at varying levels, outside and in all of our homes. Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers. New Brunswick has the highest levels of Radon with approximately 25% of homes having levels above the Canadian level for acceptable radiation exposure. Health Canada statistics state that 3,200 Canadians die each year from Radon-induced lung cancer.
The good news is that high Radon levels can always be reduced to safe levels by a certified Radon mitigator.
Radon Screening Assessments are performed by Radon Repair, C-NRPP(Canadian National Radon Proficiency Program) Certified Radon Measurement and Mitigation Professionals. Jeff, our owner, is also the founder of Radon Repair and a Certified Mitigator. He sits on the Board of Directors for CARST, the Canadian Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists.
Radon Repair will perform the Radon Screening Assessment following the information steps laid out in the CARST Guideline for Conducting a Radon Screening Assessment as Part of a Real Estate Transaction of a Residential Dwelling in Canada. These guidelines were developed especially for the time-sensitive nature of real-estate transactions.
The C-NRPP Measurement Professional will conduct the Radon Screening assessment for a minimum of 4 days, according to protocols designed for use in residential dwellings, as described in the CARST guideline referenced above.
The purpose of a Radon Screening Assessment is to produce replicable and reliable results which will be used to assess whether the annual radon concentration may be above Health Canada’s Action Level, which is 200 Bq/m3.
The screening assessment will be performed by a C-NRPP Certified Professional, using a C-NRPP Certified Radon Measurement Device, more information can be found here: https://c-nrpp.ca/approved-radon-measurement-devices/
The radon device installed in the dwelling referenced above has been approved by C-NRPP for conducting radon assessments.
Radon Repair uses Radalink’s AirCat Radon Monitoring Devices, which incorporate several anti-tamper features. The machine cannot be moved or unplugged without notifying the C-NRPP professional who placed the machine in the home. If the C-NRPP professional and/or Radalink have any suspicions that the results were tampered with, the results may be deemed void, which would nullify the test. In this event, the seller’s may incur a retesting fee. Our radon professional will download a data file with the results on the day of retrieval. This data file will be uploaded directly to Radalink. Radalink’s specialists will review the data and they will provide the potential buyers, and us with the results. This is a third-party testing company.
The cost of the Radon Screening Assessment for use during a Real Estate Transaction is $300+HST and $250 if performed during inspection. This is within the Greater Moncton Area. Outside of the GMA, the price will increase slightly to reflect the mileage. Please contact us if you have any questions related to Radon.”
HOW CAN RADON ENTER MY HOME?
Radon gas can enter a house any place it finds an opening where the house contacts the soil: cracks in foundation walls and in floor slabs, construction joints, gaps around service pipes and support posts, floor drains and sumps, cavities inside walls, and the water supply.
Radon can also be found in groundwater from private or small community wells. Radon produced in the ground can dissolve and accumulate in water from underground sources such as wells. When water containing Radon is agitated during daily household use – showering, clothes washing or cooking, for example – the Radon gas can be released into the air. However, research has shown that drinking water that contains Radon is far less harmful than breathing the gas. The health risk does not come from consuming the Radon, but from inhaling the gas. And in most cases, the risk of Radon entering the home through water is much lower than if it enters through the ground.
Materials used to construct a house – stones, bricks, cement, or granite, for example – are not a significant source of Radon in Canada. Natural materials taken from the ground, like granite, can contain some uranium and may have higher levels of radiation or Radon than expected, but in the vast majority of cases these levels are not significant. In February 2010, Health Canada completed a study of 33 types of granite commonly purchased in Canada and none were found to have significant levels of Radon.
Almost all homes have some Radon. The levels can vary dramatically even between similar homes located next to each other. The amount of Radon in a home will depend on many factors
HOW CAN RADON AFFECT MY HEALTH?
As Radon breaks down, it forms radioactive particles that can get lodged into your lung tissue as you breathe. The Radon particles then release energy that can damage your lung cells. When lung cells are damaged, they have the potential to result in cancer. Not everyone exposed to radon will develop lung cancer, and the time between exposure and the onset of the disease can take many years.
Long-term exposure to Radon is linked to approximately 16% of lung cancer deaths in Canada. It is the 2nd leading cause of lung cancer after smoking and the leading cause of lung cancer for people who have never smoked.
If you smoke or have smoked and your home has high radon levels, your risk of lung cancer is especially high.
WHAT DO I DO AFTER I TEST MY HOME AND GET MY RESULTS?
The Canadian guideline for radon in indoor air is 200 Bq/m3.
If you’ve tested your home, and the Radon concentration is above the Canadian guideline of 200 Bq/m3, Health Canada recommends that you take action to lower the concentrations. The higher the Radon concentrations, the sooner action should be taken to reduce levels to as low as practically possible.
While the health risk from Radon exposure below the Canadian guideline is small, there is no level that is considered risk free. It is the choice of each homeowner to decide what level of Radon exposure they are willing to accept.
EVERY HOME IN CANADA SHOULD TEST FOR RADON
FIND OUT MORE AT WWW.TAKEACTIONONRADON.CA
