Why Is It Important to Test for Radon?

Most people associate lung cancer with smoking, which leads to 480,000 deaths per year in the United States. However, there’s another culprit behind lung cancer deaths: radon exposure. Long-term exposure to this carcinogenic gas results in 21,000 deaths annually. Still, people regularly ask us why it’s important to test for radon in Aspen, CO.

Seven reasons you should regularly test for radon

We can’t overemphasize the importance of radon testing. There are numerous reasons to hire a professional to test your commercial or residential building for radon levels:

• It’s odorless and colorless: As uranium breaks down, it releases radon gas into the soil, rocks and groundwater. This gas has no smell or color, so it’s undetectable without proper testing.
• It can lead to lethal consequences: Radon exposure is the number one cause of lung cancer death in non-smokers. On top of that, smoking cigarettes irritates the respiratory system and puts you at increased risk for radon exposure.
• Any home can have high radon levels: Just because your next-door neighbor recently conducted testing and found no radon in their home doesn’t mean you’re safe. Radon is tricky. While it might seep into one home with ease, this gas may not find its way into the surrounding homes and buildings. Even homes in Aspen, CO built on slabs and those with radon-resistant features require radon testing every two years to keep you and others safe.
• Radon comes in anywhere it can: There’s a long list of ways radon can get into buildings, including construction joints, water supplies, open spaces in walls, gaps in suspended flooring, open areas around service pipes and cracks in solid floors and walls.
• Uranium breaks down over time: The half-life of uranium is 4.5 billion years. It takes a very long time for this element to break down naturally, and as it does, it produces radon. Maybe you had your home tested when you initially moved in, and fortunately, you didn’t discover elevated radon levels at the time. But that can change at any moment. That’s why we encourage property owners to hire professionals to test their buildings for radon every two years.
• Renovation may increase radon levels: Changing the structure of your home or business may lead to new paths for radon to enter the building. Following any renovations or upgrades, a radon testing expert in Aspen, CO should visit your home or business to measure levels.
• Testing isn’t always accurate: Any number of factors may impact the results of radon testing, such as weather conditions, the specific location of the tests in your building and the type of test used. To most accurately measure radon gas levels in your home or business, call a professional to handle the testing.

You don’t want to put your family, employees or customers in danger by unknowingly exposing them to radon gas. If you haven’t had professional radon testing in two years or more, it’s time to make an appointment with HealthSafe Inspections Inc. For those still wondering why it’s important to test for radon in Aspen, CO, feel free to contact us with your questions.

Categorised in: Radon

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