What is Radon?
- Radon is an invisible, odourless, and tasteless radioactive gas that is found naturally in soil and rock from the breakdown of uranium.
- High levels of radon found indoors can be a health risk to you and your family. All homes have some level of Radon.
- Long-term exposure to high levels of radon can lead to lung cancer making it the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers and the second leading cause of lung cancer (after smoking) overall.
- There is no evidence that radon exposure causes respiratory diseases such as asthma, or symptoms such as persistent coughing or headaches.
The only way to know how much radon is in your home is to test for it.
How to test?
- We recommend that you place the radon test kit in the lowest level of a home (such as a basement or main floor) for a period of three months where it will not be disturbed.
- After three months, collect the detector and mail it to a laboratory for analysis and results.
My home has high radon levels. What do I do?
- If your home has high radon levels (200 Becquerels per cubic metre is the Canadian radon guideline), The Lung Association suggests you contact a certified radon mitigator.
- A certified radon mitigator is a contractor or individual who is trained to fix your home and lower the amount of radon indoors.
Click here to find a certified radon mitigation expert near you.