What is Radon? - by Erin Jeziorski

Whether in Winter Park or elsewhere through out the country, if you are buying a home, then often times your realtor or home inspector will recommend you have a radon test conducted on the property in addition to a home inspection. What is Radon you ask? Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that comes from the breakdown of uranium-bearing granite deposits in the soil. It is colorless, odorless, and tasteless. The level of radon in a home is determined by the rock and soil type in the area, and can vary from one property to the next. The radon gas seeps into a home via cracks in floors or walls and gaps in the foundation components resulting in the highest levels usually being in the basement or crawl space. How is radon then detected you ask? Your home inspector will place one or more monitoring devices or test kits throughout your home. The test typically takes 48 hours and your inspector will ask that all windows and doors remain closed aside from routine entering and exiting of the home. The EPA recommends that action be taken if the radon level is at 4.0 pCi/L or higher due to its potential health risks. The good news is that radon mitigation is relatively easy and inexpensive. Putting it simply, the mitigation system is a basic design that consists of a vapor barrier, fan installation and a pipe that exhausts incoming air into the crawlspace or garage to the outside. The system diverts the air so that it is not settling inside your home. It is a relatively un-invasive and I recommend you hire a mitigation specialist to install the system.