Even Mike Holmes is commenting on the current wave of media attention that’s being given to an age old problem – radon gas. In fact, radon gas is as old as the rock foundation most of us live on in this part of Canada.
Radon – the Facts
Radon gas has been in and out of the news. Currently it’s a hot topic but despite all the attention, there’s still a lot of misinformation about the naturally occurring substance.
Radon is produced as the by-product of deterioration of uranium, a mineral that is present virtually everywhere in the ground in varying concentrations. The gas is formed and then percolates up to the surface usually via the soil that covers bedrock. Concentrations vary by region but can’t be predicted by location alone.
Outdoors, it is diluted by and disperses in the air, posing little or no threat. Indoors, however, it can reach dangerous levels.
Radon In Your Home
Radon gets inside your home through:
- Cracks in solid floors
- Construction joints
- Cracks in walls
- Gaps in suspended floors
- Gaps around service pipes
- Cavities inside walls
Concrete is porous, meaning there are typically many ways for it to seep inside your home from the ground up.
On the surface of it, the facts are indeed scary: long term exposure is believed to be the second leading cause of lung cancers after smoking, and a Health Canada national survey conducted between 2009 and 2010 found about 7% of people living with radon levels that exceeded recommendations.
Radon gas is odourless, tasteless and colourless – in other words, impossible to detect without the use of specially designed sensors. That’s where we can help, and you can get peace of mind.
ESG Can Help
Since the duration of exposure is the important point in determining its health hazard, knowing your level of risk is essential. We can provide both short term and long term testing.
Since levels can vary seasonally, we recommend long term testing if you have time, so that we can accurately read the fluctuations over a period longer than 90 days.
Don’t Worry – Take Action
Don’t panic! Harm comes from long term exposure, so knowing radon levels – and your level of risk – is the key.
Let us give you peace of mind – call the Environmental Services Group for a quote.
In The News:
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Environmental Services Group is a cutting edge environmental consulting firm based in Toronto and servicing both the Greater Toronto Area and Ontario. We provide state-of-the-art, industry-leading expertise in remedying environmental hazards such as mold, lead, asbestos and much more. Call 416-575-6111 or visit our website today for a pressure-free initial consultation. You’ll be glad you did!
