Clear the Air: Radon Testing Services by RadonCare

Health Canada cautions against using the word “safe” when talking about radon – what we can say is that lower levels are best, but even low levels can have some risk. If for example, you smoked 10 cigarettes in your lifetime, it is unlikely you would develop lung cancer – unlikely but not absolutely a zero percent chance. If you smoked a pack a day the risk increases dramatically at which point corrective action (quitting smoking) would be recommended. For this reason, rather than “safe” levels we deal with at what level corrective action should be taken to lower the risk (see next question).

The most widely accepted risk models present a linear correlation between radon exposure and risk. This means there is no level of exposure which is without risk, however, because the gas is found at very low concentrations in natural settings the risk is extremely low. Radon is only a concern when it concentrates to high levels inside of structures such as your home, where in extreme cases it may reach levels thousands of times higher than ambient levels outdoors.

Health Canada recommends testing for a minimum of 90 days to determine your average radon levels. In rare cases, a reliable test completed in a shorter duration (ex. 3-4 weeks) which determines significantly elevated radon levels are present may provide reasonable grounds to conclude the test earlier. A home measuring 1,000bq/m3 for 1 month would still exceed mitigation guidance levels if the radon was reduced completely for two months – an impossibility. The average of the 3-month test would still be ~330Bq/m3, well above all guidelines for mitigation. Please contact us for further guidance.

Health Canada recommends testing for radon every 3-5 years – even if you have a mitigation system. If you’d like to be extra safe, a CRM (Continuous Radon Monitor) can be used to track of radon levels year-round and make note of any unusual patterns.

Usually not very accurate. The problem is not the equipment used to test, even a $230 radon meter can give very accurate readings in 24 hours, the problem is that levels can change dramatically throughout the year due to weather conditions or home usage. Often cold weather can cause an increase of levels – but in some cold weather, houses may also reduce. The same can be said for wind, rain, or any other type of weather.

Short answer – winter. Longer answer – According to Health Canada, tests should be performed in winter months but new research from Evict Radon suggests up to around 30% of houses can have higher levels of radon in the summer months. Official guidance still recommends winter tests but summer is beneficial too which is why many choose to monitor with digital continuous radon monitors (CRM).