Test a Home and Its Health

Test a Home and Its Health

Most of us are familiar with the analogy that compares a house to the human body. Houses need to breathe just like humans do, so their ventilation is analogous to a body's respiration. Houses and humans rely on protective skins to shed moisture and keep out germs, and right beneath that skin we've got varying levels of insulation (too much in many humans; too little in many houses). Humans have ways of cooling off and keeping warm, just like houses do.

We humans go to the doctors for our checkups and put into action their recommendations to alleviate any issues and correct the imbalance. Similarly, it takes several experts to perform the regular checkups on our houses. From the help of energy auditors, pest control experts, and radon mitigation contractors—homeowners have ample ways to keep their homes healthy and safe.

Of all the tests and inspections, a house can undergo, none is more important than a radon test. Radon is an invisible, odorless, radioactive gas that comes from rocks and soil. Exposure to radon can cause cancer –especially lung cancer. In fact, radon is responsible for at least 21,000 deaths in the U.S. every year.

Testing a house for high radon concentrations is an absolute necessity when protecting family members from radon's potentially lethal exposure. There is good news-- testing is inexpensive and easy, and radon levels can always be reduced to acceptable levels.

Using proven and reliable techniques, an experienced radon contractor can design an abatement system that eliminates all but tiny amounts of radon gas from indoor air.

When a radon abatement system is installed, it's a “once-and-done” repair that will perform perfectly if the system's fan can operate. In a typical system, the fan is the only item that can wear out, which is why maintenance is always an innovative idea.

Not all human ailments can be permanently cured, no matter what medicines and therapies are administered. But dangerous radon exposure does have a permanent cure. That's why it's critical to have your house tested, and to enlist the services of an experienced radon mitigation contractor if hazardous exposure levels are detected.