What you need to know about radon in your home

(NC) You can’t see it, smell it or taste it. But radon, a naturally occurring gas found virtually everywhere, is a potential hazard to your health, whether you live in a freehold home or condo.

Here are five basic facts about radon:

1. Long-term exposure to excessive radon can increase the risk of lung cancer.
2. Almost every house in Canada has some radon. Concentration levels can vary widely from area to area and even among different homes in the same neighbourhood.
3. Radon is created by the breakdown of uranium found in rock and soil. When it escapes from the ground and mixes with air, it is diluted to very low levels.
4. With proper ventilation, radon will dissipate causing no problems at all. Unfortunately, enclosed spaces without good airflow – such as basements, crawlspaces and even condominium garages – can develop dangerously high radon levels when the gas becomes trapped.
5. Radon is not the result of a defect in the way a home is constructed. There is no way to determine if it is going to be a problem before a home is built and most homes are not tested after they’re built.

Fortunately, radon can be detected and measured. You can measure it either by using a do-it-yourself  test kit or by hiring a radon measurement and mitigation professional. The gas is measured in units called becquerels. Health Canada has set 200 becquerels per cubic metre as the safe limit for radon in a home.

If you’re an owner of a new home or condo, your statutory warranty includes coverage for high radon levels that lasts for the full seven years of your warranty. In fact, Ontario is one of only two Canadian jurisdictions that cover radon remediation in the statutory new home warranty.

To be eligible for coverage, radon levels must be tested over a three-month period and whether you use a radon professional or a DIY kit, both must be certified through the Canadian National Radon Proficiency Program. Test results showing levels in excess of 200 becquerels should be submitted to Tarion along with the applicable warranty form.

Responsibility for radon testing in a newly built home or a condominium unit rests with the owner. The condo corporation is responsible for testing areas that are part of the common elements of the building.

Attention Editors: This content is reserved for distribution in Ontario only.