The ground and soils in southern Saskatchewan emit radon radiation at a level second only to Poland, which is why every home should be tested, James Kirkpatrick of Master Radon explained during an Oct. 12 radon education seminar at the Moose Jaw Events Centre.
"Health Canada says 200 becquerels is the acceptable upper limit for radon in your home, but they also say the lower you can get those levels, the better," Kirkpatrick told attendees.
Radon is a radioactive gas formed naturally from the slow decay of trace amounts of uranium in soil and rocks. It is invisible, odourless, and tasteless. Radon is rarely a problem outdoors, but when it seeps up into homes indoors, it can build up over time. Master Radon is certified through the Canadian National Radon Proficiency Program (C-NRPP) to inspect and mitigate radon risks.
Because radon is simply part of our air, every human being will breathe radon for their entire lifetime. However, if a home has higher levels of radon as a result of ground materials, construction, or other factors, the home's residents may be breathing far more radon than they should.
"When uranium decays, it slowly turns into lead over millions of years. Radon gas is just one link in that chain reaction process, and that where the hazard lies. You can never get away from radon, but we're now learning that the Prairie Provinces are a hotspot, and specifically the Regina area," Kirkpatrick said. "All homes should be tested. Your home might be fine, or it might have dangerous levels — you can't know until you test.
"Testing with most kits takes a minimum of three months, in the wintertime, which is when Health Canada recommends testing. That's for a few reasons, the home's windows are closed, the ground is frozen outside but still warm in your basement. There's also something called the stack effect, so when you heat your home, hot air rises, especially in a two-story home, and so our homes actually act like vacuum cleaners on the soil and pull radon into the home."
The greatest risk factors for home include:
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A new sewer back-flow valve has been installed.
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Cast iron sewer lines have been replaced under the concrete floor.
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The sewer line to the city property has been replaced.
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There are 1 or more sump pits with or without sump pumps.
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The floor in the basement is wooden.
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The concrete basement floor is badly cracked.
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The foundation and/or basement floor has been levelled by some jacking method. (Slab Jacking or Spray Foam)
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New weeping tile has been installed (either inside or outside the home).
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The basement walls are cracked.
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Home has a crawlspace.
The most common method of installing a radon mitigation system is to draw radon gas out from under the slab and vent it harmlessly outdoors. Kirkpatrick noted that homes can have many different factors for consideration, and over Master Radon's 12 years in business the company has created many custom solutions depending on the home.
"There's multiple ways radon can get in, so as part of my initial diagnosis I'll run some test to determine where the stuff is coming from, and that will give me a starting point," he added. "That helps me to understand what solution is best for that individual situation."
Learn more at www.masterradon.ca or by calling James Kirkpatrick at 306-551-1607.
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