November is Radon Action Month in Canada.
The invisible, odourless, naturally-occurring radioactive gas occurs as a decay product of radium and is the leading cause of lung cancer in Canada after smoking.
Cochranite John Fennell understands the significance of high levels of the gas in your home, and has a professionally-installed ventilation system in the basement of his house.
“This all started back in November of 2013. We purchased a radon detector, one of the more expensive ones. We were bouncing right around the Canadian guidelines and values (for safe radon levels),” Fennell says. “We decided at that point we are outside our comfort zone.”
Fennell had his home professionally tested for radon levels and determined he wanted to mitigate the effects of the gas in his Cochrane-area home.
“At the end of the day, when I look back on it, the cost was so irrelevant when it gives you your comfort level in having a safe, livable space in your house for your family,” he relates.
You can never totally get rid of radon — which is only harmful when concentrated in levels above 200 Becquerel per-metre cubed (200 Bq/m3) inside your home — but you can channel it out of your home and substantially reduce its potential harmful effects. In-home radon mitigation systems run anywhere in the range of $1,800-$3,000. Health Canada recommends people purchase a long-term (91-day) radon test kit. The kit can be purchased through RadonWest or at other retailers such as Canadian Tire and Home Hardware. The cost is around $45, including lab fees. Other short-term testing options are available. It is recommended the testing be done in the lowest level (basement) of the home.
“There is quite a bit of variability around radon. When you actually look at the risk map for Alberta and Canada – anywhere there’s glacial till there’s a risk,” Fennell says. “Glacial till is just material that’s been ground up over all kinds of different formations. It’s picking up all kinds of naturally-radioactive materials that are just going to involve radon gas. The risk is variable, but it is there.”
To learn more about radon, visit healthcanada.gc.ca/radon; takeactiononradon.ca or radonwest.com
