Is Radon Contaminating Your Home?
Get Our Radon Testing Kit to Ensure Your Safety
Thanks to modern science, we know much more about the dangers of radon than we used to. High levels of radon exposure have been linked to life-threatening diseases like lung cancer, so now testing radon levels is common practice. Here at MidAmerica Basement Systems, we take radon seriously, and can assist you with radon testing in your Davenport home, public building, or school. We’re a proud member of the National Radon Defense network, and we’re certified for radon mitigation throughout the region.
Reach out to us today for more information on radon testing and radon mitigation services.
What is Radon?
Radon is an odorless, naturally occurring gas that has radioactive properties. It is now considered the second-leading cause of lung cancer, second only to smoking. Soils in the United States contain many different radioactive substances such as uranium. As uranium decays, it turns into radium and polonium, and it is the breakdown of these substances that releases toxic, radioactive gas into the air.
How is Radon Detected?
Radon is sometimes known as the “silent killer,” because it’s nearly impossible to detect symptoms of radon exposure. The radioactive gas goes unnoticed in many homes and buildings, increasing the health risks for the occupants. Radon exposure is most strongly linked with lung cancer, and those symptoms are difficult to catch early.
Radon systems typically start in the crawl space or basement and force the gas out of the home.
Radon gas is emitted from the soil and penetrates the home as a colorless, odorless gas. Any enclosed part of your home that is exposed to the soil is susceptible. Here are the most common ways that radon gas can leach into your home:
- Cracks in your concrete walls or floors
- Floor-wall joints
- Mortar joints
- Cracks or pores in concrete blocks or masonry
- Spaces behind veneer walls that sit on uncapped, hollow-brick foundations
- Certain building materials, mainly rock or stone
- Exposed soil, like in a sump
- Weeping drain tiles, if draining to open sump
- Loose-fitting pipe penetrations
- Open tops of block walls
- Water (from some wells)
If you don’t know your radon levels or radon risk, don’t delay. Call us at MidAmerica Basement Systems today for your radon test or get your free estimate for radon mitigation in Davenport. We’re here to make your home or public building as healthy and safe as possible. Reach out to us or fill out our contact form to get started.
