Home inspections check for all manner of things to make sure homes are safe, and all the elements function as they should. This can include electrics, plumbing, and to make sure there are no infestations from insects or rats.
You also find there are a few things that a home inspection service checks for, which are not possible to see with the naked eye. You can ask, why does a home inspection Las Vegas check for radon.
Radon is a colorless, odorless gas and is second to smoking as a cause of lung cancer.
Yards contain small amounts of uranium, which is in the process of decay. Radon is a side effect of this decay, where it floats into the atmosphere. However, it can creeps into buildings via the foundations, and once it does this, it can reach unsafe levels.
How Will a Home Inspection Expert Measure Radon?
You measure Radon in units called curies. A curie contains the amount of radium listed in one gram of the radioactive element. Picocuries measure the rate at which radon decays. A picocurie is a trillionth of a curie!
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, approximately 1 in 15 households in the USA have too high levels of radon. The EPA dictates safe radon levels as less than four picocuries per liter of air.
How Will Home Inspection Begin Checking for Radon?
An excellent first step in evaluating the radon risk to your properties is with a Las Vegas home inspection. Radon risk levels are displayed on each report – low, medium and high.
Radon exposure can lead to lung cancer, and breathing in unsafe amounts, you won’t feel sick or have immediate symptoms. It’s impossible to know if homes have radon issues without carrying out one or more tests.
How do you test for radon?
Testing for radon is not difficult. The homeowners can conduct the test themselves, but it is advisable to seek the assistance of a professional home inspection service. Most homeowners initiate with a short-term test lasting between two and ninety days.
Testing is recommended for the lowest level of the home being used as a living space. For instance, if a basement serves as a living space, you should begin the test there. If you only access the basement for storage, configure the test on the first floor. Radon readings of 4 or more are deemed unhealthy.
If the testing indicates 4 or higher, second testing is advised. Based on the results of the first test, the second test may be a short-term test (two- to ninety days) or long-term test (over ninety days).
What Happens After a Las Vegas Home Inspection Radon Check?
The outcome depends on the results of the test. If they’re high enough for concern, your local home inspection company such as Home Inspection of Las Vegas, will advise accordingly. It may be something you can do yourself or something you need a contractor. Either way, it will comprise of preventing Radon from entering your home and offering ventilation to make sure traces are exhausted safely.