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FAQ'S
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What is Radon?
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If my neighbor's house was
tested for radon should my house also be
tested?
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How will you measure radon in my home?
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What do my results mean?
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If the results are high, can the house
be fixed?
Radon is a radioactive
element that is part of the radioactive
decay chain of naturally occurring uranium
in soil. You can't see radon. You can't
smell radon and you can't taste radon.
Unlike carbon monoxide and many other home
pollutants, radon's adverse health effect,
lung cancer, is usually not produced
immediately. Thus you may be exposed to
radon for many years without ever suspecting
its presence in your home.
The United States Environmental Protection
Agency (USEPA) action level for radon is 4.0
picocuries per liter of air (pCi/L). The
risk of developing lung cancer at 4.0 pCi/L
is estimated at about 7 lung cancer deaths
per 1000 persons. That is why USEPA and
Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA)
recommends reducing your radon level if the
concentration is 4.0 pCi/L or more.
IEMA estimates that almost 1/2 of homes Will
county have elevated levels of radon. Data
compiled by radon test measurement companies
estimates that between 1/2 to 2/3 of homes
in the Romeoville and Plainfield area have
radon levels above 4.0 pCI/L. This is
largely due to the clayey soils our homes
were built on among other factors. For more
information on radon you can visit the IEMA
website at http://www.state.il.us/iema/radon/radon.htm.
Absolutely! Radon
levels can vary significantly from house to
house. Slight variations in home
construction, house settlement, whether
the house has a basement, crawlspace or was
built slab on grade, and the material the
house was built on all contribute to the
radon levels in the house.
Radon will be measured in
your home with a state of the art continuous
radon monitor. The monitor will be
placed in the lowest living livable level of
the home by the radon measurement
professional. The radon measurement
professional will determine whether
additional monitors may need to be placed.
This will depend on the layout of the home.
The monitor will remain in the home for a
minimum of 48 hours. Once the monitor
is placed we will utilize a number of
anti-tampering devices so the test results
accurately reflect the current radon levels.
After we retrieve the
monitor, the results are available
immediately. A professional report
will be produced with the results of the
test and recommendations.
The final results will be
reported to you picoCuries per liter of air
(pCi/L). If the final average
results are greater than 4.0 pCI/L, we
recommend consultation with a Radon
Mitigation Professional.
Absolutely, radon levels in
homes where the radon levels are above 4.0
pCi/L can easily be reduced by installing a
radon mitigation system and/or sealing the
basement. Radon reduction systems
generally cost between $800 and $2000,
depending on the characteristics of the
house. After a system is installed,
IEMA recommends a post mitigation test to
verify system function. Illinois state
law prohibits mitigation professionals from
performing radon measurements at a building
where they have installed a mitigation
system.
815-260-7525
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