When most of us think about dangers inside of our own homes, we typically think about carbon monoxide, house fires, or asbestos. Although all these things are dangerous, combined, they do not compare to a silent killer that claims over 21,000 people every year in the United States. This danger is Radon gas and it is a prevalent problem for those living in Cranberry Twp. This article will review what Radon is, how Cranberry residents are impacted, and offer a solution to the problem through Radon mitigation.
What is Radon?
First, we will quickly set the stage of what exactly Radon is and where it comes from. Radon gas is an odorless, colorless, tasteless gas that comes from the breakdown of elements in the soil. Radon is everywhere, but since it is a heavier gas, it condenses in areas like the basement of a home.
As Radon rises from the ground, it enters your home through small cracks in your foundation. When inhaled, Radon breaks down the cells lining your lungs, making you more susceptible to lung cancer. This deadly gas impacts thousands of families every single year. Unfortunately, we were one of these families and we lost our grandmother/mother to the battle of Radon induced lung cancer.
Radon is recognized by the Surgeon General as a Class A carcinogen, which means that is proven to cause cancer in humans. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), states that any home over 4.0 pCi/L (picocuries per litre of air. The way in which Radon levels are measured) should have Radon mitigation conducted in order to keep the home safe. The WHO (World Health Organization) sets this level at 2.7 pCi/L.
What Risk do Radon Levels Pose?
What exactly do these Radon thresholds set by the WHO and EPA mean? To put it into perspective, every 1.0 pCi/L is the radiation equivalent to: smoking 2.5 cigarettes a day, or receiving 50 chest X-rays in a year. So for homes at the EPA's recommend level of 4.0, that radiation equivalent is 10 cigarettes a day and 200 chest X-rays a year. Either way you put it, the radiation is not something that anyone would want their family exposed to.
The average US home has a Radon level of 1.3 with 1 out of 15 homes being above the 4.0 mark. Based off of these numbers, you would feel pretty confident that your home would not be one that is impacted, right? Unfortunately, for those of us living in Western Pennsylvania, specifically Cranberry twp and Butler county, we are not so lucky.
Cranberry Twp Radon Levels
Starting with all of Western Pennsylvania, the number of homes elevated above the EPA recommended action levels go from 1 in 15 for all of the US to 4 out of 10 in Western PA. In Butler County, 47% of homes are above the 4.0 pCi/L number. That means if you live in Butler county and your neighbor does not have high Radon levels, there is a good chance that your home will.
When we specifically look at Radon levels in Cranberry Twp, we can break down the Radon levels based off the two zip codes in the area: 16066 and 15086. Radon in 16066 averages at 5.3 pCi/L while 15086 is at 7.0. If you happen to live in this area, there is a good chance that you are living in a home that has high Radon levels. Over time, this can put you and your loved ones at risk of lung cancer. Fortunately, there is a solution to protect your home and your family: Radon mitigation.
Radon Mitigation in Cranberry twp, PA
The first step to protecting your home from Radon is to have a Radon test done in your home. The PA DEP recently provided some residents in Western Pennsylvania free Radon test kits due to the Radon being at dangerous levels. If you did not receive one of those tests, do not worry, Radon testing is inexpensive and a small price to pay for the safety of your family.
You can buy your own test kit at a local hardware store and do the test yourself. However, if not done properly, you may not get an accurate reading for your home. Radon professionals like Home Radon Pros can do Radon testing for you in 48 hours with a Continuous Radon Monitor that gives you an hour by hour reading of the levels in your home.
Once you know your home's levels, you then have the information on whether or not Radon mitigation, or the removal of Radon from a home, is necessary for you. Radon remediation is the process of utilizing a Radon fan to remove the air out from underneath the foundation of a home and expelling it out above the roof line, keeping you and your family safe.
80% of homes in Cranberry can have Radon mitigation completed for under $1,100. At Home Radon Pros, we make sure you get a system that works properly in order to protect the ones you love. We only use Radon fans made by Festa Radon Technologies, a local manufacturer located in the heart of Cranberry Twp, PA.
Over the last 4 years, our team has been able to install Radon mitigation systems in Cranberry, and other parts of Pittsburgh, to save thousands of lives from the dangers of Radon gas. Our +125 five star Google reviews show that we take pride in the work that we do.
We encourage you to do your own research on Radon and take the proper steps to keep you and the ones in your home, safe. Call us at 412-584-0799, email us at zankail@homeradonpros.com, or fill out a contact form via the button below.