Handy Andy's Basement Solutions

Information may not be reliable

WHAT IS RADON & WHY SHOULD I BE CONCERNED?

Radon is a colorless, odorless radioactive gas produced by the breakdown of uranium in soil, rock and water. Unlike carbon monoxide, there are no symptoms or warning signs to alert you when you are being exposed to it. The Surgeon General states that radon is the #1 cause of lung cancer for non-smokers and it is the 2nd leading cause following smoking. It is estimated that radon is responsible for approximately 21,000 deaths a year in just the U.S. alone. This amounts to 57.53 people a day. Not only does radon cause cancer but it is suspected that it also contributes to a variety of other illnesses including leukemia, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimers and Parkinsons disease.

How does radon get into your home? The air pressure inside your home is usually lower than the pressure in the soil. This causes a vacuum effect, causing radon to enter the home anywhere there is an opening between the home and the soil. Some examples of such openings include cracks in the floor and foundation, the tops of hollow block foundations, crawlspaces and sump pumps. Furthermore, because radon is a gas, it can pass through the pores of brick, concrete and rock. Based on the fact that most people spend 90% of their time indoors and that much of the time doors and windows are closed due to extreme heat or cold, it is imperative that every home be tested.

What can Radon Solutions do for me? Radon Solutions can inspect, test, and detect if Radon Gas is present in your home. After testing Radon Solutions can help you with radon mitigation, abatement, and remediation services to remove these harmful gases from your home.

Lung cancer kills more people each year than breast, prostate and colorectal cancers combined.
Approximately 50% of the people diagnosed with lung cancer have never smoked or are former smokers and only 15% live beyond five years of their diagnosis.
Radon kills more people than drunk driving, fires and drownings combined.
Carbon monoxide deaths average 235 per year in the U.S. while deaths due to radon are estimated at 20,000 to 30,000 a year.
The MN Dept. of Health estimates that one in three homes in Minnesota have elevated radon levels and kills 1,000 Minnesotans a year.
Breathing air from a home with one unit of radon is equal to smoking two cigarettes a day.