Home Inspection, Radon Testing Information in Sheboygan Wisconsin

What is Radon?
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas
formed from the radioactive decay of Uranium
found in rocks and soil. Radon gas rises freely
through loose gravel, cracks, and underground
fissures finding its way into homes and buildings.
When the air pressure inside a building is lower
than the air pressure outside the building, a
vacuum is created that can pull radon through
concrete pores, cracks and openings in the
foundation and around pipes and joints. Elevated
Radon levels and long term exposure in a home
or building are considered health hazards.

What can I do to protect myself and my family from radon?
The first step is to test your home for radon, and have it fixed if it is at or above EPA's Action
Level of 4 picocuries per liter. You may want to take action if the levels are in the range of
2-4 picocuries per liter. Generally, levels can be brought below 2 pCi/l fairly simply.

The best method for reducing radon in your home will depend on how radon enters your
home and the design of your home. For example, sealing cracks in floors and walls may help
to reduce radon. There are also systems that remove radon from the crawl space or from
beneath the concrete floor or basement slab that are effective at keeping radon from
entering your home. These systems are simple and don't require major changes to your
home. Other methods may be necessary.

People who have private wells should test their well water to ensure that radon levels meet
EPA's newly proposed standard.

How is Radon Detected?
There are many ways this can be performed.
Charcoal Canisters, Self-Test kits, and
Continuous Radon Monitors. The canisters and
kits also require a laboratory to analyse the
results and send the report back. This process
will add days to the testing process.

What is the Testing Process?
The placement of the testing device should be:

In the lowest livable level of the home
3 feet from any exterior doors and/or windows
1 foot from exterior walls
20 inches above the floor
4 inches away from any other objects
Away from humid areas like kitchens and bathrooms
Away from natural stone surfaces like granite counter tops and fireplaces
Away from cellular phones
1 monitor can handle up to 2000 square feet.
A short term Radon test requires a minimum of 48 hours

Note: Windows and doors must remain closed during the entire test except for normal entry
and exit. Heating and Air conditioning systems should be set for a normal operating
condition. Whole house fans or attic fans if installed should be disabled during the Radon
test.

How Much does it cost?
We offer Radon testing using the Continuous Radon Monitor for $125 for the initial test. We
offer a $25 discount if the radon test is scheduled as part of any of our home inspections.

If you would like more information or to schedule your test, call 920-451-4646.

Continuous Radon Monitors are expensive and you will know at the end of the test what the
results are that day! There are also features that are built-in to the continuous monitors that
will detect if someone Tampered with or Powered Down the unit during the testing period.
This tamper detection is very important for accurate test results and is not available with the
other test methods mentioned above.