Radon testing and radon mitigation are highly specialized trades.

This is one industry that still hasn't been taken over by the DIYers.

And, selecting the right radon contractor can be a life or death decision.

As the second leading cause of lung cancer in America, radon contributes to more than 21,000 deaths every year.

High levels of radon can occur anywhere in the country. There is no section or area of the country that is completely safe from radon.

Because of this, you want to be sure to select a radon mitigation company that knows what they're doing and can rid your home or business of its radon problem.

When you hire a radon mitigation company, a professional radon contractor will analyze your business or residence and help you choose the best method for radon gas reduction.

They will also make sure the mitigation system they install works properly and lowers the radon levels back to a safe reading.

In the article below, we will talk about things you should consider, and questions you should ask when hiring your radon mitigation company.

It's a date we read about in our history books.

August 6, 1945.

On that day, a 10-foot-long bomb fell from the sky over Hiroshima, a city in Japan.

Not even a minute later, everything within a mile of where the bomb detonated ceased to exist.

An enormous firestorm quickly destroyed miles more, killing tens of thousands of people.

It was the first time an atomic bomb had ever been used in warfare.

What made it atomic? What was the element that was used to wreak all of that havoc?

It was uranium.

Uranium is unique because of one of its isotopes, uranium-235, if the only naturally occurring isotopes capable of sustaining a nuclear fission reaction.

Because of this, uranium has to pose several health risks, right?

Other than being turned into an atomic bomb, that is.

In the article below, we'll explore that question, and find out how dangerous uranium is.

Buying a new home is a roller coaster of emotions.

There are just as many ups and downs, and sometimes you aren't sure what they're more of.

One minute you feel like it's the best thing you've ever done.

The next minute you're frozen in fear.

Outside of marriage and children, buying a home is one of the most significant commitments people have throughout their lives.

When you sign that mortgage, you're usually committed for 30 years. 30 years!

You could go through seven, maybe eight different presidents while you're in that house.

So hopefully when you're buying your home, you do your due diligence.

Shop around and never buy the first home you see.

Work with a Realtor that will get you the best deals.

Make sure your house inspector will look through the house your interested in with a fine tooth comb, and leave no stone unturned.

Work with a mortgage broker that will get you good rates, and make sure you know the neighborhood you're moving into.

A good house in a lousy neighborhood sometimes isn't worth it.

You're probably thinking, "I know all of this stuff," and that's good, you should.

But one thing most new homeowners never think of when they move into a new house is the radon levels.

Most people don't even know what radon is.

So in the article below, we will learn about radon and some key facts about radon that every new homeowner should know about.

Radon is a radioactive gas that forms naturally when uranium, thorium, or radium, all radioactive metals, break down in rocks, soil, and groundwater.

People are typically exposed to radon when it gets in the air and comes through cracks and gaps in buildings and homes.

Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer, behind only cigarette smoking.

If you smoke, and your home has high levels of radon, you are increasing your risk for lung cancer exponentially.

Having your home tested is the only way to determine whether you and your family are at risk.

Because radon is odorless and tasteless, besides testing for it, the only other way people find out they've been exposed is after they've developed lung cancer.

Because radon comes naturally from the Earth, there is no way to prevent our exposure.

However, is it possible to make our homes "radon-proof?"

We will explore that question below.

Table of Contents 

1. Radon Resistant New Construction 
2. What does RRNC Mean? 
3. All Homes are At Risk for Radon
4. How Often Should you Test for Radon 
5. There's no such thing as Radon Resistance 
6. Schedule a Discounted Radon Test 

As people become more and more health-conscious, they want to be aware of anything that could be harming them.

People want to be able to eliminate anything that can cause harm or disease so they can live healthy, full lives.

So, when they hear about something colorless, odorless, and tasteless, that can potentially cause severe health problems, they need to know everything about it.

That's just what radon is, and it can cause severe health issues if not dealt with properly.

But, can exposure to radon cause leukemia?

We'll take a look at that and more in the article below.

What is an Acceptable Level of Radon? 

Radon gas is a known carcinogen, which means it can cause cancer, in fact, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. 

This invisible, odorless, and tasteless gas if found in both soil and rock that we build our homes on. Radon is in the air that we breath around us, however, outdoor levels of radon are relatively low, and do not posses a health risk due to exposure. 

When radon leaves the soil and rock from beneath a home or building, it seeps inside and becomes trapped, causing much higher concentration levels than the outside levels, which is why there is a potential health risk of breathing in and living in a home with high concentration levels of radon. 

Most Ohioans have to keep all of their doors and widows shut for the majority of the year. Whether it is because of extremely cold weather, or very hot weather, most people are not able to air out their home 24/7. 

Some people believe that opening a window will change a homes radon levels. Read our blog post: "Does Opening a Window Reduce Radon?" 

Even if windows are open for a short period of time, it's not enough to keep high concentration levels of radon from returning after several hours. 

This leads many people to wonder, what exactly is an acceptable level of radon? 

When you're purchasing a home, you probably have a list of things you'd like it to have.

You probably have some "must haves" and some things that would be nice, but not absolutely necessary.

Maybe you want 2.5 baths. Or you can't have a home without a front porch.

Maybe a pool with a nice pool deck would be nice, but not necessary.

 If you've ever purchased a home, you've had one of those lists.

Those lists, however, are mostly filled with aesthetics, leaving off the "functional" items.

It's assumed everyone wants a house that has a roof with no leaks.

And no one wants to buy a house where the plumbing doesn't work.

Those things are obvious; they don't need to be added to your list.

There are a few things that aren't obvious or aesthetic that can be easily looked over.

A couple of things no one wants in their new home, but can sometimes slip through the cracks.

I'm talking about asbestos and radon.

These are two completely different things, but if you find a house with them, you want to steer clear.

Or if the house you're currently living in has them, you need to get them removed.

Below we will learn more about asbestos and radon.