Adam Coyle is a representative of Smith Bowden Real Estate, serving the Madison, Wisconsin real estate community. Smith Bowden specializes in helping buyers invest in properties and expand their real estate portfolios. For more info check out www.smithbowden.com.
An issue that seems to be of great concern to home owners these days is Radon. Radon is a radioactive gas that is produced by the natural decay of uranium found in soil. The fact that it is naturally occurring and incredibly harmful has become a major point of worry for many people. Radon has been linked to the development of lung cancer. In fact Radon is one of the leading causes of lung cancer in non-smokers in America. Radon has no odor, color or smell and as such is difficult to detect. This risk of lung cancer is increased exponentially if you are a smoker so it pays to take the time to find out what the radon level of your home is. The critical number here is 4pCi/L or pico curies per liter. If your home has a level of 4 or above then action should be taken.
Testing the home for Radon can be done in one of two ways: you can call a certified professional to come and run some tests in your home, or you can buy testing equipment yourself and test you own home. The important thing is that you find out if you have unsafe Radon levels in the first place. Homes that draw on well water have a greater risk of Radon presence. The problem is not the Radon Gas itself but the resulting particles that are left over when the gas breaks down. It is the decay products that are in fact carcinogenic.
Getting rid of the Radon in a home can be a difficult experience. Usually this involved the use of a Radon Mitigation System. The kind of system employed in any given home will depend on what kind of foundation the home has. Typically systems will one of two things: attempt to stop Radon from entering the home entirely or reduce the levels of Radon once it has entered. Obviously the best system is that which stops Radon from entering in the first place. Starting the search for Radon in your home is a step in the right direction to improving your health and the well-being of your family. And you really cannot put a price on that can you?
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