Everyone should test their home for radon at least once throughout the year – although we encourage testing a lot more than that. Problem is, some folks don’t know how to get their hands on testing equipment and others fear what may or may not happen should elevated levels be discovered in their residence.
How Deadly is Radon?
Image by Clean Energy Works
You cannot see, smell or even taste radon. The only way to know whether or not it exists inside your home is to perform a test specifically designed to detect it. Worse yet, radon levels can fluctuate throughout the year, depending on where you live. That means during certain seasons there may be higher levels of radon inside your home. This is why we recommend testing at least two to three times a year.
It is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States right behind first-hand tobacco smoke. Believe it or not, second-hand tobacco smoke is the third leading cause. Furthermore, there are an estimated 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year attributed to radon exposure. That should put things into perspective and give you some idea as to how dangerous radon truly is.
Clean Energy Works Offering a New Radon Testing and Mitigation Program to Oregon Residents
Clean Energy Works, Oregon’s largest non-profit provider of home performance upgrades, recently announced a comprehensive radon testing and mitigation option available to all homeowners in the state. In other words, Clean Energy aims to simplify the entire process for homeowners by walking them through testing and mitigation step-by-step. You can get started by ordering a radon test through the CWE website.
Once a homeowner receives a testing kit they must place it somewhere in their residence on a shelf or “out-of-the-way-location” so that it can absorb and collect an untainted air sample. The completed test must then be sealed and mailed to a lab – a pre-paid shipping label is included with the test so don’t worry – where the results will be analyzed and sent back. Along with the testing results the lab will offer recommendations and support, describing everything that can be seen. They will tell you if there are dangerous levels of radon in your home and whether or not you should pay for mitigation.
Clean Energy home performance advisors will then discuss the test results with the homeowner and aid them in taking action if it is deemed necessary. When mitigation is required, Clean Energy will recommend the homeowner to licensed radon mitigation professionals.
Derek Smith, the CEO of Clean Energy Works says that the company is concerned with the quality of life for Oregon citizens.
“Whole home performance means evaluating and tuning your home up in much the same way you tune up your car. Adding radon testing and mitigation to our suite of services means Oregon homes will be more comfortable, healthier and more efficient—in short, they will work better for the people who live in them.”
Clean Energy also helps homeowners improve their living conditions by offering green energy upgrades to a home. That however, is completely unrelated to radon, testing or mitigation of the deadly gas.
The good news is that if you are unsure how to proceed, or even where to begin you can turn to Clean Energy for help. All Oregon residents should test their home and install mitigation systems if elevated levels are found.
Via: Clean Energy Works
